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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  An incredible truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By daveyo - July 3 - 3:41 am

  My 2006 Tacoma is the first truck Ive owned and it is amazing. Ive driven it over 280,000 miles and the only repair its needed was a transmission rebuild (didnt change the fluid frequently). I do change the oil regularly, and now change the transmission fluid regularly. This truck shows no signs of slowing down. Mechanically - its as sound as they come. The interior is very durable. After 280K, the drivers seat shows very little wear.

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  Camry is great - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By theraywatcher - July 2 - 9:03 pm

  Bought my 1997 with 59,000 miles and have not looked back. Besides the oil changes and other "wear" maintainance, the only repair I had to do was a powersteering rack replacement. The car now has 112,000 and still going strong.

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  Best car out there!! - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By 09priusman - July 2 - 2:02 pm

  I bought my 2009 Toyota Prius about 3 weeks ago preowned with 39,000 miles. I love it!!! I traded my 2000 Cadillac Deville DTS in for it. I drive 120 miles a day to work so I needed something really good on gas. This was it!!! I have been averaging 41- 46 mpg all the time. The other night I drove 60 miles home from a firends house. It was over an hour drive on a back rd of Maine which I drove 55-60mph. I got home and got 48mpg all the way. (I have the pic to prove it)The secret is to get up speed and maintain it. I spend a lot of time only using my electric motor at 45-55 mph just maintaining my speed. It takes some getting used to but once you do youll love playing the mpg game :) this 2009 prius is amazing in the snow. I live in Maine and travel the highway 120 miles a day for work. Its awesome in the snow. Just walks right through everything. I pass every car on the highway. It goes through slush like its not even there. From a stop the traction control works great!!!

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  Fantastic car - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Tjepp - July 2 - 1:20 pm

  I bought this car used a few years ago with ~75000 miles. Turns out to be one of the best buys Ive made. The Solara runs like a top. Its been nothing but reliable and remarkably sturdy. Even now with 105000 on the odometer the steering is still tight and it rides just as nice as the day I bought it. I had the 100000 mile service done at the dealer recently which set me back around $1000. Other than that I havent had to do anything outside of gas/tires/oil change. Overall a very good car. Comfortable, relatively roomy, great gas mileage, superb reliability, even fast and steady on the highway. The only problem now is, what do I replace it with when it does wear out in 5 to 10 years?

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  Glendale Arizona family - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Excellent on Gas - July 2 - 10:56 am

  We say that this mini van is really good on gas, compared to our dodge quad cab that we have to fill up every week, compared to the every 2-3 weeks on the van. Its a really nice ride, the options they put in is really nice for the price you buy it for. We have looked around and didnt seem to find a better deal than what we found at a toyota dealer in Arizona.

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  straight dope on the fj - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By ditka - July 2 - 10:36 am

  This is a truck meant to go off road but it really bridges the gap between on and off-road drivers. In Four Wheeler magazine, the FJ had the best mileage, best pickup, best quarter mile, best braking and best engine/transmission combo of the seven SUVs tested(Feb 2007). For off- roaders, it also boasts an excellent stock suspension with over 19" of articulation and an engine tuned for torque with 278 lb/ft. The FJ Cruiser does have its drawbacks, however. The full-time 4wd means that you wont be driving from Denver to Vegas on one tank of gas. The rear visibility is pretty poor but a sonar rear-parking assist is available to compensate. In all I highly recommend the FJ.

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  J. Review - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By J. Doxbeck - July 2 - 10:10 am

  Comfy to drive, no blind spots like other SUVs I have driven. Very easy to handle and slip control comes in handy in when turning around icy corners. I love the look and feel. Lots of room for rear passengers and for cargo.

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  Amazing Car! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By norminator78 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  This is one of the best cars ever made, period. The engine is bulletproof, quite, and pretty responsive for being as economical as it is. I averaged 35 on the highway! It has the perfect amount of interior room, the way it is laid out is perfect, and it has a very roomy trunk. I was very surprised at how great the factory speakers sounded when I swapped out the original cassette player for an Aiwa CD player. I sold this car with just over 160,000 miles on it, and it still ran and drove just as well, if not better than most newer cars I have driven. I only sold it because I wanted stick. I wish I hadnt sold it!

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  AWESOME! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By jw115 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. Never had any problems with it. And just wait till you step on that gas....Its like you are in a sports car!

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  Camry is a solid car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By californiacam - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I purchased an 05 Camry XLE V-6, I could not be happier with it. It was not the cheapest car I looked at, however it had the most bang for the buck.