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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  Wheres the quality - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By aday - April 8 - 1:20 pm

  My wife and I purchased an 07 Camry in August of 2006. When its not in the shop, the car runs great. The interior is nice and roomy and the exterior design is beautiful. Unfortunately, we have taken the car to the shop for the sixth time in two years today. It has been in for a rattling sunroof pan within 1 month of purchase; 3 trips for a transmission issue; the radio quit working this summer and needed replaced and now the oil line for the VVTi has ruptured. Per the service manager, Toyota claims that oil from anywhere but Toyota is formulated differently and will erode the line to the point of rupture. The power train warranty will not cover the repair. Next time, I buy Honda!

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  Needs better fold down rear seats - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Jerry - April 8 - 9:03 am

  I bought this van because it was a Toyota. I tried a Dodge and the only thing I thought that was better on the Dodge was that all the rear seats folded down easily. Only the third row seats fold in the Toyota and it is more difficult to fold them down. The middle seats are so difficult to remove and replace that once I got them back into the van I decided never to move them. They are much more difficult to remove than the seats in my 1993 Plymouth Voyager.

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  Love/Hate relationship - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By ricksreview - April 8 - 5:25 am

  Love the vehicle. Hate having the Toyota sevice department know me by first name! All was well in the first year and half of owning our fully loaded 2010 Venza AWD. Recently the car developed a clunk in the rear, this required an extensive rear suspension repair. the noise has returned 3 months later! The transmission started to shudder and slip, Toyota replaced it saying its fairly common on the AWD model. This car only has 27,000 careful miles. I think it has more squeeks and rattles than the 02 Dodge Caravan that this Venza replaced.

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  Why not? - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Andrew - April 7 - 6:10 pm

  I admit it, I bought the FJ Cruiser not because of the offroad capability , but because I thought it was cool. After owning it for more than a year and 24,000 miles, it has proven to be an incredible vehicle that will do just about everything and go anywhere. Its not a race car and you cant fly around corners, but its a solid vehicle that doesnt rattle, shake or shimmy like my past 6 GM SUVS have done starting at 30,000 miles. It has a blind spot, get ready to look around it. Thats my only complaint. It gets 22 on the highway which is respectable for a 4x4 SUV. If you are looking for a solid SUV that wont break down all of the time and wont depreciate then look no further.

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  Very disappointed - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By j ram - April 7 - 10:36 am

  Many changes have been made since my 98 Camry that are downright irritating. To be brief, my complaints w/ the V4 LE are: (1) oil filter no longer easily accessible (2) Engine revs irregularly (tires squeal pulling out from a stop; hesitates at other times, giving an irregular jolt forward that is noticeably jarring (3) Car alarm placed on key where it is too easily triggered (16 times in 7 months) (3) Transmission wont shift from Park unless brake lights are on;my brake fuse went out, and the car LOCKED up on me in park). (4)OBNOXIOUS fasten- seatbelt alarm that goes off (at ANY TIME) if there is anything weighted on the passenger seat (I almost got in a wreck because of it); (4)Door lock system-get out after driving, ALL doors are still locked (why?);unlocked doors SELF-RE-LOCK

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  Reliable but not perfect - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dave - April 7 - 7:26 am

  Its a jack of all trades vehicle. Plenty of room for the kids. Hauls all my stuff. Decent mileage for commuting. Has a somewhat bouncy ride but its a truck and truth be told does ride better than most other trucks I have ridden in. Has really light and easy steering. Real easy to drive. The transmission is a dream. Smooth shifting and usually grabs just the right gear. You can slap the stick for quick acceleration. Tows my boat very easily.

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  Definitely will not buy! - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Steve - April 6 - 10:10 pm

  Rented to see if I would like. Looked great from the counter so I was ready to go. 70 MPH across KS avgd 32 MPG. 75 MPH in CO with about 5% driving in downtown Den was 31 MPG. Not impressive. KS was windy and the steering was awful. Passenger thought I was playing games so I made him drive. He could barely keep it between the lines. Inverter noise made stereo useless(fine in other cars). Buddy complained driving position made his back hurt. Seat felt canted towards center stack. Had to look at gear selector every time to find gear. Headlights cannot be turned off at will. Power mirror switch difficult to reach. Size 14 shoes do not fit well with gas pedal.

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  unsafe to drive - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By bruce smith - April 6 - 7:16 pm

  After app. 500 miles this car began to hesitate on acceleration at stoplights on left turns from stops and in normal driving. This is not a slight lag on acceleration but a total lack of power. The gas pedal can be to the floor for at least a count of 5 seconds before the car starts any acceleration, when it slowly reaches 40 mph acceleration is fine. This does not happen all the time. Transmission does not know sometimes what it is doing when itÂ’s shifting up or down. One dealer says there is nothing wrong with this car. Another dealership admits to this problem but says there no cure yet. I have reported to the NHTSA that this car is unsafe for the road. We now have 5000+ miles on it.

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  Not What I Expected - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By New England - April 6 - 6:26 pm

  Purchased new in early 07, & was initially disappointed car only got 38-39 mpg. Salesman didnt mention anything about needed to learn to drive differently, or art of hypermiling. No one said this when they were hyping 61 mpgs on sticker. Not right. Terrible in snow or slick surfaces even w/traction control, & even after replacing odd size OEM tires with better tires. Feels like youre "slipping" when braking over potholes. Can be scary. Disappointed had to learn to drive like a lilol granny to feel somewhat safe in this vehicle. Though driving this slowly reaps 52-54 mpg during spring & summer months. Probably a very good car if one lives in hot, dry climate but not New England.

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  So Far So Good - 2012 Toyota Tundra
  By thebigv21 - April 6 - 1:18 pm

  Truck now has 11K miles. Had first synthetic oil change at 10K. Averaging 15.2 mpg in combined driving. Truck runs great and has similar MPG as tacomas I have owned in the past. The horsepower and torque on this truck is something else. I see negative reviews on here and I cant understand why. The performance is what impresses me the most. I am 64" and have plenty of room. Kids can sit in the back without any problem whatsoever. This is a real truck, not meant for anyone who wants a car..