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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  Tundra Limited Best of the Best - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By porsche - October 24 - 10:00 am

  This truck is everything I wanted in a full sized pickup. It has plenty of power, and the tan leather interior is beautiful, matching the interior of many luxury cars. I would buy it again.

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  Buy V6 youll be glad, but beware... - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By steve - October 24 - 6:00 am

  Dont hesitate to pay the extra bucks to buy the V6. If you dont youll wish you had. On automatics, make sure you put the automatic shift lever in D not 4th gear. When a driver pulls the lever into drive, the shift gate tends to lead you to 4th gear rather than D and I suspect drivers who get low mileage are doing this because the engine doesnt rev that high in 4. When we first got the RAV4, I drove many highway miles in gear 4 without realizing it and my mileage suffered badly.

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  2006 solara convertible - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Kim Einhorn - October 24 - 5:03 am

  Just purchased this car. Previous car was also a solara convertible. Can not say enough good things about this vehicle.It is by far the best purchase for the amount of money you pay. It drives like a lexus, very quiet on the highway. Apleasure to drive on the highway as well as in the city. Great pickup.

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  Great Car... Mostly - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Willy - October 24 - 4:46 am

  This is an update. This car is well built and gets good gas mileage. That is expected of Toyota. What I have found after driving the car for over 10,000 miles is that it is not very comfortable. The seats are kind of hard when driving more than 2 hours and the arm rests are too hard. Now for the reason for the update: This new car, the car that was to be my reliable commuter, is now parked for the winter. After a 3 hour trip two weeks ago. On the way there there was some heavy rain and wind. The car was nearly uncontrollable! The tires hydroplaned often. On the way back it snowed. The car was blown around and was difficult to drive. All season tires worthless. Be careful!

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  Good value - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By al - October 24 - 3:33 am

  long history of reliability from toyota camry. practical car that will hopefully hold up well for many years. get the le with 16 inch wheels for better ride and cheaper replacement tires in future. the upgrade 16 inch rim is nice. i like its built in USA. it has low EMF (electromagnentic frequency) measurements as measured by a gauss meter. EMF is the thing people talk about under public powerlines that some people say is bad. rather it is bad or not its nice to have a car wired so its EMF is low.

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  I love my Tundra - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By TruHuSKa - October 24 - 2:06 am

  Thus far, I love this truck. Ive owned it for 2 weeks and love getting in it to drive to work, home, anywhere! The sound of the V8 humming is great. The feel of the Off-road suspension is nice and stiff, but not overly stiff. Theres plenty of get-up and you feel as if the truck is always pushing forward as you accelerate (that is, the automatic shifts very smoothly without loosing any power during shifts). Turning corners are a breeze in this truck. While driving, you feel on top of the world with the 17" wheels and rims added to the 4x4 off-road suspension. All-in-all, this truck is a dream to drive and overall, gas mileage isnt too bad for a truck. Id highly recommend it.

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  Frans SUV - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By frances - October 23 - 8:30 pm

  Very happy with purchase, only drawback is the noise in the cabin, plenty of sitting room and storage, easy removal of seats for all storage, decent mileage for an SUV.

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  Tacoma - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Todd - October 23 - 7:30 pm

  This is definitely the best vehichle I have ever owned! I highly recommend this truck to everyone. Easy to drive and fun to get behind the wheel. All systems at the touch of a finger tip. I give My truck 10 stars!!

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  First Toyota - Went Big - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Big Papa - October 23 - 4:46 pm

  This is my first Toyota truck, after driving two Dodge trucks. I am a bit concerned as a check engine light came on after just 235 miles. It seems a cam sensor is defective. I think that means the engine has to be taken apart to fix this issue. I am also experiencing an annoying creaking sound somewhere around my rear view mirror. One visit to the service department has not fixed this issue. I am also a bit disappointed with the cheap license plate mount. I really do like this truck a lot, but in my mind, I should not have the previously noted problems given the price of this vehicle. I will be very disappointed if the issues are not resolved soon.

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  Plastic inside is awful! - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By asher - October 23 - 2:33 pm

  The power of the truck is great and hauls anything. The problems are with the plastic, it is junk. The bevel around the stereo took five trips to the dealer and still creaks bad when cold. The driver side seat belt was noisy until after four trips to the same dealer and speaking with the manager got the problem resolved. The TRD is absolutely the most unforgiving off-road package that I have ever had for commuting. You get bounced all over the place. Watch out for the bumps even a small one causes the whole inside to creak bad and your hips will hurt. My twelve year old daughter cant even sit in the back without her legs hurting. The seats are out dated and shake. Wind noise is very high.