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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  My 3rd Tacoma - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bill Lawson - March 2 - 10:20 am

  I love my Tacoma, this is my 3rd one. My last Tacoma, I owned for 11 years. It never broke down or had any problems except a thin layer of rust in the usual places. (WD-40 stops rust) I was forced to sell it due to a career change. But after a year without a truck I just had to buy another one. This one is quiet and smooth riding. No need to dodge pot holes, it takes bumps real well. I put about 1400 miles on it so far. I get 23 MPG in town. That seems a little low for a 4 cylinder but comparable trucks are not any better.

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  FJ Lover - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By FJ Lover - March 2 - 8:53 am

  I bought the FJ Cruiser after having driven a fully loaded Ford Explorer for the past 8 years. Its my first foreign car and so far Im very pleased with it (only has about 1000 miles on it at this time). Ive gotten about 20 MPG on the first 3 tanks of gas with about 50/50 city/highway driving. The ride feels tall but handles well and is quieter than youd expect for a vehicle that looks this tough and is so utilitarian. I test drove the smaller Rav4 and Honda CR-V as well as the Honda Pilot and Ridgeline and Toyota 4Runner and this was by far, hands down, the most fun to drive.

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  1995 Tacoma 4WD Xtra Cab V6 - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bobs95 - March 1 - 8:20 pm

  I have 135K on this truck and its still going very strong. I have cheated - I have always used Amsoil pure synthetic lubes, oil and air filters, so low wear is to be expected. But the fact that Ive had very few other components fail is testimony to a quality design and the famous Toyota reliability. Ive been 4-wheeling and camping and it goes everywhere I need it to. Recently I bought a 4000 pound travel trailer and will likely step up to the V8 Tundra since this trailer is close to the limit of this Tacomas towing capacity (5000 lbs). But it does tow economically - we just got back from a camping trip up into the high Sierras (6500 feet) and got 15 MPG on the trip towing the trailer.

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  I just love this car! - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By S. Bay - March 1 - 1:33 pm

  This car has been the best performing car I have ever owned, and has great gas mileage (almost equal to a hybrid).

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  I love this car, but I wish ... - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By spacedude86 - March 1 - 12:13 pm

  I love this car. Its reliable, its sort of fun to drive, and it gets great gas mileage. I wish I hadnt gotten the CE base model though, because it lacks power windows, doors, and cruise control. I had to have the cruise control installed aftermarket. It started making this weird sound every time I started it up, that would go away after a while. Ran great, no problems. Then my girlfriend bought a Lexus (Toyota motor) and it made the same sound, so I stopped worrying about it. If you want a great little commuter car that is super reliable, then this is your car.

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  Love My New Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Shade - February 28 - 8:26 pm

  I just traded in my old 1999 Ford Taurus for a 2009 Toyota Camry. I bought the Camry used with 35000 miles. The ride is like riding on glass. I put a lot of miles on a car per year (about 20,000 miles) and filled up my Taurus 3 times per week at about 30 dollars a fill. I fill up my Camry once a week. That saves me 200 dollars per month. Amazing! The only thing I have to criticize is the head rests are very uncomfortable because they push your head forward. I adjust the angle of the seat to compensate. They should make the head rests adjustable horizontally. I have a four cylinder and it has impressive power similar to my 6 cylinder 1999 Ford Taurus I traded.

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  I am spoiled! - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Lairg - February 28 - 3:50 pm

  This is the funnest car I have ever owned. Love the top down year round in Florida. It looks like money without being out of the average persons price range.

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  Excellent - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By dufour - February 28 - 1:48 pm

  I bought my truck 3 years ago. It has 29 km. I pull a camper (5200 pounds) and the tundra is doing a great job. Gaz millage is high but what else can I expect from a 5.7 liters engine. The power is impressive. This is my third toyota truck (old tacoma V6 3.0 and the last model V6 4.0 liter) and I have no fear about atrting the engine even when I going to my cabin on winter and start it after a week end of minus 35 (I live in northern Quebec).I change to rear brakes at 51km and a little noise is coming once in a while from the dash board on the passenger side. Toyota tried to fix the problem under warranty but the noise came back again in a short period of time. This is for the bad side.

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  Back to square one! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tom Anthony - February 28 - 6:34 am

  After anxiously awaiting for the much talked about ( hyped) new Tacoma, I am so disappointed. First, let me say that I test drove the Limited at two different dealers and all seemed " good to go." I factory ordered one and after waiting 6 weeks, it finally arrived. Thankfully, the dealer where the purchase was made is located about 50 miles from my home. Thankfully because this gave me a chance to experience the " real world" characteristics of this truck over a longer period of time and greater driving distance rather than merely a short " test" drive. I am in complete agreement with those reviews which describe the constant shifting of the transmission while attempting to garner enough power from the engine to satisfy its needs. Any light load or slight acceleration causes this shifting action - very disturbing. I think the " acclaimed" Atkinson engine, which really only a resembles a true Atkinson cycle design slightly, is too underpowered. Also,no power front seats is a "no no." They are very uncomfortable. Well, rather than ramble on and on, I will close with two pieces of good news: 1. I loved the rest of the truck. All the bells and whistles are great. 2. My dealer has three day return policy. I brought the truck back within that time frame and the purchase price was refunded to me. Now I will look more closely at the Colorado or wait to see what 2017 brings. Toyota are you listening?

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  Second review since purchase - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Bob W. - February 28 - 4:50 am

  Purchased new in April. Just took 450 mile trip. My Corolla owns up to numerous positive comments. Recent trip confirms Corollas strong economy statistics. I averaged 37.6 MPG. That reading was only 1.4 MPG higher than my personal calculations - not a problem. Satisfied with ride. Noticed only minor drifting because of electric Power Steering. Quiet ride. Still making adjustment to having a compact car after always having mid-size (Taurus type) cars.