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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  Supercharged this thing rocks! - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Speedy - April 5 - 6:40 pm

  I traded a 2002 Xterra which was junk for this 2002 4Runner. I test drove the then new 2003 4Runner but felt it too big and heavy. Ive not had a single problem with this 4Runner, its built tight, drives great, is quiet, roomy, and wonderful on road trips. I decided it needed more power so I installed a TRD supercharger and some other goodies which really woke it up. Ive dyno tested this 4Runner at 240RWHP. Thats Mustang GT territory and the 4Runner weighs nearly the same. Im thrilled Toyota offers these types of upgrade options. Its an entirely new animal.

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  Love the car but its high maintenance - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By BCN - April 5 - 7:34 am

  Toyota Sienna SE 2015. Its had levers come off, brakes warp and burned through a set of tires with under 14,000 miles on it. Its been a very high maintenance vehicle for just owning in a year and a half. I get about 13mpg in the City and 20mpg on the highway. I really do like the vehicle but Toyota Care is horrible. They are supposed to rotate tires with each initial check of service 6 mos or 5k miles and never did it. It went out of alignment and destroyed the tires. Thats after repeatedly asking them to check the alignment at two service checks. Its my first Toyota and probably my last.

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  RAV4 with V6 - Awesome! - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Bob Snyder - April 5 - 6:56 am

  I swore I didnt want or need a V6. I wasnt even going to test drive one but after I did I was absolutely hooked! The V6 engine paired with 17" wheels is a killer combo. I cant believe how smooth and quiet this car is. My wife and I love it! It has great acceleration and handles extremely well. We are averaging about 25 mpg in mixed driving and even got 28 mpg on a recent trip. I am convinced that this is the best SUV in its class!

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  A splendid new car - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By BD - April 5 - 5:46 am

  My wife and I are very pleased with this new Avalon. The ride is comfortable and very quiet. On a recent 1800 mile trip, we averaged 31.8 MPG on regular fuel. [We are averaging 24.7 in city driving]. The sound system complements the quietness of the ride and we had the cruise set at 73-76 MPH. Acceleration is quick and smooth and the braking system is very effective. We traded in a Chrysler 300M [which we liked very much] and found the Avalon a great improvement over the ride and road noise of the 300M. The Avalon is an excellent road car.

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  An exceptional vehicle - 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By hayguy - April 5 - 12:24 am

  I now have 4,000 miles on my 2015 Highlander Hybrid. I traded in my Avalon Hybrid (a fantastic car) to gain AWD and more room for travel. This is an extremely well thought out vehicle. It is very quiet, quick and very comfortable. The new generation info/entertainment system is excellent. The latest navigation system is accurate and easy to use. My wife drives a late Lexus RX 350. The Highlander Hybrid is every bit its equal and in some respects superior. In both city and highway driving it has no trouble meeting and exceeding the EPA mileage estimates. It is an exceptional long distance driver. The third seat is for kids (or adults you dont like) but it is handy when needed.

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  I do not recommend the Yaris. Buy a 9th gen. Corolla instead. - 2012 Toyota Yaris
  By caro2012 - April 4 - 4:37 pm

  Ive owned my 2012 Yaris almost one year and I regret having bought it. The only good thing I can say about it is the gas mileage (I average 33.5). The construction is shoddy. The front bumper is barely held onto the frame. There is no foam under the rear bumper. The front wheel wells are made of the thinnest, cheapest plastic Ive ever seen used in this manner on a car. The car lacks sound dampening and the noise intrusion into the cabin at highway speeds is deafening. Not even the cheap stock stereo can drown out the noise. The steering wheel does not telescope, leading to a very uncomfortable seating position. Buy a 9th generation Corolla instead. Much better quality. Same MPG.

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  It doesnt get much bettter for money - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By pullygoalie - April 4 - 4:30 pm

  This truck has got some interesting comments in the week Ive had it. One guy asked, `Whats the room like in the back seat? My response, `Not much, but my buddies will put up with it. The key here is that I have no kids to stick back there like it seems some who rip this truck. My friends and wife said its not bad back there, but they arent 40 year olds with trick knees. ... This truck feels solid. Its not punchless like the Wrangler. It also doesnt have the comforts of a LR3, but this is a SUV in the mid-$20ks. What do you expect? ... The blind spots havent been a big deal. (Im young enough to be able to turn my head.) For a guy coming from a domestic pickup, Ive been impressed.

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  I LOVE my Taco - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By tacofans - April 4 - 4:26 pm

  I loaded it up 1100 lbs. of bricks, stones, and playsand, and it hummed along with no complaints. I love the V6. In town gas mileage is great, between 19-20 mpg. Highway within the 20-22 mpg range. Best tank was 21.85 mpg with 80% hwy, 20% in-town. Just keep the speed below 69 mph for better gas mileage (but I did go 75-80 mph from time to time). Ride is not bad at all for a truck although I would change the factory tires when they wear out for better traction.

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  No Problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Gary Barcome - April 4 - 3:45 pm

  Vehicle has performed flawlessly for 12 years. Only scheduled maintenenace and normal replacement items required.

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  Sound System - 2015 Toyota Tacoma
  By mzorn229 - April 4 - 1:29 pm

  The ETune system might sound better if they didnt remove the rear Access door speakers. I have owned five [5] other Tacomas and this is by far the worst sounding radio I have had in any of them. They took out the rear [Access] door speakers and replaced them with two tweeters in the headliner over your head. There is very little bass when you fade to the rear you need to turn up the volume all the way to even here them. I showed this to the dealer and they are helping me with Toyota to see if they will exchange the inside door panels from an older model, which will fit, that have the perforations for the speaker sound to enter the cab. I will take care of putting in the speakers.