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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  Watch out for the doors! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By L. Bohanon - December 19 - 4:16 pm

  Love this van for the comfort, and space! We have had it in for repair/maintenance on the automatic slider doors several times, the front driver side door broke at the hinge and needed to be totally replaced. This was in the first year that we owned it. We have wanted to give it back, but despite all of the trouble with the doors we love the comfort and space.

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  Love my new VENZA!!! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Dorie - December 19 - 1:53 pm

  We had to replace my 2006 Toyota Sienna that was totaled in a car accident. I didnt really need another van as my children are grown up, but enjoyed the feel of being higher up that a van provided. The Venza was a great compromise between a low car and another van. I love the way it drives and the interior is so roomy!! While gas mileage will not be as good as a 4-cylinder, it is actually a little bit better than my 3.3L V-6 Sienna. I absolutely love the center console and all the room it provides. I really miss having memory seats, turn signal indicators on the side mirrors, and auto-dimming side mirrors as well. Overall, I am very pleased with my new purchase!!

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  Reliable, but plain grandma car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By andahku - December 19 - 1:51 pm

  I drove this car up until a few weeks ago. It was in the family since new. It was very reliable, and never broke down on me until the very end. It lasted until 190K miles, but it probably could have lasted longer if I had spent money to investigate the check engine light. Then one day the head gasket blew and the engine overheated and that was the end of it. Before that, all normal maintenance repairs for its age. A very boring, plain vehicle but if youre looking for a reliable mid size sedan with reasonable acceleration power, this is for you.

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  great truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By commuter - December 19 - 11:53 am

  Great Truck!! GOOD PERFORMANCE!! NO COMPLAINTS!!!!

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  Great car for the money. - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Peter Nugent - December 19 - 8:17 am

  It has all the luxury of a luxury car though without a luxury label... with reasonable price. Comfortable and luxurious feeling. My wife loves it. One improvement suggestion: Though the vehicle has BSM (blindside management system), the car frame obstructs the view of front sides. This makes it difficult to glance at obstacles when starting moving forward.

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  true work horse - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By mercer - December 19 - 7:46 am

  I purchased my 92 camry used, with 130000 miles. I used it for 2 and a half years for work. driving an estimated 60000 miles a year. I had no problems other than an emission coil needing replaced. other than that it has been well worth money spent. and money earned from this work horse.

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  I love Lola! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Katherine - December 18 - 6:46 pm

  Lola, my Corolla, has been an awesome car. No maintenance issues at all. I drive her 60+ miles per day and only fill up every 5 days. Glad I went for the LE, it feels like a much fancier car than I paid for! Plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Love the dashboard look, too. And its got plenty of get up and go for my needs so far.

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  Great Economy Car with a Nice Look too! - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By Nicole - December 18 - 3:26 pm

  Yaris Sedan was a good choice. Nice trunk space and enough room in backseat for 2 kids. Ive averaged 36.5 to 38.5 miles per gallon. Handles very well around corners etc. Although it does handle well, it is somewhat fussy to keep straight on road due to tight handling performance. I purchased this car with electric everything. Overall, I would purchase one again.

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  Blind spot issue is serious - 2017 Toyota Prius v
  By JBrewer - December 18 - 7:36 am

  There are such tiny side mirrors that it is impossible to adjust them to see approaching cars at or beyond the rear bumper. Several times I pulled out in front of other cars that did not appear in either my rear or side mirror. It got to the point where I did not feel safe in the car. I returned it and traded it for a RAV 4 after just 3 weeks. I have never driven a car before where you were unable to adjust the mirrors sufficiently to see oncoming cars. This problem combined with the lack of visibility because of the rear seat head rests made it a non-starter for me. It had to go.

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  4x4 V6 Base - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By randy432 - December 18 - 5:03 am

  The V6 is as quick as my V6 Altima but without the drama. The 4x4 and traction control means I just point and go, no tire spinning. Mileage is so so, 16-20 in town depending on how hard you push it. At 80 on the highway 22MPG. At 60 26MPG. The seats are OK, nothing great. Noise level is OK, a little louder than my Altima. The base stereo does everything I need, I just load up a flash drive and set it to random play. I have had the car 4 months.