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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  Great Car for these times!!! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By firetem - February 16 - 4:06 pm

  This is my first Toyota. So far I havent been disappointed. Very roomy and gas mileage is great.

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  Prius Fan - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Jay - February 16 - 3:30 pm

  The world looks a lot greener at 50 mpg! Im averaging about 49 through my first 5000 miles. As others have commented, this car changes your driving habits; after watching the Prius information display for a while, you could probably learn to get better mileage from any car. (Most revealing to me is the realization that mileage is always lowest when the engine is cold. Link your trips!) But theres more to the Prius than great mileage. Its stylish, roomy, and comfortable; it performs well; and its lots of fun to drive.

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  Love my Land Cruiser - 2005 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Susan Russo - February 16 - 10:00 am

  This will be my third leased Land Cruiser. My lease is up in March 2005 and I plan on leasing another one.

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  My Dumplins Chairoit - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Jim Smith, Sr. - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Im not partial to foreign cars, but this Toyota is an American car manufactors dream. Very good eye appeal;Handling; excellant gas milage for a Suv, even a mid-sized one; great power & handling in 4Wh Dr.; Comfort galore on the inside; ample room in rear especially when rear seats are folded down, and even moreso when folded down COMPLETELY to the rear floor. I cant say enough good about it, nor can my wife, who does most of the driving. I just wish an American manufactor could do this good at these prices.

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  A 4 liter 6sp manual Tundra? - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By MrKnobs - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Just bought this so I may have a more considered opinion later. So far I really like it. The upsized 4.0 L engine plus 6sp manual trans. is really zippy. Build quality seems very good. Excellent value for the price, in my opinion.

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  Gotta Lemon - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Gotta Lemon - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Paid Sticker for a lemon. Since I have purchased my Sienna - I have had a new Radiator (mine split open), the inside hinge the driver door broke off (when I got this fixed, the annoying rattling went away), one of the speakers crackles, and ALL of the rear seatbelts need to be fixed - the fixtures around them are broken. Thank God the DVD player still works. Tried to trade it, but I would have lost my shirt.

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  very nice and a good value too - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Harddrive9 - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Drives good, comfortable and quite at highway speeds. car feels classy but could use a little more convenience ergonamicly. fuel economy is decent. this car feels very safe to drive. I find visibility good too. trunk is big enough for good size luggage. Im looking forward to Toyotas reliability. I plan for a few road trips for the near future to really get a good feel for this car. I have only owned it for about a week now. Im glad I purchased this car. I feel comfortable and secure driving it. it does feel more expensive then it really is.

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  Exceptional Motor Car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By TheTimster - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Terrific for local commutes, quality interior with exception of left coin holder thingy door, not even sure what it is for but I guess coins, it feels like itll break. Interior is nice but if not leather interior, you may want to invest in a seat cover. Fit and finish otherwise is very good, quiet on the road. Toyotas secret may be their management, but also, they follow the KISS rule, Keep It Simple Stupid.

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  Youll love this truck - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dennis - February 16 - 9:20 am

  Youll love this truck! I had always wanted a tacoma and this truck exceeded my expectations. Ive used it for hauling loads to the dump and hauling feed with no problem. Clean it up and its perfect for cruising around town. "The chicks dig it!"

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  A Lexus without the price tag. - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By jrw225 - February 16 - 6:20 am

  This Avalon has been the best car I have ever owned. I have had it more than a year now and bought it used but still have had no problems. It is smooth, luxurious, and every day I drive it I find myself surprised by one of the Avalons many features. Someone put great thought into designing this car from the automatic wipers to the 110 power plug this car is perfect. I get 21 mpg on average but it is worth the extra $2 a week to drive such a fantastic piece of machinery. Im 26 and thought this car was an old man car but after driving it I will not drive anything else. Thanks Toyota!