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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  Great car but not very reliable - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By H Hoang - February 19 - 12:10 am

  I owned the Camry for almost 2 years now. This car rides very smooth and comfort, good gas mileage. Steering feels very unstable on windy day, highway only. My only concern is power steer broke at 30K miles, whole rack and pinion system replaced. I am very suprised, this seems to be very early for Toyota car. Manufacture covered the cost, around $900. Other than this problem, I think Camry is a good car for family.

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  White with comfort package and sunroof 2500 miles - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By ericnla - February 18 - 12:37 pm

  Coming from a 2006 prius and 2012 prius this was fun to go back to a large size car. Down side no downward facing mirror for parallel parking cant see curb. I do think for 28K it should have the blind spot monitor and front collision warning/stop system. Also could use start/stop technology and stop lights like the prius Gas milage is good average 27-30mpg on my 19 mile commute.

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  Blind Spots - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By liana - February 18 - 10:00 am

  The car provides too many blind spots. Had to add mirrors in order to change lanes a little safer. The back seats were even unconfortable for my 6-13 year old nieces. They hated the car even though it looked nice.

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  love it - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By MollyMac - February 18 - 10:00 am

  Although I havent had my car that long, I love the corolla. My car has everything I need. Lots of space to store things, power, good handling and turn radius, among other bonuses. The gas milage is great and I like the design. This car is very practical and a great commuter car.

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  2006 tacoma - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By jim hecker - February 17 - 8:13 pm

  Performance is great, but has vibration and harmonic hum starting at about 54 mph. Has been there since new, havent taken back to dealer yet. Also, 2 of the wheel center caps will not fit straight, are crooked. These are the only problems so far.

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  Going green - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By survey guy - February 17 - 4:33 pm

  Getting better mileage than expected: 32 city/39-41 highway; very comfortable. Also have a G35 Sedan, which has a much more intuitive voice command system for making calls, etc. This car performs better than expected. Easy to keep battery charge full by using B to slow car on decelleration.

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  BRAKES SQUEAK - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By Margaret T. - February 17 - 2:00 am

  I have had three Toyota cars before purchasing the Sienna van. I have never had a problem with any of the cars, so I expected the same with the Sienna. I like the van, except for the brakes. They squeak every time you stop. It is making me crazy. I am now shopping for a new van even though it is only two years old. I am not sure I will buy another Toyota. I am looking at the Honda vans/suvs.

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  My truck - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Veeshan - February 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this SUV Thanksgiving weekend. It was great for this years snowstorms in NYC. I was glad to upgrade from my reliable Camry to this truck. The gas mileage is horrible but you should expect that with any SUV of this size. Ive gotten 2 cracks in the windshield already from driving on the highway this winter. I dont know if it is the angle of the windshield or the highway road conditions in NJ or what. Maybe the angle of the windshield? Maybe just bad luck? This happened within the first 1500 miles. Overall the SUV handles very well. It can make quick U-turns and it is very responsive.

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  Originally a Chevy guy - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By aspry - February 17 - 12:40 am

  Never thought Id buy anything "foreign" but Im glad I did. This is one great truck and can actually be used like one.

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  Dont Buy the Navigation System - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By ghung - February 15 - 7:13 am

  I just purchased my 2011 XLE Sienna two weeks ago and found out that not all addresses are in the navigation system, even those that have been in existence for quite some time. When I had the dealership check it, they said they cannot do anything because the disk that uploads the direction is contracted out to a third party vendor. When asked if the problem can be resolved, they said they cannot guarantee that the issue would be fixed. I was then directed to the corporate customer relations department. The representative said the same thing and was not very helpful. To make a long story short, I would think twice about buying this since Toyota doesnt appear to have this problem resolve.