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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  Love being off the ground! - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By debik - September 9 - 10:00 am

  Went from a small Ford Focus that was about 7 inches off the ground to sitting up and visible! A little concerned about the light steering. Seems to want to steer itself. Still getting adjusted to size. I have leather and love the captains seats in the 2nd row. Have the third row seat down and liking the cargo space. Taking dealers word that there was and still is nothing wrong with Toyotas gas pedals.

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  Love My RAV4! - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Freckles - September 9 - 10:00 am

  I highly recommend buyers first rent this vehicle and drive it on a weekend trip. Thats how I fell in love with mine. I narrowed my selection down to a RAV4 and a Nissan Rogue. The RAV4 is much roomier - my kids feel the back seat is very spacious. My RAV is fun to drive and comfortable and the interior looks more "rich" than the Rogue. My only complaint is that the majority of the Toyota dealerships we called were not willing to come down much off the sticker and in fact some were quite arrogant about their pricing.

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  Comfort Cruiser and its a Toyota! - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By Loftonfan - September 9 - 4:10 am

  A good all around vehicle. Have owned this vehicle for a little over a year and the only thing I have had to do is change the oil twice. It drives so smooth that you had better use the cruise or you will be seeing the cherries and berries in the auto-dimming rear view mirror. The sound system puts the Bose in my Acura to shame. Easy to install a receiver hitch and wire harness for a do it yourselfer. Enough power to haul a built up CJ-5 and a massive carhauler over Vail and Eisenhauer Passes at the speed limit. The rear seats all have plenty of room for even the tallest passengers. The center console is huge! Can have two mountain bikes with the front wheels off standing in the rear

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  Love my New Prius - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Linda Saffer - September 8 - 3:52 pm

  It gets great mileage but with a comfortable ride.

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  Right size and performance - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Steve - September 8 - 12:20 pm

  My 4th new Toyota, 2 were 4Runners and a Tundra. This vehicle is the right size and with the double cab and enough bed room for the weekend yard work, kayak, surfboard hauler etc., this truck is perfect. I went with the 4 wheel drive and TRD Sport package w/17 wheels and the ride is great! Everything compared it is hard to beat the quality and interior layout. Try to have everything from the factory re: running boards, roof rack, and not dealer installed if you can help it. I work with BMW and for cars they are 2nd to none, but for my off time this Tacoma is hard too beat!!

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  Comfortable for tall people - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By David Stewart - September 8 - 9:26 am

  I was initially reluctant to get this car because of poor rear vision. However, its virtues more than make up for this flaw. As tall people, my wife and I dont fit in every compact car. But we do fit in this one. Its fun to drive, and we love the high gas mileage. Nice to know we arent polluting as much as we would with a suburban assault vehicle either.

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  I love Camrys - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Suppo56 - September 8 - 8:26 am

  This is my 6th Camry and the best! Bought it with 9400 miles on clock. Smooth, quiet ride. Excellent gas mileage. Whats not to like! Guess Im surprised to find several negative comment re tire wear. It seems original tires wear fast! After 25K miles, Ill have to replace tires soon. Ive gotten 75K miles on a set in earlier Camrys.

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  Our Second Corolla - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Dale - September 7 - 8:40 pm

  We already own a 1998 Corolla CE, and we like it so much that yesterday we purchased a 2006 Corolla LE! The car has ABS and side-impact airbags, along with the upgraded aluminum wheels and audio package. We chose the Cactus Mica, which apparently is pretty rare because the salesperson mentioned that Toyota only produces about 10% in that color. Ill keep our 98 for commuting. The new Corolla is much sportier and more fun to drive, and the car bears a striking resemblance to the Jetta prior to VWs latest redesign.

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  Waste Not, Want Not - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Tom - September 7 - 11:10 am

  They say those who buy a Prius are either techies, greenies, or cheapies. I say the Prius uses tech to be green and cheap. Driving one begs the question: if Detroit can make a car with a power moonroof and heated headlight washer fluid, why cant they make a car that shuts off at a stoplight? The answer is they can, but apparently dont want to. Test drive this car like I did and you will buy it.

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  Great Car! - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By 4annie - September 6 - 10:16 pm

  We bought our 95 Toyota Camry XLE V6, in Dec. of 1994. Currently it has 172,226 miles and we could not be more pleased! It is comfortable and the fit and finish of the interior and exterior are unbelievable. My husband takes it in for required service, its never been in an accident and it only drips a bit of oil. I love this car but we often have our very young grandchildren so we want something with more airbags and better safety features. Consequently, today was our first day of shopping for a new car. Its been a faithful vehicle for our family so were considering donating it to someone who needs reliable transportation but cant afford to be worried about airbags.