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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  Our First SUV - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By B.P.B - February 20 - 10:00 am

  It was a little hard to find the exact options we wanted with a manual trans but we managed to get everything but the ABS in our final choice and I was very happy with our final price. It is a VERY comfortable ride and so far we are getting decent MPG with city suburb driving 26MPG. The only complaint is what everyone else is saying....more power.

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  2003 Sport V8 - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By KevinJD - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I believe this is a real solid vehicle. I like the interior room and new features. The JBL stereo is outstanding and the new V8 is amazing.

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  Corolla S - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By peaches - February 20 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. Fun to drive, looks are great, and great gas mileage.

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  Fun Car - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Spyderman - February 20 - 8:20 am

  Best/most fun car, Ive ever owned. Hard to imagine how handling could be any better. Reasonably comfortable, with a decent amount of room. Styling is great, always gets noticed.

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  Several Bothersome Quirks - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By dcmharley - February 20 - 5:10 am

  Im a repeat Sienna owner. Leased a 97 and loved it. Bought a top-of- the-line 04 and wish I had leased it, so I can dump it. Navigation system stinks. It is disabled when car is in motion. Not even a passenger can plot a route without stopping (usually on the side of a busy highway!!) Run-flat tires are sold as a feature. They wear out in 20K miles and cost 3X the price of conventionals. No spare brings up all sorts of safety problems. They are rated as Ultra High Performance All- Season. What? On a minivan? Transmission shifts very poorly, particularly when downshifting then accelerating, as one does at yield signs, toll booths, etc.

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  love my Rav4! - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By maryfranks - February 20 - 4:06 am

  I just got my Rav4 a week ago, and I LOVE it so far! I am moving off to school and so I needed an SUV that had a lot of space for hauling while getting good gas mileage. I easily get over 23mpg in the city and havent taken it on the highway yet. Its fun to drive, my friends and I love it! I can fit up to 7 people because I got the added 3rd row! I couldnt be happier with it!

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  Is Toyota ever going to do what I want? - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By windysun - February 19 - 11:36 pm

  I love my 09 Matrix. My tall kids are comfortable in the back. I think it is the best looking car for this class. However, Toyota skimps on little luxuries. If this car were made by Lexus under a different name, I would buy 3. This car needs more comfortable seats. As usual, it is bare bones. I dont feel I paid bare bones price though. When you hit a curb or something, holy cow. The whole car gets a jolt.

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  A good small truck - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bill - February 19 - 5:03 pm

  The acceleration for this 4 cyl auto (SR-5) is very good. I had no trouble, without a heavy load, getting on the highway. The top speed I was able to get it to was 95 mph. I like the overall layout of the vehicle with the small storage area under the rear seats and in the cargo area. The seat and steering adjustments made the vehicle very comfortable to ride in and I had no trouble seeing out the vehicle in all directions. The vehicles controls are all easy to get to and the radio was simple to operate.

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  Rav4 06 Sport - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Mike - February 19 - 4:13 pm

  While the sticker price is a little higher than the competition, the Rav4 has such good resale that we decided it was the best, and the least expensive option with a bigger engine. Ours has a black interior, which gets to looking a little dirtier than a tan or gray, but when its clean it certainly does look sharp. As to the power, it really is fun and amazing.

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  One Magnificent Automobile - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By raylon - February 19 - 3:46 pm

  The car rides like a dream and performs magnificantly in all respects of a true large luxory automobile. Quiet comfortable ride with great amenities.