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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  Nice car. - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Yevgen - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Nice car,very good on highway.Good fuel economy.Looks very nice.

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  Watch out for V6 engines - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By DLK-STL - February 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Toyota based on my ownership of a Camery prior(which was wonderful) and my awful experience with a Dodge Town and County Van. Overall I am pretty pleased with it, but currenly it is in the Toyota Service getting the engine rebuilt. There is only 44,000 miles and we did oil changes as they suggested. However, the entire engine has to be cleaned and rebuilt. According to a posted statement at Jiffy Lube, Toyota is having a problem with their V6 engines. Just in case you wondered, YES they are fixing under warranty, but I was told this we would a one time fix, we will see about that. Anyway, even good car makers can have major problems.

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  Stylin Ride, but a few minor bugs - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Malx - February 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought the automatic (wife insisted) so was expecting it to be sluggish, but it zipped along nicely. Well designed, but initial quality not great. The trash compartment under the gear shift would pop open with the slightest bump. Also the cover for the manual release button for the transmission was missing when I bought the car. I asked 3 sales people about the cover, they all said there was no cover. Also I just noticed the display panel is abraded in a circular pattern, like it was scrubbed. So nice little car, lots of features, but I was expecting better initial quality from Toyota.

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  Mr. Dependable - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Dr. Q - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This has been a GREAT all around car for us. We have had it for about 18 months and have had nothing but good things to say. The Camry is spacious, comfortable, and quiet. We have a 2 year old and one more on the way, and we have no problems with fitting car seats in the back.

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  Excellent vehicle - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Krishna_Kondepudi - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. Fun to drive and excellent price to performance ratio. Proud owner.

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  Toyota did it again - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By urgood - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This is a good SUV. Toyota had added a lot of safety feature in its. Especially, the back door has feature that the motor assist to close the door. The ride is exceptional good, it made you felt solid and tough on-road or off-road. The engine 4.0 v6 is very good to handle all you need. If you have to tow very heavy load, go with V8

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  4runner Sports Edition - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By JohnA13213 - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased my 4runner and already Im in love. This is the best SUV Ive driven. In the past Ive had a Tahoe, and Explorer, neither hold up to my 4runner. If you are considering any of the above, do yourself a favor and test drive them 2 or 3 times. Take your time so you can make an informed decision.

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  Cant say enough - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By jango - February 15 - 10:00 am

  I had been looking to get rid of my S80 T6 and wanted a SUV with more car like qualities. First looked at the Murano..nice but not worth the money and too small. Next was the FX 35... nice too but not worth the money, small, features were too expensive. Next was the 4-runner. I was blown away. I test drove all the others and they cant even come close to the feel and performance and reliabilty factor of this truck. I feel like I am drive a sport tank from mad max. The seats are extremely comfortable for cloth and the V-8 is way nicer feeling than the v- 6. 4-runner is the way to go. You cant beat that!!!! I cant even look at anything else.

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  not what they used t o be - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By extoyota lover - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Bought this in late 2002. At 500 miles the motor started to knock/thud under light loads. One dealer said they thought the noise was injector related; imagine that knocking injectors. Another dealer, after telling me diagnosis may cost me said "we hear it but dont know what it is, these 2.7L engines are typically noisy, must be normal" They wrote it up as "no correctable condition found" sort of an oxymoron. So if you dont know what it is, how do you know it is not correctable. I have found a site at Automotive Forums.com where other have the same issue.

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  Excellent Car! - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By beaj - February 15 - 7:16 am

  Excellent quality both initial and after 15000 miles. Performance, styling, ride are all excellent especially considering the price of this vehicle. The engine is so quiet that my wife occasionally complains that she cant hear it running at a stop light.