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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  Overall incredible truck. - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By zacattack1 - September 7 - 2:36 am

  Been driving full side trucks all of my life. Chevy 1500, 06 Tundra. I have a 06 prerunner sr5 5 manual, and have to say it is a 10 in every department. And the 2.7L is a top end engine. And at times it feels like a race truck. The whole truck is strong, tight, and fast. It does 80 on the highway at 1/4 throttle with ease. And with its short wheel base. The city and freeway ride, is the best and smoothest. First gear is very short, but once you start shifting through the gears. The top end engine hits, and the truck just pulls and pulls.

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  great car - hardly any repairs - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By nelsoncorcoran@gmail.com - September 6 - 8:47 pm

  Our car only has 135,000 miles on it. Almost not a single problem the whole time for 18 years. Excellent car to own.

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  Great car great value - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Mary Bradshaw - September 6 - 4:52 pm

  Its a reliable car with great gas mileage. The car is much better insulated so you dont hear too much of the outside noise. For the basic it has everything I would need.

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  Move Over Energizer Bunny - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mjwoodsphx - September 6 - 10:33 am

  I bought this car in 2002 with 55K miles on it and paid 21K. The best investment I ever made! I bought this vehicle because I had a 1998 Tacoma and loved it. I dreaded that I gave it up at the end of the lease! The 4Runner is the best quality vehicle I have ever owned. Who owns a car for 7 years and hasnt grown tired of it?? This is one amazing vehicle and you can not beat the value. Sure it does not get great gas mileage, but it still gets better than most NEW SUVs. I average over 20 MPG and I live in Phoenix which has stops lights every mile not to mention terrible rush hour traffic! If you are considering one of these old guys, go for it! You wont regret it!

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  Navigation system - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By eglideman - September 6 - 9:07 am

  It was my understanding that Toyota had made changes to the Nav system so it was more user friendly. Im fairly good with gps systems but the voice activation on the Prius V 5 is pretty bad. I even called the dealer to help me and he couldnt help until he talked to his tech on Monday. The vehicle is amazing in every way except that. Up to now I havent been able to find a forum or site that helps in that area.

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  Great large SUV - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Sequoia in No. Cal. - September 6 - 5:13 am

  The Sequoia is the best overall large SUV out there. It has a great engine, large cabin and the rear window that retracts all the way down is a huge plus for carrying long items. The mileage isnt great but it is better then expected for such a large vehicle. The Navigation and DVD system are not up to par with the Acura system. The DVD needs to be controlled with a remote control and you can only enter an address in the Nav system when in Park. Small complaints for an overall great truck.

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  Great Truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Driggers - September 6 - 2:13 am

  Bought my first truck September 2004. Was hit from behind at about 55 mph while I was standing still. It totaled the Tacoma with on 7000 miles on it and put me in the hospital. I lived through it to buy another one before the larger 2005 Tacomas come out in November. I had bought another in Fort Worth shipped from Houston in November. I was asked why I bought another little truck exactly the same? The little truck saved my life and after three roll overs, after being hit from the rear the thing was still running, so quiet that it was still running till I turned it off. This is a great truck and I have its sister truck with about 31k four years later. You cant find a better little unit.

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  Big step up! - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By jcbkny104 - September 6 - 1:56 am

  I just bought a 2015 Camry XLE v6. I absolutely love this car. I traded my 2009 LE which was great but I was feeling the urge for a new car. I wanted to try the v6 and it is awesome. A huge step up from my old 4cyl. Going from the LE to the XLE is like moving into a Lexus. Totally different feel. They did a great job with the new model. While there is a big cost difference you get what you pay for and I am happy with my decision. Everybody talks about sporty this and that but what I wanted was ride comfort and luxury features. This is why I bypassed the "sporty" xse and se and went with the XLE. The extra oomph of the V6 is very noticeable. The seats and ride are super comfortable.

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  Nice car, Major oil leak... - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Freezer - September 5 - 12:30 pm

  Purchased in 11/05 as a pre-owned "certified" vehicle. We have the blizzard pearl with black interior. Purchased with 8,000 miles on it. The vehicle handles nice with plenty of horsepower. Noticed an oil leak the first day we brought it home. Brought it back to the dealer and they performed a TSB repair, oil lines etc. To make a long story short we went back to this dealer at least 3 times to fix and to another dealer about 4 additional times to finally get this resolved. We had to involve the Toyota Corp rep to get satisfied results. The engine had to be pulled to find the leak which was a void in the seam sealer near the cam saddle. Lets just say that I never expected this from a Toyota.

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  love my Avalon - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Kathyjj29 - September 5 - 10:00 am

  In the four years Ive owned the Avalon, it has not needed a single repair. We bought it at 20,000 and besides oil changes, the only money weve put into it was at the 60,000 mile check-up. Id buy another one in a heartbeat.