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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  What a deal!! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Fab Heidi - March 17 - 10:00 am

  This is an overall great vechile.A lot of bang for the buck and you get a lot of great features also. Toyota has a great powertrain warranty and a good bumper to bumper. Anyone who is looking for a great midsize suv then the Toyota Highlander is definiately the way to go.

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  GREAT CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By cutecar - March 17 - 10:00 am

  This car is a wonderful buy. It is priced great. It gets great gas mileage. I recently go into a serious wreck with it, and the car held up pretty well. The features are excellent.

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  Buy the corolla it rocks - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By sethers - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought my corolla, my first car, the last day of May this year. It was in my price range and had all the options that I wanted, with a few that came with the car that werent my choice. (Options: side-airbags, upgraded stereo system, anti-lock brakes, and Im sure other things as well.) The gas mileage is fantastic I get approx. 30-35 mpg and thats with road and highway driving as well as in Philadelphia where it truely is stop and go. Its really peppy and loves to go fast but doesnt have a problem going slow either, the ride is supurbly smooth with a great sound system. A definite first car buy. (2003-Corolla LE Black) GO out and get one today!

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  Great Family Sedan - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Lutz Krohn - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I like the fact that it runs very quite; even at high speeds. It seems to be able to turn on a dime I like the looks of the front end, but prefer the rear end of the 2002 model. The power of ilumination from the city lights is great, but the highway lights are phenominal. Lots of head and leg room; more than any other brand of car test driven.

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  Exceeds expectations - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By dacow - March 17 - 8:53 am

  I ordered this car without seeing the inside or driving the model year. I just trusted the brand and I have to say it has exceeded my expectations. I have had a couple of 4cyl. cars in the past and this far and away blows them out of the water. It has plenty of power for my needs and I have noticed no transmission problems at all. It is an extremely quiet and smooth ride. Looks great rides great. I had leather put in after sale and its good, not great but good. Overall car has exceeded my expectations.

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  Great ( land ) cruiser - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By western6 - March 17 - 4:30 am

  I love this rig! It smells, drives, performs like a land cruiser. This is my fourth cruiser.

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  Couldnt be more satisfied - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Frugal - March 16 - 5:06 pm

  Incredibly, the Prius was a replacement for a Mitsubishi Evo 8 that I had grown tired of. I have now owned the Prius for almost three years and I couldnt be more satisfied with it.

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  I love it - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Bob Hardy - March 16 - 3:46 pm

  I traded in a Town Car to purchase the Prius, and havent missed it at all. With a total of 26650 miles I have had no problems. Averaging slightly over 45 MPG for the entire 26M miles. It has a very functional design with lots of room for 6 footers. I have taken a couple of trips of around 1300 miles each. The car was comfortable during the trip and I had no problem maintaining inter-state speeds even in the mountains while the car was fully loaded. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for good, reliable and economical transportation. This is the first time I have recommended a car, and I wouldnt do it if I wasnt sold on it.

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  My 1st. Prius - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By nik34 - March 16 - 3:26 pm

  I have the car one week and it runs great; adequete acceleration and very good fuel economy. With prices now at $3.25 and going up it is comforting to have a car that gets 40+ miles a gallon.

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  Best car so far - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Bill-B - March 16 - 10:33 am

  Acceleration is to slow. Very good car. Best car ever for around $20,000