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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  driving performance - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By bfrel - May 4 - 2:00 am

  purchased a new 04 d- cab w\ aftermarket perf. tires & wheels. The foot print of the tires is so great that the veh. follows the road surface and pulls you into the opposing lanes of traffic. Met with the dist. rep. regarding this matter and was advised there was nothing that could be done to resolve this matter. I was never advised by the salesman nor the manager of this issue with these tires, if I had been I would not have pur. the veh. due to my family using this veh. as a primary mode of transport.

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  Dont Buy This Junk!! - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Toledojoe - April 28 - 3:30 am

  Toyota has fallen off of their pedestal. The transmission shifting is horrible in city traffic. Shifting is very erratic and clunky. There is also a drag on the transmission during coasting speeds and when approaching a stop. The transmission is constantly clunking and jarring the car when slowing down or approaching a stop. Surprisingly, the dealers all know about it and shrug it off as not important. One had the audacity to tell me it was a "safety feature" to which they quickly retreated from upon further reasoning. Dont buy one!!!! These cars are junk! What happened to Toyota quality?

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  This is my third Tacoma - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Linda - April 27 - 8:09 pm

  The smaller engine this year is not near as gutsy, no matter what the numbers say. I live in a very hilly area and the truck is constantly down shifting to keep speed. It is really annoying. I also dont have auto head lights. I paid $35,000 and I dont get an auto headlight feature? Really?

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  Overall good utilitarian vehicle - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By gail eddy - April 21 - 10:06 pm

  we consider this suv a better overall vehicle than the ford explorer. We have owned two explorers, a 1992 and a 1996. The toyota 4runner has handled the mountainous terrain that we live on better than the fords. It has plenty of pep and an excellent 4wd and low range system. The interior is cramped, especially where the control panel is in conjunction with the cup holder-bad design, and along the sides of the seats for cleaning. Overall however, we have a sense of reliability with this vehicle and it will most likely be with us for many years.

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  Build Quality questionable - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Valerie - April 17 - 11:33 pm

  Decent vehicle as far as Minivans are concerned. But build quality is in question. Minor rattles (Dealer said it was normal). My sliding door motor crapped out after 6 months. Then when it was replaced I can hear it straining to close now. In 2008 I drove my cousins Odyssey for a month and was very very impressed with it. It looked better inside, seemed to have functionality that suited my needs and definitely handled better. My husband actually enjoyed driving a van (he didnt like driving the Sienna) Ill be switching over to the Odyssey if I ever buy a Van again. I wont be buying any more Toyota due to the accelerator issue fiasco. Im afraid the same issue will hit Siennas.

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  Not recomended.... - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By ttamorak - April 14 - 2:00 am

  My car is a lemon. While lemons happen, Toyota Corporation is unwilling to work something out and is making me pay for repairs. The trunk release has broken 8 times or so, the body moldings have fallen off, and the car gets less mpg than they suggest. It has a cheap plastic interior. I would NOT recommend this car to anyone. I drive a lot and would recommend a Honda Civic or Ford Focus.

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  Bad engines - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By Bachs - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Beware of this car. Toyota admits a oil sludge issue, although they blame the owners. Search google for more info, Toyota Sludge. Toyota claims they are fixing the affected cars at no charge but this is an out right lie.

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  Two Dud Camrys In A Row - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By jereece - April 9 - 10:00 am

  I have had two Camrys since 1993 (93 and 98). I have been very disappointed with both of them. Both have had electrical problems and the exterior seems to scratch and get dull easy. My latest Camry has had many problems including: - Carpet coming out in front and back - Visor latches broken - Door console pulling apart on front two doors - Engine rattles - Rear seat belt broken - Seat belt buckle sticks - Left turn signal flash rate doubles when the front head lights are on. - Center console lid latch broke

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  Its an ok car! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Charles - April 7 - 8:00 am

  Replaced a 2002 with this new 2007 XLE Overall after 2 weeks of driving it I have some disappointments outlined below that come with ownership. I now have 2,320 miles on it and mileage has been 25 as an average so far, about what my 2002 got. Has already been in the shop for a bad sensor that was replaced under warranty.

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  All flash, no dash - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By mysticwarrior - April 6 - 3:53 pm

  Dont let the fact that the top goes down down fool you. Terrible JBL radio, lousy seats, lots of wind noise with the top up, busy HVAC controls, no stick, so so gas mileage, crappy center console is an elbow rest not an arm rest. Purchased this car for the wife cause she liked the way it looked with the top down, but after spending an hour driving it, she would rather drive her 10 year old jeep with 150,000 miles on it. This car may or not be reliable down the road, but its a lot to put up with just for the sake of reliability.