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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  A fun drive, but has its flaws - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By JeepGuy - April 8 - 10:16 pm

  First things first: why has nobody mentioned that the factory hubcaps have a tendency to fly off at the slightest bump/sharp turn (5-spoke)? My girlfriend drives this car and loves it, but I know she is not the only one to have problems with wheel covers/hubcaps, especially since it so difficult to find this particular part online. Other than the aforementioned problem (and a strange whistling noise in the upper part of the windshield-loose seal?), this car is fairly stylish and fun to drive. It definitely gets better gas mileage than my old trusty Jeep, but I still prefer a car a bit higher off the ground.

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  Sliding door problems - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Unhappy - April 8 - 2:20 pm

  Overall, the van is good value, very comfortable and drives smooth. Had 3 problems so far - The laser guided cruise control is located in the bumper. Must have hit a snowbank and it is out of calibration (want $800 to re-calibrate).Who would put such a sensitive instrument in the bumper is beyond me. Continuous problems with sliding doors. Has refused to latch intermittently from year 2. Dealer did not do anything, since it worked at the shop. 10 miles past the warranty, one door permanently refused to latch - luckily had purchased extended warranty. The second door failed a month later - with a child sitting in the seat!! I am not certain that i would buy a Toyota again.

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  Love this van - 2009 Toyota Sienna
  By cammie - April 8 - 11:36 am

  On a whim, I decided to see about upgrading our 2007 XLE with limited features to a fully loaded 2009 XLE. We lucked out and got a good deal on both the new van and a trade in. There are minor differences to performance which is nice. However,the upgrades are amazing and so worth it. I am loving my van. And the gas mileage is better on the new van than the 2007.

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  My 1st Camry - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By vminghelli - April 8 - 5:42 am

  I picked the Camry SE over other sedans in its class after driving the Fusion, Charger, and the Malibu. The reason I picked the Camry was based on options and price. Our has just about every option except the v6. It has the moon roof, leather, nav and rear back up camera. The sticker was 27,000 and some change but the dealer took off 3,000 right off the bat. So for 24Gs we got a sporty car with paddle shifters that is fun to drive. The 4 banger feels much bigger and shifts smooth. Car feels and rides like a $40,000 lux sedan. The car rides very well and is quite on the highway. It is the first Toyota we have owned and I can say it wont be the last. Sorry Ford.

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  Great little suv - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By nancy - April 8 - 5:20 am

  I like everything about the rav 4 very comfortable nice looking and easy to drive. Lots of space and storage galore.

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  Absolutely Red - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Dadeo - April 8 - 2:20 am

  Car is for my wife. She wanted quiet, comfortable, sporty and spacious. Not an easy combination for a convrt under $30K. Tested: Sebring V6, Mustang V6 & VW Eos converts. Solara has best combination of space, features and price. This was 4th and last car we drove. She knew she wanted it at only 30 seconds into the test drive. Pluses 1. Top that does NOT fold down into fairly roomy trunk. You wont have to rearrange the contents of the trunk to put the top down. Ever. 2. Practically no engine and wind noise 3. Comfortable rear seating (true but hard to believe) 4. Solid comfortable ride & handling 5. Excelent ergos and cockpit for driver & front passenger 6. Peppy engine No Minuses

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  real tundra - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By charlie - April 7 - 8:43 pm

  excellent truck with traditional toyota quality...good economy for a full size truck and PLENTY of power and torque; I expect to keep this truck for a good while (my fourth toyota)...my 93 corolla has 310K on it and STILL gets 40 mpg........why go anywhere else ?

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  Yaris is a new car for less money! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By ROBIN - April 7 - 8:40 pm

  I love our Yaris! It is great on gas and my 5 speed manual is fun to drive. I bought this car for my daughter who will be driving in another year. In the meantime I am driving it. Yaris has just enough room for my family of four and one family pet (our fifth person).

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  WOW! - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Skip - April 7 - 10:03 am

  After driving my 2007 Camry for 38,000 miles, it was time to get something a bit more comfortable. After having 3 Park Avenues (one of which I put 303,000 on), which are VERY comfortable cars, I was very unhappy with the Camry in the comfort area. I LOVE my Avalon Touring Sedan - so far. Comfortable, quiet, looks nice inside and out. Heck, Im thinking of up-grading to a Limited with all of the bells and whistles. :) Its very early and my MPG isnt all that great (21-23 +/-), but Ill gladly give up a bit of MPG for the rest of the package. Yes I WOULD tell anyone to purchase one.

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  Unbelievable for the price - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Carole - April 7 - 5:16 am

  Ive had my Toyota Echo for about 3 years now and still just absolutely love it. Ive had no mechanical problems. I especially love the interior design. And the gas mileage is awesome. I also like the way the car sits a little higher than most cars... protects the muffler. Its such a perfect little car, I wouldnt hestitate to buy it again.