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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  Reliable and Boring - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By a camry owner - August 25 - 10:00 am

  This Camry is a nice comfortable, reliable pretty boring car! I liked the dashboard design when I got it and I still do. The ride is a bit softer than I prefer. Not what Id call sporty. But, this is a nice reliable vehicle except for one thing. The handling is completely unacceptable in the snow!

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  48 hours later - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By tominutah - August 25 - 10:00 am

  I went to the Toy/Honda dealer looking for a more relaible car than the 300TE Mercedes wagon we now drive. Already have a SUV (Suburban) and sports car (1955 190SL) and a highway cruiser (Volvo 850 wagon). As soon as I pulled into the dealers parking lot and saw the Matrix, I knew that was it.

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  Two happy years of driving - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By "S" - August 24 - 2:10 am

  Above all other niceties the mpg- factor is tops by far. After six round trips from Florida to NJ and one 4,500- mile trip to NE, the average highway mph is much better than advertised: 44 mph on mostly interstate driving, using regular (10% ethane) 85 octane gasoline, air conditioning on constantly. Local efficiency is steady at 33/34 mpg. Long distance driving is comfortable, surprisingly large baggage room. However, the center mounted instrument panel is irritating now as is was the first day I drove this otherwise wonderful little car!

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  Nice Truck - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By RP - August 23 - 8:50 am

  Overall a well built truck, I wish seats were a little taller. Transmission seems to lag at times. Plenty of power, and smooth ride considering its a truck. Brakes could be a little tighter, but a fun truck to drive.

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  5 Years 105,000 Miles - Still Love It - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Diana - August 22 - 10:43 pm

  Eight cars to date, this is the first car Ive owned where I put more that 50,000 miles on it. This is my second Toyota. Hasnt had any problems, engine is still quiet and smooth, and parts still fit together like they were new. Mileage has gone down some, from 30 to 28 MPG - still excellent for me. Was not looking for a sport car, just a sporty look, so the performance (or lack thereof) isnt important to me. I never thought I would have a car this long, and I am in no hurry to buy another.

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  Great truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tommy - August 22 - 5:46 am

  I put a tool box on the truck but that make very bad road noise. The 6 cyl. will move the truck faster than the Chevrolet Z71 with the small V8 and the milage is somewhat better.

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  MR2 Spyder Best for the $$$ - 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By DPs-mr2s - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Affordable mid-engine experience. Fun driving to and from work. Poor persons Porsche.. FUN..FUN..

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  Good Sporty car - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By rscarawa - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchase this V6 5speed car about 6 months ago and have been very happy with it. It is a roomy 2 door coupe with similiar room to the camry. The engine is reasonably powerful and the interior rid is quiet. I have the JBL radio. It does pretty good but some songs seem to be unbalanced. The suspension is not sporty. It is very soft and there is much body roll. The clutch has a very smooth feel and the gears shift quickly. Gas mileage is 25 city and 31 hwy I added the TRD struts, springs and swaybar to improve the handling of the car. This makes the Solara handle like a much smaller car. If you like the small car feel, this is the way to go.

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  Believe the Tundras crash ratings!!!! - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By A. Thomas Young - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Really believe those Tundra crash ratings! Took on a 1 ft. diameter tree sideways at 50 mph. Tree impacted the drivers door right by my shoulder. Totaled the Tundra but zero damage to me. Excellent all around safety design with a great focus on protecting occupants!!!!!! I am a believer and am now looking for another Tundra.

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  GREAT CAR BUT ROUGH RIDE - 2016 Toyota Prius v
  By Ralph Cataldo - August 21 - 8:01 am

  If you want a large SUV Hybrid with lots of room, good mileage, but not the price of Luxury car this is a good one. However I love the car but it does not ride smoothly. It is quite bumpy and does not absorb bumps and spots in row good at all. It has excellent mileage if you use the ECO setting. Of course the ECO setting you have to realize the power will be much lower when you need acceleration. The storage is outstanding, gas mileage outstanding, room inside car. I do NOT like the back up camera. It peeps when in reverse and has the color guide to how close you are when backing up. However it lacks beeping sound to warn you how close you are getting. It also lacks a birds eye view. If Toyota would improve the ride, fix the camera (instead of annoying beep beep beep to beeping when getting close to a perfect car for those wanting great mileage, large cargo space, comfortable seats, and a good quality car.