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 little car for the Money. - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Paul - December 27 - 12:40 pm

  Great Car. It rides smooth with crisp handling. It will stop on a dime and accelerate quickly through traffic. Its quiet running and its styling has an aggressive look. The fit and finish is amazing. It gets great gas mileage and its reliable, a great alternative to a gas guzzling Jeep!

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  Will buy again - 2018 Toyota C-HR
  By Jaime - December 27 - 10:16 am

  Kinda slow. But once speed up, you will be surprise how QUICK it reach its potential. Youre mileage average will be in the low 30s. It is really fun to drive- you feel safe and there is that smile that you have as you come inside. Go get one and have that pleasure that you richly deserve.

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  2000 Echo Sedan - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Frank - December 26 - 8:23 pm

  I bought my manual transmission equipped Echo to tow on the ground behind my motorhome because of its light weight and Toyotas known reliability and I have not been disappointed.

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  Haunting for gear transmission - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Joe D. - December 26 - 2:39 pm

  I have owned mine for about 14 months and 8400 miles now. I do mostly highway driving. With annoying shiftdowns from 6 to 5 during 70 mph highway cruising speed, I decided to shift to manual or S mode and leave it in 5th gear. At 70-72 mph, in 6th gear, RPM is at 1900. in 5 gear, it is at 2200. There is very slight more engine noise in 5th but a lot better than constant down shifting. I am not sure this 3.5 V-6 is that great. I really dont care about its port injection, direct injection, and its Adkin cycle engine technology . This truck gas mileage is the same as my 2003 Ford Explorer with its ancient 4.0L V-6 engine. I can only see complexity under the hood without tangible benefit. The rest of the truck is excellent. The engine/transmission are NOT what I expected from Toyota. My 2009 Mercedes E350 with its 7 speed transmission never down shifts at 70mph. I sure hope Toyota comes up with some transmission programming update so it does not hunt for right gear all the time.

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  Quality control improvements needed - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By MOMAN - December 24 - 4:20 am

  Excellent truck and excellent local dealer. Problems: In 18 months I had 3 radios, 3 rear bumpers, 2 alloy wheels repainted, and new set of tires. In 18 months I averaged 17.5 MPG. The truck is fun to drive and very functional. Went to Toyota due to problems with U.S. vehicles - now having problems with Toyota.

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  disappointed - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By centralcal - December 24 - 3:13 am

  I cant believe how dissappointed I am with Toyota with this truck. I have never felt the need to post anything on any web site, but have done so on both the 05 Taco board and here tonight. This truck is not toyota quality. It is noisy and unrefined. Do not accept mediocrity. The engine noise is dreadful, the wind noise is not good. Drive a Tundra or a 4R and you will see what I mean. The ride is very pleasant from a suspension standpoint. The interior and stereo are excellent. I would bet this truck undergoes some changes (more sound buffering, better options), so do not buy this edition unless you have to.

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  Good Truck, It runs like a car - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By stopshop01 - December 23 - 7:16 am

  It is the first truck we own. Drive very comfortable and good mileage. We took 2 trips to the same road to test out the mileage. First trip fill up with Sheetz gas and got 17.8 mpg avg. Second trip fill up with Sunoco gas and got 18.4 mpg avg on the computer display. Wonder why so much different? It must be the quality in brand gas and no brand. Over all, it is very good truck and highly recommend to new buyer.

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  What is there to say? - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Bob - December 22 - 12:10 pm

  I mean its a Toyota. The car seems good on gas mileage and the steering assistance is really good. The brakes seem very mushy and numb. The ride seem so stiff, especially on Michigan roads. My 89 Cadillac rides a lot better. I will probaby end up selling it and buy a GM car.

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  Im too tall for this vehicle - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By a bit disappointed - December 22 - 3:36 am

  Im 6 feet tall and my husband is 62". This vehicle is designed for much shorter drivers. There is not much thigh support and 3 hour drives are torture. I am looking to find a "booster seat" type of seat for me because Id planned to have this van for many years. I bought it because I had a used 2000 Sienna XLE that I flipped over on icy roads and no one was hurt although the van was totaled. I am disappointed because I am so uncomfortable driving it. It is currently at the dealership because the radio malfunctioned and one of the tire pressure gauges is broken and shows that we always have a low tire. I love Toyota normally but have been so disappointed with this one.

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  Nice XLS - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By ejmann - December 21 - 11:20 pm

  Bought the XLS vs a 300C and love the car. Ordered the VSC and heated seats for safety and comfort. Drives great, excellent mileage for a large car. And very quick!