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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  Recommended with Reservations - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By DallasRealtor - March 24 - 2:00 am

  13,500 trouble free miles. Comfortable, even on long trips. Noticeably quiet with refined road manners compared to our 99 Accord EX. Excellent braking comes in useful in sudden stop traffic. Lots of useful space and compartments. Convenient access in/out. Only major complaint is transmission lag is quite noticeable, especially while merging with short windows of opportunity( Ex: On/Off Ramp = same lane).

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  GREAT CAR FOR FUTURE TODAY. - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By JGOODWRENCH - March 24 - 2:00 am

  SAW AT CAR SHOW LIVES UP TO EXPECTATIONS

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  Good Point A to Point B commuter - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By E.S. - March 24 - 12:10 am

  Ive had this car for 8 mos and I have a positive overall experience.It has great fuel economy, quiet and comfortable ride,top notch standard safety features i.e. six air bags,ABS,stability control,and TPM. Also so far Ive had no reliability problems. I drive 14 miles to work 1 way and in my opinion this car is a good daily commuter. I have read in this forum many gripes about this cars handling,steering, and its unsporty manners and I totally agree. I drove a Honda Civic and it has better steering and handles better but its not as quiet or as comfortable as the Corolla. The car that has the best balance of comfort and sport is the BMW 3 series for those who have extra 25K to spare.

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  2006 Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By 2006 Prius PKG #1 - March 23 - 11:46 pm

  I picked my car up this week. It takes some getting used to all the gadgets and quirks for this one of a kind car. I think the exterior is weird (read cutting edge). The interior is odd as well. I guess more cars are going to the display higher in the dash.

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  Great SUV!! - 2006 Toyota Sequoia
  By Best Ive ever owned - March 23 - 11:00 pm

  Ive owned my 2006 Sequoia for a year and a half, and have absolutely loved it. I cant think of anything I would change. I shopped and compared many, many SUVs and finally ordered mine as I wanted it - fully loaded. Its beautiful inside and out. Very practical interior and very user friendly. DVD player is not used much but grandkids love it. Drives and handles like a dream. You wont go wrong with this car. Absolutely -0- problems or hitches. I even pull a large trailer sometimes and man, what a job it does.

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  2004 XRS 6speed 166k miles - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By eddiem325 - March 23 - 6:24 pm

  We bought or XRS new, fully loaded except for navigation. We have driven our car all over the east coast. It has never left us stranded. My wife usually drives it and babys it. When I drive it, I drive it like I stole it. Besides replacing the a/c compressor and switch, the only thing weve had trouble with was cheap plastics and the clutch. Our 1st clutch went at 80k miles and is ready to go up again at 166k miles. Will invest in the heavy duty clutch this time. A small oil leak developed at 150k miles on the valve covers. We love our 04 matrix so much we are looking for another "03 to 05 before theyre all gone and high mileage.

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  Great Crossover None Better! - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By BBS - March 23 - 4:56 pm

  Weve had our RAV4 Limited about four months now and get 28 to 30 mpg, its roomy, lay the seats down and carry a lot more than you can imagine. We got the limited with the JBL radio which sounds like a concert, awesome sound. The only complaint is the toyo tires they make some road noise which I plan to change to the Goodyear gas mileage saver tires. Highly recommend the RAV4 you will not be disappointed. We have the 4 cyl and it has plenty of pep. Its simply a "Blast" to Drive!

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  Serious Car problem - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Toyota corolla s - March 23 - 2:33 pm

  I had my car only 6 months. It was a very clean and nice looking vehicle when I purchased it. I havent had any problems with my car until the cruise control malfunction.

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  2004 Tundra 4WD Limited 4.7 L V8 - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By Coach - March 23 - 2:03 pm

  The truck has excellent ride and handling characteristics and is a joy to drive. No mechanical problems at all since truck was purchased in 2004. Have used it on many occasions to tow a large pop-up camper on camping trips from Pennsylvania to Florida, Maine, Tennessee, North & South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia without a any issues. Handled great and had sufficient power to pull camper loaded with all equipment, food 4 kayaks and 4 bikes. Comfortably fit entire family of 4 including our golden reteiver. Would not recommend trailing anything greater than 6,000 lbs. GVWR. Mileage could be better but no worse than my previous 2001 GMC Sierra extended cab.

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  Colorado Off Road Experience 10-23-2007 - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Tom Martin Jr. - March 23 - 11:56 am

  Took my FJ on a heavy 4X4 trip; big game hunting in the Rockies. The FJ was severely scratched due to branches on forest roads. The optional front skid plate has major dents and the factory black painted skid plate just behind it was destroyed. No ordinary 4X4 trip, a foot of sticky black mud covered by 15" of snow. Even those little ATVs were having problems. All other 4X4s had to chain up all fours. My FJ made it through w/optional BFG tire package. It was weird hearing the ATC use the ABS to grab more traction. Had to use the rear locker twice. Clean up not easy as interior/exterior has lots of little spaces to trap mud. Glad I bought it w/ATC,BFGs, and air locker.