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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  Average - 2012 Toyota Corolla
  By paracelsus - January 2 - 1:47 pm

  The car replaced my 25 year old car that was starting to have some expensive issues. I got a really good deal on a lease for this car, but I have found myself wishing for my older car back. the quality of this car is inferior to my older car. Its appearance is average. There is velcro visible on either side of the dashboard. The doors are block with styrofoam painted black. You can not only hear the road as clear as day, but you can feel every bump. I am also very disappointed in the gas mileage. It is not a great improvement over my older car. The check up was a quick thing and they didnt replace the dollar store windshield wipers that came with the car. Cant really recommend it.

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  Toyota - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Anne talty - January 2 - 1:33 pm

  Since I have purchased this vehicle in March of 2004, it has been everything and more of what i have come to expect from toyota. So far the camry has performed flawlessly. I am very pleased with the results.

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  Corolla or Camry? - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By John - January 2 - 12:53 pm

  After reading reviews on many websites I found that Civic is better than Corolla S, but when you test drive both you will find more room, driving comfort and other features in corolla than civic. I drive it daily 100 miles on freeways, at first steering feels loose but when you get used to it you will enjoy its easy handling. No need to say much about corolla reliability and MPG. I dont personally know any person who has problem with corolla on these. I have drove V8 SUV which also feels loose on the Interstates at more than >85MPH. With 132hp corolla and 140hp civic not gonna make much difference on power. Overall its great looking car, great MPG, reliable and ya people confuse it for Camry.

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  Great Truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sold - January 2 - 12:00 pm

  Love everything about this truck.

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  Worst Seats - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Ted - January 2 - 10:53 am

  I had 2008 Limited V8,4WD sold and bought 2010 Trail with all the options. First, the seats are like bench seats of churches, so hard. Only a few minutes ride, even my friends complained how hard and uncomfortable they were. I bought many cushions to relieve the hardness, but no solutions. I tried to voice out this problem both to dealership and Toyota HQ. After 3 months, customer service of Toyota wrote to me that could not do anything and sorry for dissatisfaction in advance. No wonder Toyota is losing faithful customers like us. We bought 5 Toyotas including Lexus LX470, all new. I will not buy another Toyota ever again. The new V6 is no match for previous V8, with no MPG advantage.

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  My favorite car - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Manal - January 2 - 9:55 am

  Love this car . I purchase this car with alot of extra things . I love the rims . To me this doesnt look like a cheap car and i get alot of attention with this car .( white )

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  Toyota Prius is excellent for commuting - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Bruce Wilber - January 2 - 12:23 am

  We bought the Prius in order to get better fuel economy for commuting to work. I was impressed by the space utalization of this vehicle. We enjoy using this car for most of our dday to day travel and highly reccomend this vehicle to anyone looking for a midsize vehicle.

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  Not perfect, but close enough - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Rogier van Bakel - January 2 - 12:00 am

  The four-cylinder engine, which I tested in a RAV4 Sport, is pretty peppy, but the V6 boasts about a hundred extra horses, for an eat-my-dust total of 269. That six-cylinder is a sinful delight, as it turn the RAV4 into a veritable pocket rocket by pushing it from zero to 60 in under seven seconds. Driving the RAV4 is a pleasure. The view is excellent. Steering is precise and responsive, and the brake seems to read your mind. Cabin noise, even at 75-plus mph, is well under control. All the gauges and knobs are pretty much where you’d expect to find them. The cargo space is impressive — bigger than that of a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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  First Convertible - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By hwangster - January 1 - 11:23 pm

  Decided to go with Solara for reliablity and comfort. Also CarMax gave me an excellent price for the car and color availability. Friends noticed that I was getting more tan these days. Drives very smooth and silky.

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  Wonderful - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By brussell889 - January 1 - 8:46 pm

  This is one of the best SUVs out there!! I have yet to have a problem with it, and Ive almost reached the 100,000 mile mark. It still runs as if it just came off of the assembly line.