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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  Rattles a Surprise - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Surprised - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Overall I love to drive my Highlander. Its quick, nimble and quiet (for a SUV). However, after 20k miles there are two rattles in the interior. Toyota charges a premium for their vehicles and I used to think it was well worth it due to the quality...Im starting to wonder now.

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  Be Wary with Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By aesthetitican1987 - April 17 - 1:36 am

  I had a 2 door hatchback for almost 2 years. First off, I describe it as driving a Pepsi can on wheels. I got so many dents from the littlest of things with this car. I had an accident from sliding down a hill of ice and hit someone from behind. The car handled well in the accident, but was expensive to fix. The worst part of having this car, was when it was windy. I had an issue where the wind hyper-extended the driver side door and it wouldnt close afterwards. It was raining at the time, ergo, the interior got soaked, which led to an interior odor, and even after the door was "fixed" by the body shop it still never worked properly. Very noisy interior.

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  05 X-Runner Awesome! - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By baddaddy - April 16 - 4:30 pm

  Saw the X-Runner at the San Diego International auto show, immediately started searching. Had to wait for one to arrive, ended up being the first non speedway blue one in CA, or so I was told. Love it. Handling surprises many "sports car" drivers. Weak link was stereo, so I upgraded it. I get more looks than new Corvettes. Have not gotten this many thumbs up and comments since I owned my 66 GTO.

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  1st Toyota - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By DaveS - April 16 - 4:03 pm

  Ive had good luck with pickups in general, but this is my 1st Toyota. So far I couldnt be happier with my decision. Smooth, quiet and great fun to drive. The 2.7 has all the power I need and the Prerunner suspension looks beefy - like a truck should look!

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  for familys only - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By kern - April 16 - 3:56 pm

  great unit,very comon looking,no personality

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  2002 celica - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By jorge - April 16 - 12:20 pm

  This car as a beauiful a car as you can buy for lass then 100 grand. It has relativly good performance, handles very well, and gets tons of attention. To top it all off, it has the build quality typical to toyota.

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  A sure winner - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By John - April 16 - 6:26 am

  I bought this 06 Corolla LE last week and I am totally loving this car. It drives great and the fuel economy is awesome.

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  Having Fun in the Sun - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By KelsNArizona - April 16 - 2:36 am

  I got my Solara three weeks ago and I am absolutely infatuated with it! It is so much fun to drive... really quiet engine, convient controls, great JBL audio system, & lots of compliments while driving! The rise is so smooth with nice acceleration when needed!

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  You Cant Go Wrong - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By brian - April 16 - 2:26 am

  This was my first new car purchase ever and my wife and I couldnt be happier. We thought we would have buyers remorse after shelling out ~$40k for a Toyota, but it was well worth it. The car drives wonderfully, has a great exterior, incredible handling and features, and I feel like I purchased a Lexus. All of the features and upgrades are worth it. And I love the push button start and JBL stereo.

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  Love my 2nd RAV4 even more - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By jduffy09 - April 16 - 1:52 am

  I had a 1999 RAV4 that was bulletproof. I recently upgraded to a 2009 Sport V6 w/appearance package. The power of this V6 is amazing and yet fuel economy is not compromised. On a recent 500 mile round-trip I got almost 28 mpg. The 2009 is much more refined and significantly roomier than my old 1999 model. Rear-seat room is significantly improved, as is cargo room, and it is great for families with children and pets. The only disappointment for me is the ride. You feel every little bump, but I think that is specific to the sport model. And hey, its an SUV after all, not a Cadillac.