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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  Best Truck of its Size - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sean - March 5 - 5:46 pm

  Ive waited to write a review until Ive had my truck for a while. Ive had it for almost 4 months now, and have put on almost 7,000 miles. I love it. Performs great on road and off road. Climbs hills that you would think be un-climbable. Smooth ride, plenty of room up front and back. Finally a truck that comes with a standard bed and 4 doors. I use 91 octane and get 17 mpg avg. A lot of engine noise but I like that so it doesnt bother me. I have had paint chipping problems with the Speedway blue as have more people Ive spoken with. Definitely worth checking out if you like that color. Verdict: Great truck to take out on the town, and then go 4x4 and climb some hills.

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  2nd 4Runner: excellent vehicle - 2015 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tom Doniphon - March 5 - 3:08 pm

  Replaced a 2010 Limited 4WD 4Runner last year with the 2015. 2010 was close to perfect. Never spent a penny on the vehicle. This one feels the same and it should: it is unchanged for the most part. Front seating comfortable, build quality perfect, A/C-Heat excellent, Satellite Radio works fine, good braking. We get 22-23 mpg on highway. Areas for improvement on the 2017 redesign: better navigation system, improve torque on the 270, have to get the offset crash test results up to 5 star. The current model gets only 3 stars in the offset crash. A nice tight diesel would work well in this SUV, we would buy a diesel over gasoline model, but that will wait as 4Runners seem to just keep going. Consumer Reports unfairly compared the 4Runner SR5 to Pilot top model. SR5 does not have the soft suspension so the comparison and low rating by CR is not valid. The 4Runner is a well built SUV, of sturdy feel, and unquestioned reliability. The price is quite low for such an SUV with leather seating. Bi-Xenon lighting would be a great addition, halogens are just average.

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  Sport Model (Love It) - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By JENNJEEPB - March 5 - 6:10 am

  This is our first toyota. Everyone we have spoken with stated we made the best choice. Take a look at used car lots, why do you wonder? you see very few used toyota on used car lots. People buy them and run them for 300,000 and 400,000 happy miles.

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  Great gas mileage, SAD tires and noise - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Loydetta Webb - March 5 - 5:20 am

  We really enjoy this little suv. Ours is a standard transmission. Its 4wd kicks in when you need it. Gas mileage is a plus, plus. We use ours on dirt roads as a SUV. The tire performance is very poor with only 4 plys, we continually have flat tires. The rear door noise is horrible, and could use some insulation or additional soundproofing. We recently utilized the lay down front and rear seats, for our son with a hip cast. A good buy for the dollar. We will buy a newer model in the future.

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  Friendly and Comfortable - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Amanda Bridges - March 5 - 1:28 am

  Love the 17 model! Comfortable and roomy! Great value!

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  WOW! - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By James - March 4 - 8:50 pm

  I test drove several cars in the luxury performance sedan class and was driving by a Toyota dealership, so I figured I would give the Avalon a try. I fell in love. The Avalon has more interior room, a better ride, and out performed all of them for $20k less.

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  I Love My Car! - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By sxylump - March 4 - 4:25 pm

  I have had my Echo since 2004 and I absolutely love it! It is zippy and gets wonderful gas mileage. It runs great and is a trooper in the snow (and We get a lot of snow where I live too). I recently took it to the local Toyota dealer for inspection and they said everything is still in great shape. I know when it comes time to buy a new car, it will be a sad day for me to part with my Echo.

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  Back to Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Chuck - March 4 - 2:10 pm

  What I was looking for to replace my durango. Smaller but still has plenty of room, with good gas mileage. I got the 4cyl it has plenty of pep and getting 25mpg after a month.

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  Cant kill this car! - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By kosarin - March 4 - 7:33 am

  Bought new in 2000. Other than initial problem w/o2 sensor, have had almost no repairs. Keep thinking of buying a new car but why bother?

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  LEMON - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Randomguy32 - March 3 - 9:36 pm

  I got a lemon. The exhaust leaked inside the cabin (dealer never able to fix). The electronic stability control system was itself never stably operated (dealer never able to fix). 4wd high didnt always engage (dealer never able to fix). The sunroof would open and close at its own discretion (dealer never able to fix). The fuel cap release latch broke 3 times. The radio petered out, was fixed, reinstalled, and broke again. I wasnt able to drive the vehicle for 2 months of the year I owned it and Toyota would not take it back as a lemon citing Massachusetts loose lemon laws.