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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  Believer! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By TD - September 24 - 10:46 am

  Traded a BMW 745i for a Toyota Hybrid. With gas approaching $4 for premium it was time for a change! Tested Prius but could not make the transition with hardly any creature comforts available in this region. Didnt discover the Camry until the last minute. Customer reviews here and elsewhere on the web boast how great this car is so I went to take a test drive. Truly, I thought I would give up a lot to save gas and the environment but instead was quite surprised! Got the hybrid fully loaded and couldnt be happier. Every day I ask myself, "what took me so long!" Get a Camry Hybrid!!

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  Tacoma - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By TACOMA - September 24 - 7:33 am

  This is my first truck and I love it. The truck is strong and looks nice. I have over 1200 miles and no problems so far. The ride height is high, though feels bumpy at times. Gas is good but doesnÂ’t match advertised mileage so far. All my friends dig it, they all want to drive it, haha. Overall runs smooth, except in stop and go traffic, automatic is kinda shifty.

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  SUPER SUV! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Nicole - September 24 - 6:26 am

  We bought our Sequoia pre-owned last year, because I was tired of driving a minivan (have 3 kids) so still needed the room. Love it! It is very roomy, has leather and power seats, 6 cd changer and its not even a Limited. The rear seat is nice, they can flip up and forward, like the roll down back window too. Do need a better way to get to 3rd row, though. I can fit a car seat, booster, and my oldest all in the second row! When we decide to trade-in my husbands van, we are definitely sticking with Toyota!

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  Fun, sporty and enviromentally friendly - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Tiana - September 24 - 3:40 am

  When gas prices went higher and higher, I bought a diesel truck. Then those fuel prices went up too. For the first time I considered buying a hybrid car and decided on the Prius. I couldnt be happier and am a very proud owner of a hybrid. And I live in a oil/gas producing area where the bigger the better, and not too many people are fond of the hybrids. But this little car as done a great job!

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  Prius three - 2017 Toyota Prius
  By Ed Kirk - September 23 - 5:52 pm

  Fun ride and great value

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  WORTH every penny - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By tdtmd03 - September 23 - 3:10 am

  This is our 2nd 4Runner. Bought it because we loved our previous one so much, but needed 4WD to move to Alaska. This truck is awesome, reliable, durable, go anywhere vehicle. Idrove from GA to AK without any problems, hauling a full trunk, two dogs and my wife. Handles the snow trails without any hitch. Bought it used at 56K miles two years ago. Now has 78K miles. We had owned a limited 2006 and drove it everywhere as well. Sad to traded that one in for a Land Cruiser ( also 5 star terrific), but needed 4 WD. No engine/drivetrain/electronic/brakes/etc problems. HIGHLY recommeded. I see lots of SUV here in AK, but would drive this one any day ( with the exception of the LC)

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  You wont find a better minivan - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By BradMac - September 22 - 7:36 pm

  I traded in a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan for our new 2005 Toyota Siena XLE Limited. There is no comparison in quality, ride, performance and comfort. Ill never buy another Dodge vehicle.

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  Beat Expectations for over 10 years - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By doug ray - September 22 - 12:04 pm

  Very reliable and dependable

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  Fun! - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By Conway - September 22 - 9:50 am

  So I just got my package 6 Prius two weeks ago and love it! I traded in my BMW Z4 for it so I was really worried about it not having enough power since that was what I was used to but I am pleasantly surprised. I have driven it a lot already, about 1,000 miles and have averaged 45.9 mpg mostly freeway. It is extremely smooth, leather is much nicer then I thought and the keyless go, JBL, navi, back up camera and bluetooth are all amazing!

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  What a car !! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By camrythug93 - September 22 - 8:50 am

  I just got the 07 Camry 3.5 liter. The car is quite amazing. The turning radius is pretty good. The pick up is amazing. I will post more when I ride around more. Try it for yourself.