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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  Love x 2 - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By jplum46 - July 7 - 7:38 am

  Im writing a review on two 1996 Camrys. The first I bought not knowing anything about Camrys introduced to them by a friend. I really only felt that I had a decent car really didnt think much about it until I paid it off. Then i realized that I still had a new car with no payments. I started paying more attention to maintenance (wasnt that on time at first) and drove this car for another 7 years. Really the car was still like new and I had personalized it with all the latest radio and alarm features that the new cars had. Then last year it was totaled and I was heartbroken. Well I got on the net and found another same color 100mi away with 193,000mi. Had it shipped and I am in heaven!!!

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  Love it - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By CE - July 7 - 5:53 am

  I love this car. This is my third Corolla, the only thing I wish for, when I back out, the visibility is not as good as I would like it to be. It has great road feel, very positive steering and drives like a sports car. For the price it is a good bargain. I have not had a single adjustement, who ever put this car together did a super job. Congrats TOYOTA keep up the good work.

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  Research pays off - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By duckhunter - July 7 - 12:06 am

  I have recently purchased 08 Prerunner TRD offroad 4 door, and so far I love it. Just replaced a 04 Titan and have gone from about 10 mpg to 19, and kids have more room to boot. I live on a mountain, and travel it, as well as others, everyday. Truck has plenty of power and is averaging 19.8 mpg! This is my first non 4x4 truck, and hoping that the rear locking differential gets me out of those occasional mess ups. Have found that dry, rocky conditions are no issue for this 2wd, nor is steep, lose gravel roads. Highly recommend this truck if you need to re-up on a truck and gas mileage important.

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  33,000 Miles and no problems - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By GrapeApe - July 6 - 11:00 pm

  Purchased vehicle used with 22,000 miles, now has 33,000. So far we havent had to make a single trip to a dealer. For its size, it drives great and has fairly quick acceleration. The ride quality is quite good, although not "car-like" as in the Highlander. Although we dont have the X-REAS suspension, body roll is minimal under moderate cornering. Gas mileage has been surprisingly good at about 19-20 mpg for mixed driving. Interior quality is excellent, and the Granite trim on the Limited is a nice departure from the fake wood trim that is in so many vehicles these days. The climate contols seem foreign at first, but become intuitive after a brief amout of time with the vehicle.

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  Excited about a Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By rb - July 6 - 6:13 pm

  Thirty year old male excited about a Camry? I traded in an 03 Mazda 6s for a XLE V6 Camry. Interior materials are far better than my old Mazda and V6 power is nuts... a wolf in sheeps clothing when you hit the gas. While the Camry is much faster than the 6s, steering is a bit soft and not as responsive. Seats are comfortable, but wish the seat bottoms tilted back more into a bucket position. Stereo is amazing. Our 04 highlander also has premium JBL, but the new JBL is much better and even better than the Bose found in my old Mazda.

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  2018 Hylander XLE AWD - 2018 Toyota Highlander
  By Michael - July 6 - 4:49 pm

  Overall a really great vehicle, very comfortable. Interior could be a bit classier but it is still good. This is a family hauler and it does that incredibly well. This is a solid generally pleasing vehicle. I test drove countless competitors comparable models multiple times. It took me 3 months to make this decision. Overall ride quality and standard options combined with Toyota’s undeniable reputation of quality and dependability won me over. I have to admit though that every American made suv in this class was superior in comfort, quality of interior materials, ride comfort and amenities out shown every Asian vehicle we tested. However these tended to be priced higher and there is of course the questionable reliability. We tend to keep our vehicles for a decade or more so dependability was the ultimate deciding factor. There is one large problem with the Hylander, the outdated and outgunned engine infotainment system. This system is difficult to navigate and lacks basic things like smart phone mirroring. I am at a total loss on why Toyota would install such a poor system especially when just about every competitor has a much more advanced and intuitive infotainment product. I will say this though the navigation programming is excellent. It is easy to set, has nice graphics that make sense and are easily readable.

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  I Expected More from Toyota - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By Philip Anthony - July 6 - 3:08 pm

  I have really enjoyed my Toyota Prius... until yesterday. At 32,526 miles, I heard an odd sound under the hood. The dealership told me that my AC compressor had seized and would cost $2,600 to fix!!! They also informed me that, though I was under the 36,000 mile limit of my warranty, I was 20 days past the 3 year limit. I thought, " Surely Toyota will honor the warranty and take care of this repair". When I owned a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, I was in a similar situation with my alternator. Chevy stepped up and took care of the issue at no charge to me. Surely, Toyota would do the same.... No. They were unwilling to even help with the cost, despite the diagnosis being that the compressor was faulty.

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  Gas mileage less than advertised mpg - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By millese - July 6 - 7:04 am

  I purchased a 2012 Toyota Hybrid Camry a few weeks ago and am disappointed with the gas mileage. I drive around town mostly, no fast starts, coast whenever possible - getting about 36 mpg on the last 2 fillups. I took it to the Toyota mechanic and couldnt find anything wrong. He said there is no break-in period needed to get the expected average 41 mpg. Frustrated owner! Ill be back to the Toyota dealer pounding the door very soon. Unsure of next steps if no resolution -

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  Expected so much more - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Chris - July 6 - 5:26 am

  I have had this truck for a year and a half now and its falling apart. None of the lights work inside, I can not turn up or down the volume on the radio, the steering has gotten so loose and I could swear the tie rods are broke. I had high hopes for this truck but no go.

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  Every EE needs one of these - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Jerry Hudgins - July 6 - 5:03 am

  This is the only hybrid on the market I recommend to all my colleagues. The electrical systems in this vehicle are remarkable. The car handles great and has better traction on wet and icy roads than some all wheel drive vehicles Ive driven. I fight my wife daily over who is going to drive the car!