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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  The best ride - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Maria - January 10 - 7:30 pm

  This is the BEST car I have ever owned! Toyota is a fantastic company and they stand behind their vehicles! I love the style of my sporty red Solara as well as the performance, not to mention the detail of this car - could not be better! I plan on keeping this car until the very end. I have seen the previous years solara models on the road and they still look sharp!

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  Great purchase - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By john - January 10 - 2:00 am

  My fiance saw this car and instantly fell in love with it. Previously had a 97 rav4. This little car is great, surprising power from the small engine. Great ride quality, and fuel mileage. Interior is pretty comfy, very roomy. Trans. does some weird things sometimes. Other than that, very smooth, quality feel for this little affordable car. Makes peoples head turn all the time, also sparks conversations.

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  Blizzard Pearl Prius - 2014 Toyota Prius
  By tomtsotsis - January 10 - 1:48 am

  In life sometimes you make mistakes and end up buying a Prius. Overall the car gives you so much you cant really hate it like you should. It took me to New York and back with 3 huge suitcases in the trunk and 5 people 500 miles roundtrip cost me 20 bucks. It is comfortable for long trips and is very quiet. I am impressed with the quality of the bluetooth and the entertainment system and I overall like the interior and exterior style and design. It drives fine. It is meant to be the work horse that will get save me in gas. When your stuck in traffic life is great in a Prius the engine turns off. I had some issues with the car from the start but eventually toyota fixed it after a few attempts

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  Awesome car - 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  By M Egan - January 9 - 4:35 pm

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  Couldnt be happier! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Iowa Girl - January 9 - 1:43 pm

  We have owned our Venza for 3 weeks now and still can find no faults. We drove several other crossovers including the Highlander, Buick Enclave, Chevy Equinox and Traverse, Ford Edge, and we kept coming back to the Venza. It has good ground clearance yet very easy to get into and out of. We like the wide wheel base, good ride, and overall width of the vehicle which makes it very roomy and comfortable. I really like sitting up higher. The back seat also sold us in comparison to other SUVs. We were owners of a 2007 Camry XLE. We will miss the gas mileage of the Camry, but we now have a 6 cyl and AWD so thats the way it is, but so worth it. We went with the Blizzard Pearl and love it.

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  2011 Limited - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By TMan - January 9 - 12:00 pm

  Bought first 2011 Limited in Texas. Previously owned 2005, 2006 and 2008 Avalon Limited. 2011 has a little more sporty look (more so than pictures show) More obvious to someone who owns a current model than a non owner. Interior dash board changes and updated Navigation system a big plus. Many "optional equipment" items now standard. Sticker price about $2,000 less than comparable 2010 models. (perhaps to line up price wise to 2010 Lacrosse) MPG claims a one MPG improvement. No laser guided Cruise control on 2011 models, dealers dont know why. Dealer did come off sticker more than expected,With base difference on MSRP I feel I paid a $2500 premium for 2011 vs 2010.

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  Smooth - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By robert.hinkle25@gmail.com - January 9 - 10:38 am

  This car does a lot well. Ride is fantastic, acceleration is strong and the sound system is great. I have a Miata for fun and the handling for the Avalon is very respectable. The car is quiet inside but at highway speeds it could be a little quieter. Navigation works well. It can suffer from glare on the screen when sun is low. But the car is easy to live with. Gas mileage is much better than expected for a car this size. The rear seat comfort and room is amazing. It performs well in the snow. The new versions suffer from stiff ride. Find a 2011-12 and hold on to it. 18 months later (57K miles)- still a very enjoyable car. Long trips do not fatigue as seats are comfortable. The only complaint is at highway speeds there is a higher level of interior noise than I would expect for a luxury version. As noted by others glare on navigation screen can be bad depending on time of day and angle of car. Overall still very happy. Mileage has been great and no lack of power from the engine.

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  Im impressed! - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By JimN - January 9 - 9:26 am

  Ive had Chevys and traded my Ford F150 SuperCrew 4x4 for this Tundra 4WD "DoubleCab" and have to say its a difference between day and night. Quieter, smoother, more comfortable and absolutely more payload capacity as well as being one tough truck. I have since added a 2.5" leveling kit and 33" oversize tires and this thing still is as quiet and smooth as the day I got it.

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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By rmelling - January 9 - 4:30 am

  No problems at all after 4 months. It has performed above expectations. 43 mpg doing 65 most of 325 mile trip.

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  Different than most Camrys - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By aippapa - January 9 - 2:00 am

  Bought new in 1994. Sportier than most other Camrys and has a look that still seems modern after all these years. Rock solid in all ways and the V6 is still quick and responsive. No squeaks or rattles or rust after 157K miles and we intend to keep to 300K if possible. A great car!!