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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  2011 Venza - Nav system, Leather, Panoramic Sunroof, tow kit, loaded - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By rw_atl - July 10 - 11:15 am

  Ive had the 2011 Venza for a month now. It has steadily grown on us.. what we initially liked, now we LOVE! This is a very comfortable car with lots of headroom, legroom and width! My 3 sons are all 63" and they fit in the back seat with lots of legroom! It drives very well and handles well. Its not a sports car, but it handles better than our old Honda Odyssey Minivan, and my Toyota 4-Runner. Plenty of power (v6) and all the solid technology (Nav, sat, cd, ipod, etc) you need in a car these days. Gas mileage is about 20 around town and 25 on the highway (80mph). Excellent build quality all around. Panoramic sunroof is really a nice feature.

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  Excellent highway cruiser - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By ebeaudoin - July 10 - 1:46 am

  My mother-in-law bought one of these that was a dealer demo in 2009. The Highlander is such a nice, smooth ride, and the 3.5L V6 pulls incredibly well. Ive driven this car for many miles and have always enjoyed it- excellent visibilty, smooth smooth smooth ride, strong acceleration, etc. The best I saw was 26 MPG on the highway; not bad. One thing to be careful with on this vehicle- its very easy to lose track of how fast youre going. The smooth, quiet ride doesnt communicate the fact that youre going 25 over very well :D That being said, I would own one of these. She traded it in with 50,100 miles for a 2013 Camry Hybrid XLE because she didnt need the SUV anymore. Excellent truck!

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  none - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By johnhart44 - July 10 - 12:23 am

  nice car overall - fun to drive. A good value for the money. Would buy another one.

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  2007 TCH - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Frank - July 9 - 4:46 pm

  The vehicle is fantastic. Toyota took a major step up with the new Camry and the hybrid system is a pleasant plus. Fuel economy started at about 36 MPG and is now about 39 MPG with a daily city/freeway comute of 75 miles (13,000 miles on the car now). The ride, handling, interior quiet and interior creature comforts are excellent. Performance is comparable to our 2001 Avalon with better low end torque. The CVT transmission is a dream. We were considering the new ES 350 but opted for the Camry Hybrid instead. We are very happy with our choice. This car is very near the ES 350 in fit, finish and features at a lower cost and excellent fuel economy.

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  What It promises - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By j - July 9 - 3:33 am

  I am a first time Toyota owner happily surprised with quality. My previous car only got 28 mpg, even if I get bad mileage on Prius it is still above best on the previous car. Very impressed with mileage over 51 mpg first tank, computer says second tank over 50 mpg. Lots of leg room, 6 foot son sits in back with out complaining

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  Big Mistake - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By unhappy - July 9 - 2:43 am

  I have had my Highlander for about 2 weeks now and I can honestly say that I would never have leased this car if I had driven it for more than a few minutes. The steering wheel makes a clicking noise and I feel a click when I turn it. The third row has giant headrests that block your view out the back window. This is really not a 7 passenger vehicle unless the person sitting in the middle seat is tiny (and then they should probably be in a carseat!) I dislike driving the Highlander soooo much and dont know how I will keep it for the next 38 1/2 months. Was trying to save some $$ and didnt save very much and got a car that I hate. I keep hoping it will grow on me, but then I drive it!

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  Good All-Around Truck - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Jake - July 8 - 11:13 pm

  I bought this truck at the end of 2006. I love the ride this truck has, and the power is sufficient to pull my 5,000 lb boat. The truck does downshift when going down hills, but besides that, Ive had no problems. Gas mileage is a little lower than Id hoped for. I only get close to 18 mpg highway when Ive got cruise control on going no faster than 60. Good truck overall.

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  Great Car! - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By onehipteacher - July 8 - 9:03 pm

  I bought my matrix in August of 2003 when they were putting out the new 2004 models. I have loved my matrix since. It is great on gas and the look. When I first bought it, strangers on the street would look at the car and give me a thumbs up. I love the versatility of the seats. I have fit grown palm trees, a patio set, pool table, and other large items in my matrix with all the doors closed. You cant beat the quality of a Toyota. It has been almost 5 years with my car and no problems. I am thinking about trading it in for a bigger vehicle , but I dont think I cant. I love this car!

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  disappointed - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By william sheridan - July 8 - 5:40 am

  This is my second Avalon, the first was 2000. I assumed this years model would offer the same high quality performance as the 2000 model. Wrong! The transmission seems to shift very harshly and often. The wind noise is excessive and the engine noise sounds like that of a much cheaper auto. The leather used on the interior seems of a lesser quality vs the 2000 model.

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  Review at 27,000 miles (2.5 years of ownership) - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By jzach402 - July 7 - 10:26 pm

  Car has been performing flawlessly. Engine power is more than ample for my needs with 270 hp. Handling is ok but could be better. You get more body shift movement in your seat than say a regular size car due to the seat contour. Car rides quite comfortably with 5 passengers during short or long distance driving. Engine noise is quite acceptable. Car handling is quite sloppy especially at quick acceleration (FWD). Car tends to veer/pull on one side and may take some time getting use to. Gas mileage in my city driving averages 15 to 17 MPG and ~ 24MPG on HWY. All controls are quite user friendly and easy to use/reach and learn. Visors could be positioned better. Need simple Tire sensor rst