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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  Little Red Truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By jmday - December 23 - 10:00 am

  The truck rides and drives very good. I have over 7000 miles on it now with no problems so far. This is my first Toyota and Im hoping to get a good truck this time. Its been a long time since I owned a truck that didnt need to go to the shop on a regular basis. I hope this is it. The main thing I dont like about it is that its not comfortable. The seats take some getting used to.

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  2000 Toyota Avalon Good but not Perfect - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Della - December 23 - 10:00 am

  The 2000 Toyota Avalon XLS is good but not perfect. I like the slightly boxy design. The fit and finish was almost perfect with the exception of one flaw. One of the trims pieces on the roof seam was dented when I tool delivery. On a car of this caliber, I would have liked to seen a better paint job since I began noticing chips in the paint almost right away. The interior is room and the trunk is downright spacious. The car currently has 33,000 miles and was just diagnosed with a defective ignition cylinder. One doesnt feel real confident when the key wont turn in the ignition. I hope that this will be an isolated incidence no more suprises.

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  A great fun driving SUV - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By fanman - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Sequoia since November 2001. It is a pleasure to drive and I believe ahead of the pack fit and finish. Its a swee truck!

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  Better than I thought - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By mrfoam - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I had done extensive research, so I was ready for a fight at the dealership. Since I went through Costcos website, I got the car for $600 over dealer cost. The salesman actually quoted a lower price than I was expecting. I bought the car for my wife, but I find myself driving it all the time. The best surprise is the height. No longer do we have to pull ourselves out of the car (like with our 94 Corolla). There is also much more room in the back seat - it really does seat 5 people. I heard one salesman refer to this car as the "The Little Camry". Great Looking - Great Comfort - Great Gas Mileage

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  better than honda - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By formerhondaowner - December 23 - 10:00 am

  We traded a 2000 Honda Civic which was fine and very reliable but tested the Corolla and fell in love with the ride, design inside and out and the size/safety features. It is bigger and seems to be better built than the Honda 2000 and 2002 models. Great car so far..only 2 weeks old.

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  Best SUV in market today - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Solid performance - December 23 - 9:56 am

  After trying many SUVs I found Highlander combines power, ride quality, interior room with descent fuel economy. Car rides very smoothly and engine has lots of power when needed. Great visibility and easy to park.

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  Worst riding truck Ive ever driven - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By primo - December 23 - 8:10 am

  I have owned or worked out of 14 different trucks in the last 10 years and can safely say that this vehicle has by far the worst ride of them all. The amount of reverberation from the rear of the truck on concrete roads is insane. Hitting a speed bump at 10mph causes shockwaves to travel up to the front of the truck for 5 seconds while the bed bounces up and down like a diving board. This problem is supposedly only confined to the DC models so do yourself, and your pancreas, a favor and get the crew- max. Toyota has been told repeatedly about the ride issues with the DCs and still refuses to aknowledge it. I will be trading in this back killer as soon as I can.

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  good looking fun driving - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By SLS - December 22 - 7:20 pm

  best looking convertable around smooth driving quiet and quick,this car is priced extremely well/ No reason to go back to the dealer

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  rethinking my purchase - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By toyotaS2007 owner - December 22 - 6:53 pm

  First time new Toyota Corolla-S owner (had 2 used Hondas prior to this). Agree with this cars tendency to drift & shake in wind or rain. Im religious about scheduled maintenance, yet car shut down on me spontaneously on the highway. Had only 130K miles on it. Engine Control Unit had to be replaced! Same thing happened to my brother who has a 2006 Corolla-S. Now with the Toyota recall fiasco, Im rethinking this purchase...shouldve stuck with Honda.

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  Mountain Monica - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Monica Geyer - December 22 - 3:38 pm

  I am loving it!