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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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By mwfu00 - May 31 - 3:10 pm

  Hubby purchased 2010 Camry SE V6 while I was out of town. This was my back-up choice, so I was not terribly excited to get home and see it or drive it. Boy, did my mind change when I saw it! This car looks TIGHT, compared to other Camry trims. I am not a car guru-I just want something that goes. Thats why my ride/drive ratings are 8s...those are things I just dont care about (except MPG). But the look of this thing is totally different from my grandmas Camry. Cant imagine Ill be disappointed in the performance/reliability, so Im totally happy with something that is not only a good, sensible decision, but also looks far cooler than I had expected.

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  No Problem - 1998 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mike P - May 31 - 4:46 am

  Hands down, this was the BEST truck I ever owned. I had 180,000 miles on it (with the original clutch) before I unfortunately lost my truck in an accident. The truck ran great, I easily would have gotten 250,000- 300,000 miles. It never let me down, not once. I had that thing up to 4 ft of snow, and it handled great. I had the SR5 V6 extended cab. Gas mileage was aprox. 22 mpg This truck easily beats any midsize truck any other manufacturer could make.

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  Beats Cadillac all to heck!! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Craig - May 30 - 9:23 am

  Living in an isolated area we put a lot of miles on every time we hit the road, and hit the road is every bit as comfortable in our new Venza as the Cadillac DTS we were driving. Better mileage, excellent view for drivers that like to sit a little higher on the road. The comfort of seats was equal to a Lincoln we tried out before buying the Venza. Just a great vehicle, but probably built for four adults. The electric steering handles like nothing else on rain soaked gravel roads, no pulling or floating to the side.

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  AWD tires gotcha - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Justin - May 29 - 2:30 pm

  I have the 2004 XLE AWD. Dunlop run flat tires lasted 27k (more than others), and cost $300 each to replace at the dealer. Probably should have been replaced sooner, based on how bad they looked. Toyota no help - tried to blame it on my inflation levels - suggested using higher than recommended pressure. Spare tire kit is available, but I bought the van for the fold-down seats, and use them all the time - why give that up? Might get regular tires next time, and carry a spare on the roof rack...

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  The Crazy Car - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Justin Shaw - May 29 - 2:00 am

  This car is a very good and reliable car. Only problem is that is is so low to the ground, which scapes up the bottom bumbers.

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  Steering wheel from hell - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Bioman - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Love the car except for only one item. Poor steering wheel placement. My knees hit the wheel if I have to break as it does not adjust out to the driver. It is also a very small steering wheel. What was Toyota thinking about? I bought the car as I was in love with the fuel economy and reliability. Now I am not sure it was worth it.

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  Little Maintenance? - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Rav4 - May 29 - 12:53 am

  Bought this new in 2007. It has 36,000 on it now. At 26K had to replace all 4 tires. They are 17" tires ($$$) and the dealer wanted us to pay 800 dollars to get it inspected. I bought them at a tire place for half. They said it was normal on Rav 4s that the stock tire wears out by 25K miles. The 30K maintenance cost us almost 400 dollars and Im not really sure why. I get carsick in it if Im not driving, same thing with my wife. My kid gets carsick on long trips as well. At 36,000 miles the check engine light came on accompanied by a light that said VSC and the 4X4 light too. Took it in and had to replace the coil. Paid 109 dollars for diagnosis. Also hard to tell if 4WD is on or not.

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  Disappointed - 2000 Toyota RAV4
  By Vt - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I am very disappointment with the Rav 4. I wanted a SUV, but the prices were out of my range. I thought the price of this SUV was great. However, I feel that it really doesnt qualify as a SUV. Its VERY small-no cargo room at all. In addition, its a 4 cylinder so its a dog on hills. I dont need something super fast, but I dont want to have to punch the gas pedal to the floor to climb a hill. Also, the cruise wasnt smooth. Im going to trade it in for a 4Runner.

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  S-Runner By John B.z - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By S-Runner8 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  The ride deliver a decent power. Willing to rev any pick up trucks that wants to race. The seat is very confortable but not after for more than 2 hours non-stop ride. Most important, it catches attention to those who drives a different sport trucks. The engine power is there when you need it, especially when going to freeway.

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  Slightly Disappointed - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By parry como - May 28 - 6:50 am

  Love the exterior styling and most of the amenities. I drove a 2008 FJ Cruiser so this is nice. Much more comfortable than the FJ.