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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  Mechanically fantastic and quiet - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By kvm1983 - September 17 - 1:13 am

  The good: Technically, mechanically, this car is fantastic. It has the smoothest transmission, very nice pick up, and very quiet. The not-so-good: The XLE version does not have power seats. Weird. Detail review: I have been researching crossovers since almost a month. I thought about getting a CRV, and I test drove 3 different ones, but all of them were noisy. The engine noise is high, combined that with the road noise was the deal breaker for me. The RAV4 is noiseless. Mechanically, this is a fantastic vehicle. The pick up is great, and it has three modes: eco, regular, sport. Loved the power steering on it too (better than CX-5, IMO).

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  Great Car! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By D - September 16 - 11:03 pm

  I totally recommend this car. I had Lexus few years ago and this car has nothing to envy to Lexus if you talk about comfort and reliability, silent engine. Great to drive, Not a sexy body but a great car. I love my Camry

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  Highlander has read too many of its headlines - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By gary rainford - September 16 - 5:33 pm

  Overall the Highlander is a solid vehicle that will probably perform well over time & hold its value. However, dont believe the 18-24 fuel rating. I just took it on a 250 mile trip, drove conservatively on the highway & averaged a whopping 17.9 MPG. Also, the electronics are ok, but given this is a 2016 model, the user interface could definitely use some fine tuning.

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  A Great Car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By avalon - September 16 - 12:00 pm

  This car is finally not for old people, which is good. The new exterior is great. The interior is awesome. The performance is very good. For a car with a 3.5 V6, this has the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder. Like most Japanese cars, this is very reliable. It isnt as fancy as the lexus, but about half the price. There is an unbelievable amount of rear legroom: 40", and up front is 41"! There has not been any issues with it yet, and there probably wont be any. It is much better than our previous car, which was a Lexus RX330. There is not one thing anybody dislikes about this car.

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  2011 Camry Interior Noise - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By bigqsky - September 16 - 5:01 am

  It seem like Toyotas quality sink recently, not like the late 90 models when it builds in Japan. My 2011 Camry had a some weir noises such as metal and panels when driving, with all windows up and sealed. Specially pass over some tough roads, the noise very uncomfortable. I am not sure is there any Camry out there had the same situation with my. But beside thats I am fine with the it.

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  Awful road noise makes otherwise good car unbearable - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By gregarious988 - September 15 - 10:27 pm

  Yes, claims of 50+ mpg are true. In summer in Wisconsin I find myself getting 49 to 54mpg with each fill up without trying. The car is also functionally practical and the rear hatch is nice. All of this is countered by the fact that this car does seemingly nothing to insulate/dampen road noise. Quite literally, you will hear your tires going over ever pebble composing the blacktop pavement underneath you. In the 1998 Civic I used to drive, road noise was very noticeable above 55 mph. In the Prius, it is noticeable quite literally at 15mph and above. Trips of 1 hour or more at 55mph+ on anything but a freshly paved blacktop road will leave you feeling partially deaf.

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  Second Sequoia - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Steve - September 15 - 1:37 pm

  Great vehicle. This is second one for us. We buy them with 60-70k miles. As long as they are local trade ins with clean car fax and documented service history I have no qualms about driving them to 200k miles and expect few repairs. Fuel economy is only downside,

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  Great Car - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By jschwartz - September 15 - 11:55 am

  I had a Dodge Grand Caravan in the late 90s and loved the space (not the reliability). Since then have had a Tahoe, Envoy, CRV and Volvo S80 (the worst piece of junk I ever owned). This car is just for my wife and I (and a dog). We love this car. It is spacious, lets us hang clothes on a trip and in general is just a wonderful experience. To those who complain about the NAV, I would say learn to use it properly. Further, no NAV system is perfect. I have not used the voice activation, but from what I can see in the manual, it works great. Love the bluetooth as I do not always hear my phone, but with the connected bluetooth, never lose a call. I have averaged almost 21 MPG.

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  Love my Corolla - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By jen - September 15 - 5:00 am

  My Corolla drives great, I made a great choice in buying one. I plan to keep it as long as it will last, I have a feeling that will be a long time. Toyota does not play around when building their vehicles. Everything seems to be tuned to perfection.

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  Interior Improvments Needed! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Mike Patock - September 15 - 12:30 am

  Vehicle is great except the the build quality of the interior. It looks great, but it rattles, creaks and moans. Certainly didnt expect that in a Toyota.