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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  2008 RAV4 - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By jb - December 7 - 12:23 pm

  I just got married and wanted something slightly bigger than a sedan (previous car was a 1994 Accord coupe). We test drove the Rogue, CR-V, Tucson, Vibe, and RAV4. We wanted something that was versatile, reliable, and gets good mileage. The 4-cyl gives good acceleration, but can be noisy. Leg room is good enough (Im 61"). We live in a snowy climate but dont need the AWD. Very happy so far, would buy again.

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  eh..... - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By infinitijw - December 7 - 10:00 am

  its an ok car... its not exciting not fast, not technological, but it is safe and reliable. i also own an infiniti and it makes the avalon look quite sad. ive seen the new avalons and they look so much better, i guess they didnt figure out how ugly their cars were till about 2000. anyways its still an ok car, an economical one for families that need space.

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  Reliable - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By Laroco - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Very reliable, very good in gas mileage, very small gas tank capacity. You have to fill the gas tank just a little over 200 miles drive. I can drive my Camry to over 400 miles before fill-up. Engine performance is very weak. This car is not for racing, its for daily commute.

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  Excellent build quality - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By BLD - December 7 - 10:00 am

  The truck was delivered new in pristine condition. Problems: front disc brakes warp easily. Some front suspension noise or roughness. Poor dealer service. Not enough engine torque especially going uphill. Poor mileage. Not enough storage cubbyholes inside. Rear seat back should tilt foward for more storage. Hard to park due to big turning radius. Bed height is too shallow.

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  Engine Whine - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Les - December 7 - 3:33 am

  Our Rav4 problem is that the engine(6cyl) starts to whine at 40mph and continues at higher speeds although it is somewhat less obvious due to wind and road noise. I have never seen a review where an owner is concerned about this problem. Dealer says no technical notes from Toyota. Looks like we dump the car.

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  A few things stink - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By fishavenue - December 7 - 2:16 am

  The gps system is effectively inoperative. You cant get the enter key to hit a letter or other item with any sort of reliability. Entering a street name could take twenty minutes. The dealer here in Newark De, said that this is typical and fixing would cost a small fortune. So I use a $150 garmin. Pathetic, dont you think? I have about 50k miles on the car. Also, the seat heaters stay on all the time, so I had to disconnect the fuses, so I lost that function. I am a little disappointed in the car for these reasons. Other than that, it has a beautiful ride with excellent mileage. My next car will not be an Avalon - I may go to a Buick or a Lexus.

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  Mileage - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Donahue - December 6 - 8:00 pm

  Well built. My disappointment is with the fuel economy. The range I get has never been more than 380 miles @ an average of 17-18 miles/gl. I actually get higher mileage in town than on the highway. I can sometimes get up to 20 miles/gl in town, but never more than 18 on the highway.

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  2005 Corolla good value - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By rws1 - December 6 - 12:47 pm

  On a recent 800 mile trip I got 36 miles to the gallon. This is driving 70 -75 miles an hour. The check engine light came on during this trip. Code P0456 was the obd code and after looking it up found that Toyota has a technial bullentin for this issue and is related to the upgraded ECM module that was done on the car. Has to be upgraded again apparently. Going to take to dealer this week. The car has plenty of power and considering the gas mileage it gets I cant complain at all. There is some wind noise but nothing bothersome. The original tires were noisy but new tires at 50k fixed that problem. Plenty of room in the trunk and back seats.

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  Quick, agile & fast! - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By Scott Livingston - December 6 - 5:33 am

  Weve owned this car for 3 years now. Its been a very reliable and sporty SUV. Really love to drive it!! When you need to get up and go, this SUV gets you there fast, and safely, my I add. Its got airbags all over, with traction control and anti-lock brakes that keep you safely on the road. Very fun and exiting vehicle to drive. I would recommend this SUV to anyone!

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  Toyota Missed The Mark A Bit - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By gman - December 4 - 4:30 pm

  I had a 07 4R and traded for the 2010 4R. The new one is very nice, but it is so much larger and bulkier than the 07. The interior features are square and give a harsher, hard appearance. The locking gas door is gone. Why?? I had to buy a locking gas cap. It is a fine SUV, but if I knew what I know now, I wouldve kept my 07 4R.