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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  A good choice - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Bluedaisy - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I already have a 1990 Toyota Corolla and I decided to buy the 2004 Corolla. Theyre very dependable cars I still have my 1990 and I dont plan on getting rid off it. I got my car for a good price and I just want to say that the people at Neil Honda in Lynbroook are so nice, they really care about the customer. I encourage anyone interested in a corolla to go in for it.

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  Impressed - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By bulldog - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I was never going to own a minivan. We had a lexus SUV (2003) and ended up getting rid of it for something bigger when second kid came. I decided to bite the bullet and get something with lots a cargo room and safe with decent gas mileage (that took the suburban out of the running) Look at all the minivans out there and Sienna was hands down the best overall. It is the comfort zone and all kinds of conveniences are at hand. We got the limited with the navigation and DVD entertainment and I must say the van is plush. It is a lexus minivan if they had one. I plan on keeping this one for a long time to come.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Had - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By GrammaLyn - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Rides like a luxury car, but holds everything and everyone.

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  nothing boring about this car - 2012 Toyota Corolla
  By isanlu - February 8 - 12:51 am

  I was in the market for a new sedan as a second car to our familys minivan. I never liked the corolla before and had Jettas and Civics in the past. This time we decided to test drive every comparable model (Corolla, Jetta, Mazda 3, Sentra, Civic, Cruize, Accent and Rio). All very nice, similar prices, sizes and specs. The Corolla was the last one we tested, as soon as I got behind the wheel I felt at Home, yes maybe an outdated dashboard but after the ones from the Civic, Cruize, Mazda and Accent (they all reminded me of Video Game Consoles), this one just felt right. It is the most quite of them all on the road, simply said it is a Lexus and I am very happy. Power is excellent

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  Toyota for use with wheelchair lift - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By that_rat@yahoo.com - February 7 - 10:06 pm

  We bought a Toyota Sienna to be able to transport my husbands electric wheelchair. The Harmar AL-600 lift fits well and was easy to install thanks to the "stow-and-go" rear row (which is stowed). The lift (which lifts only the empty wheelchair) was easy to install and works great in the Sienna. The Sienna is really quiet inside (compared to our 1997 Honda Civic) and quite comfortable. For a van, the gas mileage is quite good. Unfortunately, I dont see much out of the back using the rear-view mirror - I now have to use the large side-mounted rear-view mirrors. The transmission is smooth and its really corvenient the way the seats in the back row fold away completely.

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  Good Solid Vehicle - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By John - February 7 - 8:50 pm

  Traded in a 2003 Tundra for the Crew Max so I could get more back seat room. This has been an excellent truck for me. The back doors are so big, however, that they dont always close the first time.

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  2008 Sienna XLE - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Joanne - February 7 - 8:26 pm

  I love my Toyota Sienna XLE model. I am now on my 4th one. I just purchased the 2008 model with sonar, moonroof, heated seats, Bluetooth. It is awesome. When I was ready to purchase a new car I drove several, determined that my next car would not be a mini-van. However, already being a Sienna owner (04 model) nothing else I drove compared with the roomy interior, comfortable seats, high end dash and control panel, and options. I have plenty of room to carry kids as well as adults. The third row of seats can easily handle 3 adults. Many of the crossovers have 3rd row seats that are too difficult to get into or not comfortable for adults. Also, I drove the buick enclave and loved it.

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  2003 Matrix review from owner - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Dr. T - February 7 - 5:23 pm

  Overall this vehicle is quite excellent. It is a delight to drive and handles beautifully. Overall, quite excellent. The negative aspects are: Clutch, brake and accelerator are poorly proportioned, and the clutch is especially irritating, as your foot has to be pretty precisely on the pedal or the cluthc pedal cannot be fully disengaged. I ended up adding extra thickness to the clutch pedal to allow full depression of the pedal. If I move the seat closer, then the accelerator is too close, and on it goes. The extra thickness to the pedal solved the problem. The other negative is that the corner rear windows are difficult to see out of from the drivers seat.

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  Best Car Ever - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Best Car Ever - February 7 - 1:03 pm

  Bought brand new from local Toyota dealer. Best car I have ever owned. I had 2002 civic and 2002 mazda Protege before and theyre both terrible. My corolla had almost 150,000 miles and never had any problems. I get about 33-35MPG on mixed driving. I would buy another corolla without any questions. This cars quality and reliability is no match. This car has zero problems after 150k Miles.

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  Lexus at a Camry price - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Jeff - February 7 - 3:56 am

  I got the Base Camry and was surprised at how many things are standard equipment on this car. It is very quiet and comfortable. The acceleration is amazing and the fuel economy is great. Today I drove to work in a heavy rain and I felt very safe in this car. It has a lot of safety features.