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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  SUV Hybrid Experience - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By JJ - October 4 - 8:33 pm

  I have driven over 3000 miles on our Hybrid Highlander and to date my overall experience with the car has been excellent. I do mostly highway driving and have been averaging around 27 mpg. The acceleration is great and recently on a long trip with the car fully loaded, got great gas mileage and the increased horsepower made for great interstate highway traveling. I had previously owned two volvo wagons (last one was 2000 cross country AWD) and the Highlander Hybrid leaves nothing to be desired compared to the volvo. All the same comforts and more. Never thought I would use the navigation system, but you realize how useful it can be once you use it(especially on vacations).

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  A Real Beauty - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Ram - October 4 - 1:46 pm

  I bought this car only four months ago with 35800 original miles. The previous owner bought new and maintained it extremely well even changing the timing belt at 20000 miles. This is a real beauty. I love how well it handles and the way it looks. Kind of reminds me of the movie with Clint Eastwood "Gran Torino" in the sense that he admired his vehicle.Currently I have less than 40000 miles on it having decided to use only occasionally in town only. Man what a beauty!

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  Reliability Plus - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Jeff - October 3 - 5:20 pm

  The best buying experience we have encountered. We used the dealers internet buying program and got great customer service and a very good price. Well made, quality assembly, good fit and finish and the standard equipment is everything we wanted.

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 8yrs+ - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Chris in Charlotte - October 3 - 4:46 pm

  Im on the verge of potentially trading in my dark green/tan leather 99 SLE w/ 157k. I do not want to get rid of it, but a 3 yr old and a newborn make a coupe impractical. Said simply, aside from some suspension issues, a valve cover gasket, and the backlight on the JVC stero going out, the car has been flawless and still looks fantastic. I get comments everywhere. Two recent ones were from the husband/owner of my sons daycare, who wanted to take a spin, because he always wanted a Solara and never got one ("Its a Lexus with a Toyota badge" - his conclusion), and several less car savvy people who just cant believe its 11 years old.

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  Ultimate 4X4 - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jimmy - October 3 - 4:43 pm

  Reliablitly and performance that is unparalleled

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  2009 Prius - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By Gail - October 3 - 1:26 pm

  Just got the car, I love it. I cant believe the gas mileage. Its very comfortable and roomy.

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  Van review - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By mike - October 3 - 1:20 pm

  I purchased my van to replace a small car. The Sienna has been the best car purchase I have ever made. It is also the 28th car I have owned.

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  New Hybrid Technology - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Chagnon - October 2 - 8:06 pm

  We took a chance on a new hybrid vehicle. The Highlander took 12 months to arrive and was well worth the wait. The performance is fantastic, the fit and finish is superb, the features and the layout are excellent, only the gas mileage is not what they say. We get 27 to 29 mile per regular gallon of gasoline which is not too bad considering the vehicle weighs around 2 and 1/2 tons. All in all this is a typical well engineered and manufactured Toyota vehicle.

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  My Dream Car - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Angela - October 2 - 8:06 pm

  We love our car. The space is amazing. The features are so much fun. I feel as if I am driving on air. My 6 year old is in heaven. I feel like the four of us each have our own space. The is so much storage. With kids it allows for a place for everything. We really love the headrest DVDs. We cannot wait to go on a road trip. This is our second Toyota. We had a Highlander previously, and loved it. The Sienna is even better. Way to go Toyota! This is luxury in a family car.

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  We love our first sienna! - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By Havasufoodies - October 2 - 7:13 pm

  I got this base model Sienna for my wife on her birthday. Weve owned it for two weeks. I emailed and called different dealerships and even tried the Costco Auto Program. We got this base model Sienna for around $500 UNDER INVOICE! Dont be scared & embarrassed to negotiate, THANKS TO EDMUNDS.COM. I like the reliability of Toyota, i dont care about all the bad publicity. We own a 2005 Corolla as well and we only had to change the battery, tires and brakes. Thats it. This Sienna is daddy friendly. It is so quiet that you will not even realize the engine is running. I dont know why everyone else bought the 6 cyl when the 4 cyl CAN DO THE JOB! i have 4 kids and they love it!