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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  No way ever ever - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By Spokanegirl - February 15 - 11:06 am

  I bought it and 7 and a half DAYS later it caught on fire wasted 1350 plus 120 on registering tabs etc now have a bunch of towing fees. BS dude wouldnt give my money back either but after that I am done with Toyotas I keep thinking what if my daughter was in the car. Story is I was driving on the freeway lost acceleration and looked to get over noticed fluid flames dropping everything under the hood was scorched. Maybe it wasnt Toyota as every one is astonished at my misfortune but I choose not to ever own one hope this helps.

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  A truly unique vehicle!!! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By victor - February 15 - 8:46 am

  Why did I purchase this vehicle?? SIZE SIZE SIZE. With all the SUV makers trying make their SUVs larger and larger, the RAV4 is a truly refreshing choice in a dying breed. Its ultra- compact exterior size enables me to park in the TINIEST of places. Its unbelievably fabulous turning radius makes U-turns a breeze, and its teeny exterior dimensions make driving on the super-crowded streets of LA a virtually stress-free experience. Its got decent power, is pretty comfy with very good handling for an SUV, and gives reasonable fuel economy (actual calc.21-23mpg city & 26-27hwy avg)

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  Toyotas done it again! - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By BOB - February 15 - 7:00 am

  Owned a 97 4 runner and was extremely pleased, but needed something bigger to carry family to and from AAU Girls National basketball tournaments. Looked at all the competition and frankly they were no match for the Sequoia, in my opinion. The interior design and comfort is far superior to all the others especially in the rear seating area. The buckets in the second row are fully adjustable and also recline which made it great for the rear passengers. Not difficult to handle around town and its performance is well, outstanding. Recent long trip,passengers were very comfortable. Gas mileage low, but not why most will buy this vehicle. The Platinum has all the goodies,add entertainment system

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  Air bags add security - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By R. Hantsbarger - February 15 - 1:13 am

  I am a parent of two teenage daughters and I feel that small cars should be safe also. The car drives well and the steering is crisp enough to add security on mountain roads. The ride is fair on confort and leg room is just enough for 5-10" people. The Toyota Corolla is a great little car, but the base model is hard to find with air bags. We finally found one with the side curtain and side seat air bags without the top end LE accessories. Consumer Reports recommended buying the Toyota Corolla, but only with the air bag option. It is not something I hope to test, but it is reassurring to know they will save a life when needed. The brakes stop the car with enough safety as well.

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  Poor Quality of work - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Pat McMullen - February 14 - 11:36 pm

  As a customer of Toyota, my wife and I are disappointed in the vehicle we have purchased. The Toyota Rav is only 7 years old and we need a new transmission. I have had 5 brand new cars in my life so far and never needed a new transmission installed as a maintenance problem with my cars. The Toyota was not in any kind of accident. I was told my the technician it was due to transmission fluid being low. I just think Toyota could do a better job of building their products than this. Everyone is saying how good Toyota is we decided to purchase our new Toyota vehicle but so disappointed to have the transmission gone with only 79,000 miles. Gear is slipping from 2nd to 3rd.

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  Honestly - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By MAtt - February 14 - 9:26 pm

  I owned my car for a little bit less than a year. I had a celica gt-s. This car is very rev happy, and at high rpm fun to drive, but acceleration is terrible. I have never owned a car this small that accelerated so poorly. The style is great, many compliments on the car, and the inside of the car reminds me of a cockpit. however I hydroplaned and flipped my celica. No airbags deployed, but I walked away unhurt. So from my injury aspect the car must be fairly safe, but it may worry you that the airbags are almost impossible to to deploy? If you are wanting a car that you are planning on racing.. this isnt the car for you, but if you just want a fun sleek car, you have found what your want

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  Beautiful Automobile - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Brad M - February 14 - 8:13 pm

  This is the second Avalon that Ive owned, and the 2007 is much nicer than the 2004 I traded. Test drove Volvo S80, Saab 9-5 and Lexus ES 350. The Avalon, while not having the panache of the other brands, is by far the best value for the money. Beautiful interior, contemporary exterior and the powertrain is responsive.

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  True Comfort to Ride - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Kenneth - February 14 - 5:16 pm

  This is the first foreign auto I own. Now I can see what I have been missing. Quiet smooth ride, all controls on the steering wheel. For a 4 cylinder engine what get-up and go,not to mention the great gas mileage. Duel air, Bluetooth, satellite radio and rear reclining seats set off this car.

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  Best for the Last! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By patriciaah - February 14 - 10:11 am

  I Love my FJ. Its a 07 and I only have 8000 miles on it, but... It has never failed me. Winter in Mt can be brutal and while I dont do 4Xing, I can count on it to get me anywhere I need to go. I drove it 1 block and said I want it! I have never looked back. I had an Toy extended cab pickup, and loved it, but this has got it beat, hands down. If you want one, better get one quick, because after this year, they wont be made any more. {It was a limited addition run}. Ive never had a bit of trouble, and I got all the bells and whistles, and then some. The brush guard gives it better cornering ability {I dont know why}, and the back up camera... perfect!

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  Not ready for medicare yet - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Carl - February 14 - 10:06 am

  Thought the new Avalon would have better handling, but it drives like my fathers old Buick. The concept is great... lots of features, good price/ value, should have good reliability, but "oh what a feeling" is missing big time. Mileage is 19 to 20 in town on the road it is 27+/-. The transmission seems to slip. Dealer says it is a new 6 speed auto and is supposed to slip(?). To our surprise it is not very comfortable on long trips. Neither of us have back problems but after 3 hours our backs start to hurt. So this car will be going on Autotrader/ Cars.com soon. It will be a while before we go back to Toyota.