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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  Good for daily driver, but not a racecar - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By atclate - February 14 - 7:26 am

  Bought this car used last year, and Ive been driving it daily. Quite reliable, especially because the engine has been used by Toyota for quite some years. However, since the engine is old technology, there are much more powerful engines and transmissions out there. Gas mileage is not good enough, compared to the new V6s out there. Automatic transmission is not responsive enough, loses power starting second gear. Interior is very comfortable though. Cannot find another car this soft and comfy except maybe American cars. Sound system is only better than average. Ride is floaty at high speed, suspension is comfortable but too soft for spirited driving. User features are limited.

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  Solid compared to competition - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By avalon - February 13 - 11:26 pm

  Ahead of Chrysler300, Ford500, and Buick Lacrosse, but has several shortcomings. The throttle is lagging, not enough headroom in the back, more road noise than I expected, and the wood interior looks and feels decidedly fake. HID Headlights not available on XLS. The steering is too light for the "performance sedan". Overpriced compared to Lexus ES330.

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  Problem with my Avalon? - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Pat G. - February 13 - 12:10 pm

  We bought our 2005 Toyota Avalon XL in May and were very satisfied with it but now I am beginning to have second thoughts. It has less than 3000 miles on it now. I made a 200 mile round trip in July and it made 31 mpg. Great!! I really bragged it up. But two weeks ago I made the same trip but on a breezy day and temps in the 90-100 degree range. This time it made 25 mpg as well as downshifted on slight inclines. Yesterday I had to make the same trip under nearly the same hot/breezy conditions and it made 25 again and had the same problems with downshifting on the slightest of inclines. The dealer tells us that Toyota is having problems with Avalons fuel mileage in hot weather. ??????

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  Worthwhile purchase! - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By hondoman45 - February 13 - 9:43 am

  Ive waited a year to write this so as to have some experience with the car. Was very hesitant to buy due to fear of the unknown with the high voltage battery. Can say now that this is not a concern as these fail rarely and with many miles and usually with at least a decade of time. My dealership might replace 5-6 a year on the first generation (2001-2003), but 1-2 on this generation. Not as expensive to replace as I thought, either, as I received quotes of $2500 parts and labor. Realistically, that would be at least 12-15 years down the road. I get about 44 mpg in the winter and 46-49 mpg in warm weather. No repairs have been needed; easy to work on.

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  My New RAV4 - 2017 Toyota RAV4
  By Warren from Long Island - February 11 - 1:55 pm

  I bought my new 2017 RAV4 SE the end of December 2016. I sold my 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 4 Matic and wanted an SUV because I retired and want to play in a band and neeed room for my drums. I chose Toyota because they are so reliable. I love this SUV but Im sorry that I didnt get the Hybrid because the gas mileage is NOT good (very disappointed). The ride and comfort is excellent and the visability is great. The blind spot alert could have been better, it lights up yellow rather than bright Red and doesnt beep when a car is in the blind spot and you have the blinker on. All in all its a great SUV except for the gas mileage.

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  2007 Camry a Step Backwards ! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By 2003 Camry Owner - February 10 - 9:20 pm

  Just returned from test drive of 2007 Camry. I own a 2003 Camry use it for business.. have 50K on it.. love it. For years I would try Camrys on for size but my long torso always created head room issues. The 2002-2006 Camry was the answer. My first entry into the 2007 with the power seat sunk all the way down let me know they changed the headroom. This is a no moonroof LE and the specs say .4 inch less headroom. Feels like a bigger difference than that to me! And whats the deal with the gated automatic shifter? Im sure you get used to it but the first time driver will be running in 4th gear instead of drive most of the time. While the styling of the 2007 takes some getting use to the real issue is Toyota forgot the pluses the last version of the Camry offered.

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  Value Car - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By daftshadow - February 10 - 3:36 pm

  Its been about two months now since I purchased my 2014 Corolla LE ECO Plus. Its a nice budget car that has a stylish design. It is great on fuel economy for non-hybrid car. I spend about $10-$15 less compared to my previous car per month in gas. Although there is one issue that has me scratching my head. About a week ago, the engine did a "barf" to sort of speak. The engine somewhat stalled when I tried to start it. Once I got it started, put it in gear and then it would stall again. I brought the car to the dealer and they said there was a computer software failure that caused the problem. Really?!?

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  Disturbing chirping noise - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By rwallace7 - February 10 - 12:10 pm

  All that I can say is that I love the performance of my 2005 RAV4 except for the disturbing "chirping" noise that consistently occurs when going over mild bumps in the road. It is very annoying and the dealership cannot resolve the problem after making 5 service appointments. The noise seems to be coming from where the lower part of the windshield meets the cal panel. Im not sure I spelled that correctly. Anyway, this problem ruins the entire fun of driving this vehicle. Sorry, I cant recommend a RAV4 to anyone. ... disappointed buyer.

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  New car, new issues - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Katietuz - February 7 - 12:10 am

  Picked up the car on Tuesday. On Friday, the airbag warning light went on. Needs new computer. Not happy with 6 speed transmission. When driving around 25 - 32 mph, car jolts back and forth between gears. Dealer says this is normal for this transmission.

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  Great SUV for very decent price - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Barbara - February 6 - 11:06 pm

  Love this car. Leased it and will purchase at lease end. Very comfortable and handles well. Feels like a car but much better.