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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  Avalon - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By SRT-4 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Poor tire quality; Steering Rack replaced at 15,000 mi (noise when turning left); Drivers seat track replaced at 16,000 (broken weld); Dealer indifferent to problems; factory floor mats of poor quality. Otherwise, very comfortable, reliable, good performance, handling.

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  kgs - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By keith saunders - February 14 - 10:00 am

  fuel econ 22, less than my 1990. needs more power if you tow/ go on hills very reliable,easy to drive not much dealing on price

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  Midlife Crisis - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Greg Cascino - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Lexus-like vehicle with all extras; Absolutely Red with Ivory leather interior is a great combination; navigation system is easy to use; beautiful leather, chrome and wood, A real head turner. Performs as well as a Lexus ES330.

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  V6JUICE - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By rpres44 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  The ride is excellent. The handling is excellent. The mpg could be a little better (17.05 over 7000 miles) but the larger tires give it a 6% error in miles driven (it shows less than it has actually gone). The clock cannot be seen by the driver w/o leaning over. The center console plastic scratches easier than other cars. Removing the oil filter is difficult unless done through the dr side front wheelwell. Draining the radiator requires taking off a large, heavy piece of brush guard underneath. But an excellent choice for a p/u. Should have side visors in front.

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  Corolla 04 LE Review - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Calu - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Great car, met all my expectations, car a bit pricy for a sedan range but still a great car to own.

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  01 Toyota Celica GT-S 1.8L Auto. - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By Christina_Pittsburgh - February 14 - 5:53 am

  There isnt enough space to say how much I love this car. Bought used with 43000 miles on it, it still felt brand new. After 7 years and pushing 170000 miles, it still has kick in the horsepower dept. and handling is stiff and reliable. If it werent for my daughter and the lack of space in the back seat I would definitely by an 05. Why would they discontinue this sporty, affordable, and I think beautiful and originally styled car? After 7 years, Im still in love with it.

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  1997 Toyota T100 SR5 w/208,000 miles alr - 1997 Toyota T100
  By gene - February 14 - 2:06 am

  I cant wait to say I have a quarter of a million miles on my truck. I drive it everyday both city and highway. I changed the front brakes twice and they are not any where needed yet. I changed the rears a third time only because the emergency brake cable froze. I have had two mufflers one I paid for and the second one was replaced by the dealer because they said any repairs they did was warrantied for life. No lightbulbs needed yet but I did revert to White Lights. Has the best headlights I have ever had on any vehicle. Rides great even on still original shocks. Minimum rust which I am getting fixed. Back bumper also needs replaced - rust. Overall I have been very pleased with my truck.

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  Glad I picked the Camry Hybrid - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By seiker0808 - February 14 - 1:30 am

  The car is comfortable and fun to drive. I almost bought a Prius but this has more toys and if Im careful I can get between 35 and 40 mpg. I love the nav. and the Bluetooth. The minute I started driving the car I knew I was going to buy it over the Prius even though I did really like the Prius as well. This is just more comfortable to me, more of, I can have it all this way. OK, not as good gas mileage as the Prius, but still very good and great for the environment. Love all of the controls on the steering wheel. To get the best gas mileage you have to use cruise control when possible.

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  My 2009 Prius - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By Dave - February 13 - 8:56 pm

  Okay, so Ive only had my 09 Prius for four days and 200 miles! If this was a preview, then I cant wait until it gets really broken in and the mpg goes up. Saturday we drove 60 miles round trip on flat road and averaged 51.2. Not bad for a rookie.

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  Very Good, But With Problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By BigBird - February 13 - 8:10 pm

  Not the "bulletproof" Toyota I expected, but still a very good car for the price. The intermediate steering shaft went @ 36K and the water pump was leaking slightly @ the block. Both fixed under warranty. The front drivers seat has a squeak when you sit down and the wipers squeak against the window (tried both after market and Toyota replacements). Unlike others, no problems with the paint, rust @ the trunk lid, odors from the A/C or heater, or the auto transmission (shifts fine). Makes you wonder if Toyota has "built on Monday" problems like GM used to have. Got 60K out of the original Potenza tires -- I know, thats unbelievable. Rotated them often and watched the pressure.