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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  fundamentally sound, but... - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By W. Green - August 29 - 12:00 am

  Boring, but reliable. Disappointed to find a problem with the left turn signal and a significant rattle somewhere in the right front portion of the car. Both defects are chronic for this model and year. No drivers lumbar support. No map lights. Remote does not open trunk.

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  Gets me around - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By kevin - August 27 - 1:56 am

  Good car until recently I had to spend $300 for a starter then 2 weeks later $1400 to repair the manual transmission. Needed bearings, ring block for 5th gear and a few other things. Mechanic said the original fluid was still in there after 140,000 miles. It should be replaced at least every 40,000 miles so I guess it was my fault. Otherwise a great car.

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  review of camry xle - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By bill - August 26 - 7:00 am

  smooth and quiet ride, many nice features, good milage, driver seat back a little to firm, car came with steering wheel off center, right side doors misaligned just enough to be noticed.

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  OK Car - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By ARK - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car mainly for its comfortable seating and of course for Toyota reliability. I like this car over all. But I am not very happy for the following reasons: Its low speed braking is good but at high speeds (say above 50 mph) its braking is very poor and I am much concerned to drive on highways. Especially for applying sudden brake. I never got gas mileage more than 33 mpg on highways. In the city I usually get about 28 mpg. So I am disappointed with its gas mileage.

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  2011 Tundra - 2011 Toyota Tundra
  By Bobby C - August 26 - 2:00 am

  First full size truck. Old car a Tacoma. Size difference is HUGE. Back seat in CrewMax limo like. Powerful engine with nice sound when worked. Rear window fold down nice feature. Stereo rocks big time. Quiet on road. Family loves the size for comfort. Mileage not good--lots of gas stops. Rear seat adjustment amazing. Great looking vehicle. TRD handles off road like a charm. Minimal back seat storage space with adjustable seat in CrewMax.

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  Best Corolla Yet... - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Doug - August 25 - 12:16 pm

  Our 10th Toyota, 3rd Corolla. Reliability in 31000 miles: 0 problems. Economy with automatic: 27-30 mpg city, 36-42 hwy. Great seats for local or long distance. Steering position a little awkward on long drives-- telescoping wheel would be a plus. Popping noise some have mentioned in other reviews may be ABS self-test when you are starting forward from stop (owners manual mentions this). Gripes? Upholstery poorly sewn (wrinkles from the git-go) on US-assembled model (never had this problem on Japan- assembled Toyotas). Roof- and rocker- panel trim strips came loose in normal driving. Power adequate, auto-shifting is smoother than my Subie, quiet on road, comfort, cost of ownership.

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  some easy fixes to increase sales - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By dfreshdee - August 25 - 10:15 am

  I was disappointed that Toyota did not make some easy changes to improve this car. I know it just came out less then 2 years ago, but the number of people who have complained about the tire size/cost/fast wear is very high. Neither walmart nor costco even carry a tire this size, and the local shops want $1,250 to replace all 4 tires - all of which wear out very quickly. yuck.

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  2008 Prius, package 4 - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By hilary Stellmach - August 24 - 10:26 pm

  Bought our car one month ago. Quiet, responsive, and fun to drive. First gas fill 41.2 mpg, second fill 43.7 mpg (both hand calculated). Friends are impressed with the room inside this car. When someone reports bad acceleration with their Prius, I wonder what they expect. I can pull into heavy traffic on the freeway, and have no trouble accelerating. Ive hauled dirt in the back (plastic tub) and concrete blocks. It is a good all around vehicle. Wish I could put a trailer hitch on the back. Our second Toyota, probably not our last. (still have my GMC diesel pickup) for pulling the boat and camper. Would not be afraid to travel cross country in this car. One fine car.

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  Best choice for us - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By alvin lau - August 24 - 7:36 pm

  My round trip commute is 50 miles. I needed a safe, reliable, practical and economical car. After studying the competition (Honda CR-V, Subaru Legacy wagon, etc.) I decided on a Matrix XR 4WD & havent been disappointed yet. The build quality appears good, the car has enough pep for stop & go traffic as well as cruising at 70+mph. Despite carrying two full-sized adults w/ defrost always on, I average 26mpg so far. The interior is quite roomy for a small car and the flexibility of the fold-flat seats is great. Things do slide around the back a bit but there are cargo nets and tie-downs. My Matrix is easy to maneuver, fun to drive and Toyota is generally reliable - recommended!

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  1997 4Runner - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By MRDUCKS1 - August 24 - 2:06 pm

  Unparalleled quality and reliability No major repairs required in 11 years Best all weather vehicle available. Exceptional. Used in states ranging from AK, KS, CO, SC, SC, IL, VA, LA and everywhere in between. I would not hesitate to take it anywhere with 235,000 miles on it today.