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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  Ugly, but beautiful in overall quality - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Rube - December 31 - 2:10 am

  When I first set my eyes on the car. I thought this is the ugliest car I have ever set my eyes on. But I drove it and I was sold. I was initially looking at the Acura TL, Audi A4, the new I30. But a family member asked me to drive the Avalon, I did and the rest is history. 50,000 miles and not one problem.

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  Not too bad for the money - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By suishin - December 30 - 5:56 pm

  I was very happy when the first two year. Everything goes downhill when I took it off road once. Bad gas mileage. Used to be combination of local and highway got me 22-24. As now with only 40,000 miles on it gives only 16-17. And cd player went out at 35,999 mile. Not just that, the tire sensor went out too.

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  Toyota Echo - The easy auto to park - 2004 Toyota Echo
  By Bommarito - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Echos are great at shopping mall parking lots. I fit into any open parking space. I have no problems manveuring through small lanes (usually made small by monster cars trying to park). The tight turning radius makes it easy to zip around as needed. Im particularly fond of the 35 mpg Im getting. Good Toyota quality, nothing fancy, but a great city car.

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  Still Going Strong With NO Engine Work - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sean-again - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Heres an update. I am now just short of 250,000 miles and havnt needed ANY engine work. I am even on the original clutch. I have replaced the brake pads a couple times and the front rotors because some dip at Pep Boys turned them down too far (I bought new ones elsewhere). I change the oil at 8-10k mi intervals, there are NO oil leaks. In that time, the oil level drops from the full line to the add line on the stick. I burn a little oil and get a light smoke when downshifting and flooring it when passing, but no loss in power.

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  2001 tacoma - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By usaf - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Dash rattles BAD,paint peeled on front bumper,poor OEM tires. Now the good-----too many things to list great reliability, handles well , air work great

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  Wind noise baffles your ears... - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By MIDGIE - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I really love my 2003 Toyota Highlander. It is so easy to handle. Wet roads are a breeze. My only sour experience has been when you open the backseat windows. The air bounces around, creating a horrific baffling noise that batters your eardrums. You have to have one of the front seat windows open to prevent this. Hopefully it is a design issue and can be rectified. Im already wanting to get a 2004 with the 3rd row seat.

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  Echos For All - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Sullivan, Scott - December 28 - 4:26 pm

  Since me and my wife travel long distance to visit family we bought the Echo. I was dumbfounded by the fuel savings with the performance. Average is about 38-42 highway depending on speed. If we all had cars like this prices would fall at the pump do to the lack of customers.

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  Nice truck! - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By frank - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Just bought pre-runner, auto, v6, this month. Love it! Everything inside out is all nice! One problem though, the transmission is a little sluggish, when slow down to 40, 30 mph. Overall, this is a nice truck!

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  2011 Sienna - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By annestoy - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I miss the center console and nooks for garage door opener, etc. I also miss the coin holder and pockets on the backs of the 2 front seats from my 2007 Sienna. The looks of the interior are not that special either. I dont understand why they took out some of the better features and replaced them with nothing! Im starting to miss my 2007 Sienna. The 2011 even seems smaller.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By rj - December 27 - 9:33 am

  Just turned 110K now. Ive changed oil every 5K, air filter every 15k, and changed transmission fluid at 105K and the old fluid still looked fine. Ive gone thru 2 sets of tires. I see no reason why this girl wont be around for at least 300K.