Overview & Reviews

Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which goes a long way toward justifying their typically high purchase prices. For buyers who plan on owning their new vehicles for a long time, the Toyota marque is a very compelling choice.

The automaker's name is a variation of the surname of its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. After years of research, Toyoda unveiled his first prototype, the A1, in 1935, marking the birth of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The '40s witnessed the launch of additional passenger cars and even a pickup. By the end of the decade, the automaker had produced more than 100,000 vehicles.

Toyota grew bigger in the '50s and expanded its roster with a slew of new small cars. The company also unveiled the utilitarian BJ truck; this vehicle was the precursor to the Land Cruiser. By the end of the decade, Toyota had commenced exports to the U.S. with the establishment of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. The first Toyota to be sold on American shores was the Crown; it held the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold Stateside.

The '60s witnessed even more growth for the emerging juggernaut. Toyota introduced the Corolla, an immensely popular model that is still in production today. Vehicles like the home-market Publica, the 2000GT, Hiace and Miniace were also launched. The decade closed with Toyota reporting annual domestic sales of 1 million units; cumulative exports also reached 1 million.

Japanese-market cars like the Carina, Light Ace and Publica Starlet were launched during the 1970s. In the States, the Corolla grew in popularity and the Corona and Mk II models debuted as well. The successful Celica sports coupe was also rolled out and would remain in production for more than 30 years. Toyota's shadow had spread far beyond Japan by this point. The decade's oil crisis had made the manufacturer's compact, fuel-efficient models more popular than ever in the United States. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker had exported more than 10 million vehicles.

Toyota expanded its presence in the U.S. market during the '80s, with the introduction of popular models like the 4Runner SUV and the MR2 sports car. The true high point of these years, though, was the birth of the Toyota Camry sedan. Originally known as the Celica Camry in Japan, the car went on to be a hit of phenomenal proportions, earning kudos as America's best-selling car of the year time and time again.

During the '90s, Toyota rolled out the Avalon full-size sedan and expanded its selection of SUVs with the compact RAV4. By the end of the decade, more than 100 million Toyota vehicles had been produced in Japan. The company also proved itself on the cutting edge of new technology with the rollout of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid. The car debuted in Japan in 1997; by 2001, the fuel-sipping sedan had made its way to American highways. Despite the presence of a growing number of competitors in its segment, the Prius continues to boast class-leading sales.

Toyota's current lineup is relatively extensive, including minivans, cars, trucks and SUVs. The brand remains extremely popular among savvy consumers who place a high value on quality and dependability.

User Reviews:

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  You Cannot Beat This Car! - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By Ken Armstrong - December 31 - 5:06 pm

  Outside of tires and batteries, this car has had no repair work, and has never been in the shop with 80,000 miles. I do my own maintenance. Original brakes with a lot of city driving. Hey, just use the transmission to slow down. Not a hot rod, not a sports car, but runs great and handles pretty darn well too. The ride is superb and the car is extremely comfortable on long trips. Cannot ask for more than this car has given. The best value anyplace!

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  Compliment getter - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By larry - December 31 - 11:50 am

  I have the speedway blue with the sport package this has the hood scoop. I have people walk up to me all of the time to coment on the color and style of my truck. This makes you feel really good. I spend a lot of time on the highways around phoenix so I already know it looks good now the performance and comfert is outstanding. When I punch the gas at 70 mph it still sets me back in my seat. I am in my forties and have had a lot of cars and trucks and my tacoma is by far my favorate.

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  awesome vehicle - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By melephantman - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Package 9 is awesome. Adding integrated XM Radio very worth while. Fuel efficient. Rides like a dream. This is the best car I have ever and maybe will ever own

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  Boos Camry - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Booo - December 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Camry. My husband talked me into the V6 - which I am glad now that I did buy. The only thing with the V6 is if I get on it - the gas mileage goes down. This will not be my only Camry I will ever own. This is the most reliable car I have ever owned.

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  Smith 0625 - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Smith0625 - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Great car .... great style ... very responsive and fun to drive. Will "share" it with my 17-year old daughter who loves the car!

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  my 03 corolla - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Sam I Am - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Toyotas rule for over all everything, quailty, ride, dependability, looks, style well I love Toyotas and really Japaneese cars in general. USA has the techo ability but dont want to use it to build a dependable car as these. They want to screw us out of more money more often.

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  First Timers - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Tonii - December 31 - 10:00 am

  First time with toyota, Love the minivan but watch out for the financing, no matter how good or great your credit these minivans sell and there are no deals to be made by the dealer. That issue I was not happy about and may be a factor in my next toyota minivan

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  Rav vs CRV. - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Jesse Costa - December 31 - 9:06 am

  After 3 months of research, we decided to purchase a 2016 Rav4 XLE. We were also interested in the CRV, but decided against it while on the test drive. Something is just not right with the CVT. We didnt notice it while on the secondary roadways, but once on the highway it felt like the car was being held back. My wife stated that the information cluster indicated the MPGs were 14.5. We inquired with the salesman but he had no idea that Honda had a transmission issue in the CRV. The Rav had no such issues, it drove great has lots of space and looks nice inside. If you are currently driving a v-6, like we were, there is very little difference in performance it was quite a surprise. We are new Toyota owners, but everyone we have talked with just loved theirs. The Toyota Dealership was also willing to negotiate.

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  WHATARIDE - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By WillieB - December 31 - 7:53 am

  Ive only had this vehicle a short time, but the offroad capability, comfort, and ride are all exceptional. I really did not expect this new design to be so well conceived, but being a multiple Toyota owner, was not surprised. I do wish high test gas was not required, but so far, that is the only feature I would change.

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  Nice, Reliable, Comfortable, Economical - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By mcdawgg - December 30 - 11:45 pm

  No complaints after 2+ years (20k miles), no trips back to the dealer for ANYTHING. Only the accelerator recall, which will never cause a problem unless you put one mat on top of another and/or you dont use the clips to secure the mat. If you read the owners manual and use common sense, you have nothing to worry about. But the recall changes the accelerator pedal so it is "idiot" proof. There is ZERO evidence of unintended acceleration or problems with the electronics, according to NASA. Good job to all the folks in Kentucky that built this car, and I am happy to see that 85% of the parts are also from North America! As a bonus, I also own Toyota stock, so I share in the profits