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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  my rav4 - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By kath23 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Since I have had my car its comfort and reliability have been the best of any car I have ever known. It is fun to drive and excellent to take on road trips.

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  cool car - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By todleo - January 24 - 10:00 am

  ths women love it

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  Almost a Great car... - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By GPRenegade - January 24 - 9:40 am

  I bought my echo after driving a V6 Buick LeSabre so my numbers for performance and comfort may be a little biased, but the rest of my ratings are bluntly honest and accurate. Performance & comfort: has good acceleration from a standstill, but not so great at higher speeds (engine vibrates, whines, and often hesitates). Fun & economy: the Echo handles like a go-kart. Great for turns and navigating traffic, not so great at high speed or in bad weather. Gas mileage is good, close to what is expected. Design & quality & reliability: great interior styling, love the speedometer placement. Hate the exterior styling. It reminds me of a ride at disneyland. As for reliability, its a Toyota.

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  Not recommended - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By mojoe4420 - January 23 - 7:27 am

  Toyota has bungled what could be a very nice cars with a few foolish decisions. When I buy from an automaker I expect them to deliver a car, not a nanny. The seatbelt chime should give 4 or 5 dings should I choose to unbuckle for whatever reason. Instead it offers 1 ding per second for about 30 seconds & then switches tempo to 3 dings per second for at least another 30. Unnecessary. By the way geniuses, thats my briefcase in the passenger seat, not a person. Idiots! Then theres the fresh air/recirc HVAC control. When I make an adjustment, its for a reason. Toyota thinks they need to automatically switch to fresh air after about 5 minutes. Not cool. I rented this car, no purchase plans.

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  Sweet swagger wagon - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By Minnesota - January 22 - 2:36 pm

  First van. Previously we had two accords and two Volvo wagons. This van drives much nicer than expected. Its not as comfortable as a Volvo xc70, but has much more room. The ride and feel is solid. The v6 has plenty of power. I test drove the Honda and liked this as well. The run flat tires are not as loud or stiff as one might expect from other reviews. I rate this van as a buy.

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  camry93 - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Andy77 - January 22 - 1:06 pm

  For 1993 camry I like the comfort, interior design and very good reliabilty. However, the bad side is that four cylinder lacks power on the highway.

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  corolla LE 2014 CVT - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By vovcha - January 22 - 2:23 am

  It is my first car with CVT automatic trans. and It took me time to get used to it...it is very slow on a startup and on response to acceleration. This model is a basic car which will get you from point A to point B without a problem. Comfortable to drive, we love interior, including a standard blue-tooth and cruise control. I installed remote starter which saves a lot of hustle in a cold winter day. On the 2014 and up models, you have to live a key with the module in a dash board, this is a big drawback. The engine is underpowered and thats the reason for O.K. fuel consumption, not an excellent.

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  Toyota and reliability are one - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By Ltd2daMax - January 22 - 2:00 am

  This experience has been nothing short of blissful. I have continuously raved about the reliability on my Limited. My scheduled maintenance is the only time Ive ever been back to the service shop. It just runs and runs and runs.

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  Love my Car - 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  By jtavalon - January 20 - 10:10 pm

  I went to the dealership planning to buy a Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE, but left with the Avalon hybrid instead. This 2013 Avalon hybrid kept catching my eye. It looked so good! I drove the Camry Hybrid, but the interior/exterior design was so plain I just couldnt take it. When I got into the Avalon Hybrid, I fell in love with it. It was sexy, classy, had an EXCELLENT sound system, and a sporty ride. I am worried about mpg. I have 250 miles on it and seem to averaging about 30 mpg in the city. I hope the mpg is lower because it is cold and I run the heat a lot. Still better than any non-hybrid on the market for city driving (except the Volkwagen diesel).

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  I should have had the V6 - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By charbojr - January 20 - 8:58 pm

  Have had this car for 2 years now and clocked 20k miles on it. From the outside the Sport package is quite handsome and aggressive. I dont even mind the tire on the door. Then you get in and drive it. The 4 cyl/4 speed gets the job done, but there is no joy. The handling is good for a Sport Ute but can be jarring and at times uncomfortable particularly on long trips. Tight cabin for a 6 tall guy. Interior bits are cheap. Theres plenty of space for your stuff which is why we purchased the car, but coming from a 04 BMW 325i this car is a little disappointing and leaves me longing for days of yore. Toyota cheaped out on this car and it shows.