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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  Not sure if its worth it yet....... - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Former Ford Owner - April 16 - 3:36 pm

  Seems like a decent compact truck so far. Could use more power, a little pricy for what I got. Seems solid, though and a nice ride. I had a Ford Ranger previously (a 1991), and loved it. Could use a 3rd door on Xtra cab, Auto Tranny makes acceleration a bit sluggish at times. Who put the clock there? You cant see it from the driving position. And if you install a CD AND Cassette player, why wouldnt you provide storage for CDs as well?? Cassettes went out long ago, yet armrest has cassette storage area. Dual accessory power outlets a BIG plus! Overall, a nice ride....just not sure on the value... give me a couple of years.

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  No Worries - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By G. Brooks - April 16 - 12:40 pm

  This is a great little car for work and everyday driving. Even with a small 12 gallon gas tank it seems I can go weeks without filling it. Its fun to drive and comes with a great stereo.

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  Only one thing can make it better - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By VBPGMR - April 16 - 12:00 pm

  This car is great. It gets great millage and handles like a dream. It has lots of get-up-and-go. I usually am the first off the line. The voice recognigition dosnt always understand me, but I can live with that. This free GPS upgrade that Im getting next week might fix that. I would like a few of the extras they have on the Japaneese models, like the beeping bumpers, the tilting mirrors when backing, the auto paralell parking feature sounds great too. Im glad other Prius owners dont have the TV, but I would like to have that feature.

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  Great car for the money - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Mike - April 16 - 10:20 am

  The Solara rag top is an overall excellent product. Superb build quality. Im getting 29.5 MPG on the highway. This is a great car for the money. Smooth as silk. This car just glides.

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  toyota cant fix my truck - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By John B - April 16 - 2:45 am

  leaking differential (recall) - Toyota has my truck and Im in a rental - they dont know when it will be fixed and Toyota does not have a fix a this time . Got the truck back after almost 3 months to replace a seal

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  Fun Car to Have. - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Daniel - April 16 - 2:06 am

  I love my Yaris. It has all the equipment I wanted in a new car, gets great gas mileage, its a blast to drive and its a freakin Toyota so I can rely on it for years and years to come. At first I was skeptical of the Yaris and never thought that I would own one. I kept thinking that I could never go back to a little car, especially coming out of a 95 Olds. sedan. But the more I complained about the gas mileage my tank of a car was getting, the more appealing the Yaris became. Not to mention the price point is just as attractive as the styling.

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  Solid truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By rcg - April 15 - 9:13 am

  Truck gives feel of a larger truck, plenty of room. V6 extremely strong; it acts like its ready to jump upon request. TRD package gives truck nice stiff ride; it handles curves and bumpy roads nicely. Only had it a few weeks and I feel I made a good decision to purchase. All the truck youll ever need for occasional hunting trips or to haul your gear.

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  Toyota slipping badly - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By ray3503 - April 15 - 3:03 am

  Its clear to me that as Toyota grows they are unable to maintain the qulality standards they set. The Camry im driving is slow, the controls are in poor positions, it handles squishy and rattles. The exterior body styling is ok i guess, but this car is so vanilla and so ho hum its hard to recommend it. I think the US car companies are putting out much better cars than the Camry, and the Accord sits in a league by itself in this segment.

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  If you think Prius c is too small, think again! - 2015 Toyota Prius c
  By C. Kellaway - April 14 - 11:50 pm

  For some folks, the Prius v, with reclining rear seats is a must and while most are drawn to the Prius liftback, (the Prius that started it all) I have to emphasize the amazing parkability of the Prius c! I was given a Prius c for a day by the dealership and at the time, decided the car was too small for the long term. A month later my roomate got the Prius c and for the last two years, Ive had the pleasure of test driving it on weekends. Living in Los Angeles, it is extremely satisfying to be able to fit into parking spaces that you wouldnt even attempt with the worlds best selling car, also built by Toyota. That one parking space that is truly just big enough for a compact car, squeezed-in between a cement pillar on one side, and a large truck parked at an angle over the dividing line on the other,..The only space available in the lot because nobody else could fit in one so small and compromised,.. Pull in with pride in your Prius c! Sometimes, this is the difference between making your appointment on time and circling up or down level after level in a parking structure. The interior is spacious and comfortable and it drives with a wonderful center of gravity giving it the feel of a much heavier car. Theres also the fact that the Prius c is the highest mileage non plug-in hybrid car available. Ive averaged as high as 92.4 miles per gallon going from point A to point B from trip start. Otherwise nothing short of 50 MPG under normal driving conditions. It has a surprising amount of pep for its size an if you step down hard on the pedal, the car definitely holds its own. Ive wanted a Prius for a long time, am the last one in my circle of friends and family to get one and am happier with the car than I’d anticipated. Passing fuel stations for weeks at a time and filling a nine gallon tank when I visit one is more exciting to me now than hearing the roar of a racing car engine used to be. If you dont know the awesome definition of SULEV, may I suggest you look it up, or better yet, call a Toyota store and ask. It is the best reason to get this car! Id like to see the Prius assembled in America like many other Toyota vehicles. A nice update would be replacing Entune with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is my personal opinion that fog lights are a safety feature and therefor should be an available option on all trim levels.

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  If you think Prius c is too small, think again! - 2015 Toyota Prius c
  By C. Kellaway - April 14 - 11:50 pm

  For some folks, the Prius v, with reclining rear seats is a must and while most are drawn to the Prius liftback, (the Prius that started it all) I have to emphasize the amazing parkability of the Prius c! I was given a Prius c for a day by the dealership and at the time, decided the car was too small for the long term. A month later my roomate got the Prius c and for the last two years, Ive had the pleasure of test driving it on weekends. Living in Los Angeles, it is extremely satisfying to be able to fit into parking spaces that you wouldnt even attempt with the worlds best selling car, also built by Toyota. That one parking space that is truly just big enough for a compact car, squeezed-in between a cement pillar on one side, and a large truck parked at an angle over the dividing line on the other,..The only space available in the lot because nobody else could fit in one so small and compromised,.. Pull in with pride in your Prius c! Sometimes, this is the difference between making your appointment on time and circling up or down level after level in a parking structure. The interior is spacious and comfortable and it drives with a wonderful center of gravity giving it the feel of a much heavier car. Theres also the fact that the Prius c is the highest mileage non plug-in hybrid car available. Ive averaged as high as 92.4 miles per gallon going from point A to point B from trip start. Otherwise nothing short of 50 MPG under normal driving conditions. It has a surprising amount of pep for its size an if you step down hard on the pedal, the car definitely holds its own. Ive wanted a Prius for a long time, am the last one in my circle of friends and family to get one and am happier with the car than I’d anticipated. Passing fuel stations for weeks at a time and filling a nine gallon tank when I visit one is more exciting to me now than hearing the roar of a racing car engine used to be. If you dont know the awesome definition of SULEV, may I suggest you look it up, or better yet, call a Toyota store and ask. It is the best reason to get this car! Id like to see the Prius assembled in America like many other Toyota vehicles. A nice update would be replacing Entune with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is my personal opinion that fog lights are a safety feature and therefor should be an available option on all trim levels.