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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  Tacoma - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By DanS - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun truck to drive, but i have had some minor problems.

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  Tacoma - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By dans - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun truck to drive, but i have had some minor problems.

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  Excellent!! - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Heathcoat - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck because I knew that Toyota was very reliable and I wanted a truck. I am very pleased with its performance so far! I have put almost 70,000 miles on it, and have not had any problems with it thus far!

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  2003 Toyota Sienna mini-van - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By kimflatpicks - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a very good looking mini-van that has a lot of power and is a very comfortable ride. I can carry 5 other adults in complete comfort and still stow more items behind the third row of seats. The interior space is very user friendly with all the cup holders and places to stow things.

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  Most Reliable Car ever,, - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By dov - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This car sounds and runs like the day i leased it 3/20/00. I have put 65,000 miles on it. Its a dream. Old reliable. Not a whimper, PROBLEM<< daytime running lights use alot of battery and I have to make sure battery is charged. The trunk if even slightly uncentered looks like a sore thumb( very sensitive door there if its off,, your in for a headache..).

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  Rhoda Tee - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By rhodatee - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This has been a very nice little suv vehicle for me. I travel a lot with my son and we can pack away our suitcases and still be comfortable and not crowded. It really serves my purpose

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  Whatcha got? - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By search66 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  When looking into the economy, commuter car that is fun to drive and under $17, 000 our options are limited. My choices were between the Honda Civic, Mazda Protege, Nissan Sentra and the Toyota Corolla. To make a long story short, the Toyota was the best overall value. From the quality to the peppy performance, I was impressed. The price (under $15k) was amazing, and it is the first time I left a dealership without buyers remorse.

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  Very nice car - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By sujh99 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I just owned this car for two weeks, I like everything of this car, powerful, roomy, quiet. I felt its much better than Civic.

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  Good car but.... - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Melle - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Have had the car fo 10 mths. There is an extremely annoying rattling sound originating from the drivers side dash, also car slips forward sometimes when at a complete stop-very odd, almost as if some one has rear ended you. Also ? that there may be an issue w/ catalytic converter, awful egg smell. Dealer ran emmisions test and said it was fine, however, after some digging on the web found that hundreds (and hundreds) of people all over tyhe US w/ 2003 model report same problem. Mysteriously we all get the same response from dealer. I know there is multiple reasons that may explain the smell, have tried all suggestions from dealer none of which have worked.

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  Pleasure to Drive - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By sponger - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The combination of the firmer SE suspension and super smooth V6 engine makes the car fun to drive. Although not a racer, the Camry has plenty of power to merge on to freeways, etc. The firmer SE suspension, 4 wheel ABS disk brakes and power steering all work together to differenate the Camry SE from the Camry your Grandma drives.