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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  Traded in my Lexus for a Camry - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By purpchin - February 8 - 10:10 pm

  I traded my RX 300 for this Camry and after a week Im not disappointed at all, especially at the gas pump. I went from a V6 to I4 and theres plenty of passing power. I also went from leather to cloth seats and its not cold - no seat heaters needed. If you want more class upgrade to the XLE but get ready to pay 3-4K more. Thats a personal choice. Its only been a week but if I have to take it to the shop youll be hearing from me. I bought certified used (3,800 mis) and the best thing about that is that the warranty is 7/100,00 mi - better than new.

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  This is KISS car - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By ARY - February 8 - 9:33 pm

  The less features the less failures, keep it simple. My manual Echo does 41 mpg and accelerates faster than almost any V6. I carry 8 scuba tanks and two huge gearboxes in it. I can park two Echos on one car spot. Now it is over 90K and i never experienced any problems. Front wheel drive is safe and lightweight body can be easily pulled from mud if you occasionally adventured into dirtroad driving. It is certainly the best buy for $13K i spent on it.

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  Happily traded the 2011 for 2015!!! - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By DLu - February 8 - 8:50 am

  The 2015 has made improvements in basically all the areas that Ive hated about our 2011 (Limited AWD). In terms of the driving experience, he steering feel and suspension have improved slightly. Rapid inputs in the 2011 are met with a very non-linear resistance, as if it would "catch" at different points of the rotation. Thats gone for 2015. The ride has firmed up a bit, but with an equal amount of improvement in body control. The 2011 was needlessly firm with still too much body roll. The improvement in NVH and the interior (see below) sealed the deal for us.

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  Design Flaws - 2013 Toyota Sienna
  By nsilva333 - February 8 - 3:30 am

  I bought a 2013 Toyota Sienna in January 2013. It is currently below 2000 miles. . At 60% weight load capacity, the ground clearance goes down to about 5 inches. I get honked on highway asking me to pull over and check-out the rear. The weight load capacity specified in the Toyota User Manual is 1355lbs. Even the dealer is suggesting me go buy an aftermarket solution to fix the issue. This is a true safety issue. Don’t even think about installing a tow hitch for a bicycle etc. The van’s rear suspension is too weak to handle a tow hitch with the weight of bicycles.

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  Best Car owned - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Joel Nuno - February 7 - 6:40 pm

  Ive owned Fords, Chryslers, VWs, Audis, and I can tell you, this is the best car Ive owned. I have a fully loaded hybrid Camry, I am proud for what I am doing for the environment and also very pleased with the money savings. The car itself is beautiful, quiet, comfortable. With this transmission you cannot tell when it is shifting, sometimes you think the engine is not running, it is sooo quiet. Suspension is great, comfortable. Brakes are also very good. Interior is roomy, comfortable and packed with amenities. This family car is in fact very fun.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jday - February 7 - 3:06 pm

  Test drive and you will buy. This is my second Toyota in two years and I like the build quality, overall sturdiness of the vehicles and high resale values.

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  beautiful car but... - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By L - February 7 - 1:26 pm

  I have had my Camry since August 2003, beautiful car, smooth ride, but the air conditioning had a leak inside the car 1 1/2 yrs. in and flooded the carpets, Toyota replaced the part but did nothing to repair the wet/ moldy smelling rugs. I had to pay a detailing company to clean and restore the interior of my car. The bottom of the car scrapes speed bumps at under 5 mph, and low driveways. Even with brand new tires it does very poorly in the snow, slides all over the road at very low speeds, cannot even back up off my flat driveway in a 1/2 inch of snow. Very scary to drive in winter weather.

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  Tow Prep Package - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By wonder - February 7 - 8:46 am

  I purchased a new Venza with the tow prep package. Consumers need to know that a wiring harness to hook up a trailers lights is not included in this package. Also, a wiring harness from Toyota will not be available until January 2011.It cost me an additional $150.00 to get the trailer lights to work.

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  Exceeds expectations - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By MOMAN - February 7 - 6:26 am

  Purchased Tacoma 2WD 4 cylinder access cab in April. I like driving it as well as my 05 Solara XLE. Power acceptable, comfortable and fun to drive. With less than 2,000 miles on odometer, consistently getting 25+ MPG. Quality of interior is exceptional. Traded in a 2003 Dakota with 17,000 miles. No comparison between the two vehicles. Access cab doors are great! Sound system rivals the Solara sound system. Seating is very comfortable for the "long drive." If you want luxury, economy, convenience, utility, comfort, and safety; this is your truck.

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  I Love It - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Geo. - February 7 - 3:16 am

  I have driven only 1300 mi. On vacation a pick-up left turned in front of me. I had to swerve into the left lane to aviod him and quickly back to aviod another vehicle behind him (50 yards or so) I was going about 50. I do not know if the stability control engaged. The car handled it perfectly.