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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  Hard to beat for a full size pickup - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By GV - September 28 - 2:00 am

  First non-US pickup I have purchase but got tired of rattles in GM and Fords so decided to go with a Tundra. Cant believe a pick-up can run so quitetly, have so much power, and go over some wash boards without a rattle or vibration. Cant wait to see if it holds up but can recommend it to someone who doesnt like to have buttons fall off in the interior and gaps in moldings that I know I have found on US trucks.

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  I love my new Highlander! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Andrew 0801 - September 28 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love the new Highlander. As for reviewers who complain of wind noise on the freeway or cheap feeling materials, I have no idea what theyre talking about or what type of car they are used to driving. The car is quiet, well constructed, feels very solid, thoughtfully designed, and handles well. I know of several people who own the RX-300, and this car feels just as good for a lot less money. The sales/support from the dealership has been excellent, and they made purchasing the car a pleasant experience. We also looked at buying the MDX, but overall found the Highlander to be a better value and have absolutely no regrets.

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  2008 Toyota Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By NT - September 27 - 9:16 am

  I purchased this car three weeks. I loved the car so far. It came with nav, Bluetooth that connected my cell phone in 2 steps, 4 CD changers that can play MP3 and WMA so you could burn about 130 songs in each CD. It also came with full screen back up camera and a stereo input for iPod or MP3 player. The ride is very quiet compared to my 2001 4Runner. This is the car that has all the leading edge technology.

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  Wheee! - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By suze - September 26 - 4:13 pm

  I Love this car! The new technology is very exciting and fun. My actual mileage has been closer to 45mpg than 52mpg, but I think that is par for the course. I have not had one problem with this car. My main concern when I went to see it was: how would it perform? and the answer is great. Good pick-up, cruises at 65mph no sweat, handles easily. Interior very comfortable, even on several hundred miletrips. Comfortably seats 4 adults. One caveat: The hybrid engine read out on the dashboard is so cool to watch, When I first had the car, I almost rear ended someone!

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  Happy with my purchase. - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By mreyes6868 - September 26 - 3:54 pm

  We have had this car for about 10 months now and it has a little over 17k miles. No issues so far. The car has lots of power for a 4cyl and it gives me about 29mpg with half city driving half freeway. On a 490 mile roadtrip it used one tank of gas and averaged about 38 mpg driving at about 75 mph! Toyota did well on the new camry. I love the in dash touch screen radio and the comfortable seats. The SE also comes with the paddle shifters which are also a nice feature. The interior is very spacious and stylish.

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  I love my little red car! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Dede - September 26 - 2:20 pm

  This is my very first car. I have had her for 3 months and commute 52 miles a day during the week on the highway, and I am very happy with my decision to buy this car! I test drove a few other cars (including the Honda Civic) but I liked the way this one felt the best. I felt like I had the most control with this car.

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  Coveting thy Daughters car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By pacrat - September 26 - 11:30 am

  I bought this prius for my daughter who was going bananas over it,i didt think much about it since I had a 2002 Beetle Gls that I thought I was getting decent milage with it, until I spent a week driving the Prius. To put it in a nutshell, the dashboard took some getting used too,the gps had a few bugs in it that the dealership fixed but, the interior was spacious for a car this size, the sound system was great and the pickup wasnt too shabby. Also, the transistion from electric to gas engine was seamless and lastly, the display that monitors your gas milage almost challenged you to see what your best mpg was. I think Im trading in the VW for a prius of my own. Its a blast to drive!!!

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  Great Car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Larry - September 26 - 8:43 am

  Just picked up our Avalon Limited 2006. It had 44 miles on it and we got a good deal, $500 over invoice, no navsystem, didnt need it, but had the dealer put in XM radio, which we DID NEED! We live in boonies and regular radio reception is terrible. Love the feel and roominess. The faux wood trim in car makes it seem elegant. The car is extremely quiet and the sound system is awesome. Had to get used to not having a key and starting the car by pushing a button. The car is insulated from any rode noise and the ride is exceptionally smooth. We bought the car because of Toyota reliablity, roominess, and handling. Of course the price was right.

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  GREAT Car! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By gordon - September 26 - 7:50 am

  We bought this car new and have put 73K miles on it in 3 years. Only 2 negatives: weve gone through 2 sets of tires, and the A/C has started not working lately. It is roomy and has great acceleration for a 4 cyl. I accidently drove this car over a median once in a blizzard and it kept on truckin with no damage. Later, the road became undrivable and we had to sleep in the car! It still fired up the next morning. In the end, this is the car we pick when we have to drive cross country because we know it will not leave us stranded on the open road.

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  Initial 05 Avalon impressions - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Buffddriver - September 25 - 6:36 pm

  My Avalon has just a few hundred miles on it so this may be considered a first impression review. The car is a large, very roomy, sleek sedan. The engine is silky smooth and very powerful. It drives like a dream with great visibility forward and a little less visibility than I like to the rear. The interior is beautiful and functional but the side mirror control is located behind the steering wheel and hard to see easily. I also like the large screen in the center dash that clearly shows stereo/am/fm controls, air conditioning temp controls (different for each seatin front)and gas milege, and distance to tank empty. The compass in the rear view mirror is neat also. Very nice ride.