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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  highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By greg100 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  very happy with car

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  Great SUV - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By theparsons - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I drove my son-in-laws 300RX Lexus for 6 months. That was a mistake. I was out of the USA for 18 months and often reviewed SUVs on the internet. Within 24 hours of returning to my home I was driving a 2003 Highlander. Its a great vehicle, solid, fun to drive and comfortable. Gas mileage as been 22 mpg in city.

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  Excelent Interior Design except the seat - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By John Brown - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Excelent Interior Design except the driver seat.

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  Excellent minivan to buy - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By SKR - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I had to drive this in the snow storm for about 200 miles.. I was amazed by the traction and AWD functions. Very comfortable van. very smooth ride.

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  Hood defect? - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Debbie - September 29 - 11:20 pm

  Im having a problem that rain and snow gather in the hood channels and the spray the windshield. It temporarily restricts visibility. Also the Bluetooth is hit or miss. Sometimes it connects and I can make calls. Other times it stops and starts the call several times before connecting.

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  Expensive Hand Vibrator for $41k! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert S. - September 29 - 6:31 pm

  I really wanted to like this truck. Styling is fine, interior is a little cramped, especially the back seats. Front seats are flat. No glovebox light and no power drivers seat in the Limited. Trans takes a long time to learn and shift well. Mileage is just OK for this fancy new engine. Quiet enough inside. Tech inside is great. Great ground clearance and handles snow and fire roads perfectly. If it actually let me drive on the freeway for any distance without numbing my hands, I could live with the little things and would love the truck. I traded a 10 FJC in for this, as my wife and I wanted a truck and we love the reliability of our previous 5 Toyotas. Big mistake...wish we still had the FJC. Between 2100-2400 RPMs, the steering wheel has a resonating buzz in it that puts my hands and lower arms to sleep (never had this happen, even on any of my Harleys). This happens to correspond to highway and freeway speeds in 5th and 6th gears of the new automatic trans. Took it in and, after the dealer checked it (acknowledging the buzziness, BTW), left it for a day with Toyota Engineers from Denver. The response? The buzziness was normal for this truck and "the steering functions as designed". Huh? Found several threads on different forums where others are having this issue, some worse than others. People report that when they report it to Toyota Corporate, they are told that "we havent heard of this issue with anyone else". Huh? Dealer says that unless Toyota comes out with a fix, Im stuck. As it is, I can only drive around town and cant stand any trips of more than a few miles. I didnt spend $40k for a local hauler. This will be traded as soon as I decide between the upcoming redesigned Honda Ridgeline or the 17 GMC Canyon Denali, no matter the financial hit I take. Probably the last Toyota I ever own...their Customer Service and quality has tanked. I gave it two stars because it has a lot of potential. For now, Id stay away until they can figure this out...or take yours for a long test drive in manual mode and make sure that the buzziness isnt there (although some posters are saying they have none, then it shows up with a vengeance, later.

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  Far, far ahead of the rest of the field - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By RDW - September 29 - 2:50 pm

  After researching and test driving 15 cars, including the BMW 530, MB E350, Cadillac STS, Lincoln MKZ, and Hyundai Azera, I purchased the Avalon Limited. Unlike most of its competition, the Avalon Limited is available with desirable features, such as a first-class stereo and seat heaters, without absurdly complex car controls or having to purchase overpriced nonsense like DVD navigation systems to get other features. Car may be the most silent available, & can comfortably seat five U.S.-sized adults. Roofline is high enough to accommodate six-foot-plus drivers and passengers, even with the moon roof. Acceleration is smooth and quiet, and the controls are logical and well laid out.

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  1994 Camry XLE - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By Allen Swedin - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Reliability is the best of any car we have ever owned. Performance is good and gas mileage is fantastic for a car of this size. Ride and handling are great. The interior is easy to live with. The conrtrols are all easy to reach and use.

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  huh, r u talking to me? - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By The King - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Very fun to drive, especially in the rave range,,,,VROOM! Solid and cool looking

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  Wow - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Car He Man - September 29 - 10:00 am

  A greeeattt car. Made by my favorite, Toyota. Great inside and ouside dsitgosd.