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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  2007 toyota camry great used car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By tom hunsberger - June 30 - 11:48 am

  this is my familys 8th toyota. we are very happy with the quality and durability that toyota has to offer. i purchased this 2007 camry for my daughter who is in college it has 65,000 miles on it and is in great shape. i bought this car for toyotas reliability and safety.

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  Awesome Buy - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sunit Mathur - June 30 - 8:26 am

  This is my third Toyota. This time I traded in my 05 Camry LE to get the 07 Camry XLE. Only two words can describe this for me: "Awesome buy".

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  The family van - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By JY - June 30 - 3:30 am

  Weve had our van for one month and are generally happy with it. It has a lot of space, and provides a quiet comfortable ride for all passengers. It is not a drivers van as the steering feels disconnected and the brakes feel soft. However the engine is a powerful and quiet marvel. On a 2000 mile road trip we found the engine powerfully moves the van along and got nearly 26 mpg running mountainous roads and AC most of the way, even before the engine was fully broken in.

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  Squishy ride and horrible brakes - 2012 Toyota Corolla
  By xpvs - June 29 - 9:45 pm

  Although my gut told me not to buy a Toyota especially after the sticky gas pedal/brake fail issue with them I went for the Corolla because it fit my budget. Last weekend I drive it to Ohio from DC (a one way trip of 450 miles). Things started to get bad as soon as I got outside of the city. The handling of the car is foamy at best. I believe in comfort but when it comes at the expense of not having confidence that the car will make the turn at highway speed, it is not pretty. And then there were the brakes. I decended a few hills and I smelt something burning. I pulled over to check but nothing obvious. A little later the brake pedal needed to be pressed very hard to slow down.

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  Still Love This Vehicle - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By JoanE - June 29 - 6:52 pm

  This is a review of a 2007 Limited Rav 4, which was the top-of-the-line model when it was released. Its still a terrific SUV, although by todays standards its missing some features, such as a back-up camera, lane warning, video screen, push start and USB ports. However, it does have bluetooth for a cell phone, heated seats, a very spacious cargo area with storage under the cargo, a reversible, removable carpet/rubber mat for the cargo hold (which keeps the back clean), automatic headlights, and the tire mounted on the rear, which Ive always thought looked cool. The tire has a premium cover that matches the silver of the car. The rear door swings open, rather than up. The rear seats fold down with extreme ease - just pull a lever. The car has a premium sound system with a CD player, which isnt available anymore. Id say that the gas mileage is average, brought down a bit by the all-wheel drive. Pickup is also average, although the vehicle has always been fun to drive. It has good clearage for snow, anti-lock brakes, and all-wheel drive that kicks in automatically. Im a short woman, and the foot controls are easy to reach; its very comfortable to drive. Visibility is good. I was commuting a long distance when I bought the Rav4, although now I probably drive under 10,000 miles a year. This car has been reliable and hasnt needed major repairs. The leather seats are comfortable, although Im noticing a little cracking on the sides of the front seats. The drivers side visor is drooping - the bracketing is getting worn out. I like the dash controls, which are unfussy knobs and buttons. All told, its been a fun, practical, and reliable vehicle.

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  Good, but rattles a lot... - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By A Kumar - June 29 - 2:56 pm

  I bought the Highlander thinking that Toyota is the venerable brand. The vehicle had good build quality, the panels were very closely aligned with no obvious spacing, however, the big issue was that within 20,000 miles, I heard lots of rattles. Those rattles were coming from all over the vehicle. I felt that paying so much for Toyota made me feel like driving in a tin box, everything in the vehicle looked flimsy and about to break.

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  4 Camry Family - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By Brian - June 29 - 9:52 am

  This 2013 Camry continues to be one of the best cars that Ive owned. It simply is stress and worry free

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  I like it! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Melinda - June 29 - 9:33 am

  This is a great car. Performance is excellent. I got the 6 cylinder because I am used to power - prior car Camaro Z28, and I am not disappointed. The ride is comfortable and it seems to ride a little higher than the average sedan, which I like. Its easy to get in and out of. I feel like I have a luxury car. No rattles or transmission problems. The interior looks great to me. This interior is as good or better than others in its class.

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  Terrible little car - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Abbie - June 29 - 5:49 am

  Needs a specific kind of coolant/antifreeze. Cannot use universal. Can build up blockages in engine.

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  Ill Keep It - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By cdysma - June 29 - 3:40 am

  I do love the FJ. I drive a jeep 80 miles a day (mail) then drive my FJ the rest of time. The FJ is better in every way except the jeep warms up much faster. My 16 year old likes driving it better too. I havent had one problem. I grew up going to Bajas and with dune buggies so its pretty special.