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 - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By VicArcega - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive been driving this car for the past 3 yrs. It has never caused any problems whatsoever, and Ive been communting to and from school pretty much every day. It still runs very well, and is very responsive. Drivers seat is very comfortable as well as the back seat. Trunk has a good amount of space, I just had to install a trunklight, no problem. Speakers were kinda low quality. The one problem I had was the door locks broke, but the dealer had that fixed in no time. Its a very reliable car, and I would recommend it to people looking for a realiable used car. Its very practical for a student/teenager.

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  lemon from the start - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By tshirt man - July 21 - 2:00 am

  vibration in front end they rebalanced the tires.still noticed vibration this time they told me wheels needed aligment.guess what it became worse.this time they said the rotors are warp on front and they recut rotors on new van.they said this can happen. guess they were wrong still vibrates now they said back drums needed to be cut. guess what now it vibrates plus when you back out of garage brake shoes band. took it back and they said i needed aligment again and it was normal for shoes to bang backing up.guess what now it vibrates and pulls to the right and bangs backing up.took it back and now they said it i

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  2007 Toyota Camry SE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By steve - July 20 - 11:00 pm

  Bought this car used. Love the looks, power, roomy interior, good mileage at 32 hwy and 25 city.

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  As good or better than the new cars of its class - 1997 Toyota Celica
  By Dan Warren - July 20 - 7:20 pm

  Its always been garaged. It belonged to my mother who was 90 when she passed it on to me. She bought it new and maintained it regularly and kept all the records. The color is a metallic dk. gold, with gold front and rear plating on the emblems and antennae tip. A couple of minor scratches where the trunk opens and a small paint scratch on the driver side door but no dents. The interior upholstery is excellent and with no tears. The tires are new Perelli with black and polished black twisted spokes size 16 radials. The stereo is new with cd and usb, with four spkrs. New top of the line Sears diehard battery. New wipers. Power adj. outside mirrors. Couldnt be much better if new. I rarely ever see this year and model on the road. It had 49300 miles when I aquired it.

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  Toyota Corolla - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Sean - July 20 - 1:33 pm

  The perfect blend of performance and fuel economy. Enough power to handle on-ramps on highways, while not breaking your budget. I bought it 6-8 months ago, and have not had any problems since. It is an economy car, so do not expect it to have perfect interior quality or to keep up with sports cars.

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  Great Car - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Kon - July 20 - 8:53 am

  This car does it all. I love it. It drives a lot like a normal sedan, quick acceleration, great turning radius. No complaints about the seats. Everything exactly in place. Driven 20K miles on it, not a single problem anywhere.

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  The most reliable - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By dan721 - July 20 - 7:28 am

  I bought this vehicle in 1995 new from the dealership. The only problems I had was the water pump and front shocks, other than that no problems at all. It has 78,000 miles and runs like new. I highly recommend it to any one who is looking for a reliable car. On gas takes 16 miles/gallon and not very powerful up hill. Save money on maintenance. Love it and plan to keep it.

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  The Beast Of The 1/2 Tons! - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Glenn - July 20 - 1:40 am

  I love the way this truck drives, looks, and its room and fuel economy. I average at 65 mph 18.5 on cruise. I am a dodge man but I found my new love. Great job Toyota.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Laura - July 19 - 4:36 pm

  I bought the V8 Limited 4WD and I have not been disappointed, it drives like a dream not at all like the sled like suvs I have had in the past! The interior is plush and comfy and the controls are a bit confusing at first, but you catch on pretty quick I wish the power windows were a little higher up and more illuminated, also it needs rear cup holders that are not in seat beacuse if you have three in the rear no place for cups except the bottle holders in the door. Overall drive and ride is excellent!

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  Plain Vanilla - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By belaircarguy - July 19 - 10:03 am

  First Toyota I have owned. Nice car, but feels like I have purchased and am driving a toaster. Car is lightweight on the highway and blows around if following a semi trailer. Front seats are not supportive and my legs go to sleep after 30-45 minutes of driving, due to very short seat cushion. Perhaps my 6 foot size is a factor, but I am slim in build also.