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 bad for a 2007 - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Cratty - December 11 - 11:10 am

  I bought the car about a month ago. It seems like I might be having a problem with it. It seems to hesitate alittle when starting out. Doesnt all the time though. I like that it has a lot of room inside. A lot of trunk room too. Not too good of handling on the highway speeds. I would say about 70 mph.

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  Good Car - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By klauer - December 10 - 1:50 pm

  Ive had this car two years and its been great. Only problem is I recently looked into selling it. It appraised for 13000 less than i bought it for only two years later. Believe it or not my Ford actually held its value better than that. Thats definitely not what i expected!

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  tranmission porblems - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By doug rowe - December 9 - 9:00 pm

  My 06 avalon has a anoying and what i feel is a dangerous problem with the transmission. It feels like it slips under certain conditions. The zone tech said it was because the computers in the engene and transmission could not communicate and that the factory had not figured out a way to reprogram it. This occures most often when i slow to almost a stop and then accelerate again. Since this is the same transmission used in the 05 i dont think they will find a cure soon. the problem is that when it slips the tendency is to give it more gas, which when it does catch, causes you to learch forward.

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  Stinky - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Ken Steele - December 9 - 4:53 pm

  We bought this Highlander just before Christmas in 2005, We like the vehicle except for one big problem, The smell ! after driving a short distance we start smelling a burning oil smell and it has totally ruined that new car smell, It is so embarassing to take anyone with us, they think the car is on fire. Really plays havoc on the sinuses too, despite the dealer promising the stench will go away it continues to this day, we are very dis-appointed in this car, dealer says the smell is normal? and will eventually go away? Buyers should be forewarned of this problem before selling the car to un- suspecting buyers, we would never have bought this car if we had known it had this terrible smell.

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  Reliable but not a lot of features - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By mike - December 9 - 6:13 am

  This truck is one of the better SUVs that I have owned. Its very reliable but lacks in power and doesnt have a lot of features that you would find in similar priced cars.

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  Reliable, fun, and hassle free - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Andy - December 9 - 6:10 am

  I bought my 1999 Solara in April of 2003 and havent had any major problems with it. Ive seen a lot of different reviews on here and some are accurate whereas others I cant understand. The interior is pretty straight forward, dont expect some crazy/flashy foreign interior. The ride is very smooth and it has decent power, but nothing huge compared to other coupes. I have had issues with the struts, but Im from Michigan. We have the worst roads in the entire country! Fuel economy is average, not as good as I expected from a Toyota, but overall Ive been VERY happy with my purchase. I have yet to fix a single thing on the car and Im approaching 76,000 miles on it.

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  Venza not a bad deal! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Publixman - December 8 - 10:20 am

  Purchased Venza few days ago, and still too early to tell. Dont care too much for the transmission or steering wheel play. Couldnt pass up the car though. Very nice exterior and interior alike. MSRP with options (V6, Convenience package,panoramic sunroof, JBL system, premium color (Blizzard pearl)Tow prep, floor mats and trunk mats, and little few extras topped out at $33,300!! Went in and offered $27,500 and they never blinked an eye! looking at invoice the sold car for $2600 under invoice. Im sure they make it up in dealer holdbacks, but I couldnt be more pleased with the car, and the AWESOME no haggle process I went through at Central Florida Toyota! Ill be back!

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  Solid car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Tiemen - December 8 - 6:03 am

  Having owned nothing but Japanese, I had high expectations from this Camry. It definitely hasnt let me down in mechanical quality, but I can tell the quality of some interior features and window moldings, weather strips, and other plastic/rubber parts are inferior to Honda and Mazda. But it is definitely more comfortable and quiet, so its a trade-off. If yours failed on you, its human error. Dont take care of it and like any car, it will perish. (it just takes longer to kill it than a Detroit product)

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  Solid car for the typical commuter - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Matt S. - December 7 - 10:10 am

  The Corolla feels solid and well built. The drivers seat is comfortable but due to the design of the dash pod?- can feel like you are stretching your arms a bit for the wheel even when the seat is moved forward; not too bad though. Ive gotten between 39mpg all highway and 26mpg heavy city driving (were talking 3 miles of parking lot Boston traffic here) and the car is not broken in yet. Ive noticed: steering has good feel, gas pedal is a bit high for me but cruise on trips helps that, powerful ac and heat, decent sized trunk, area under door handles does seem to get scratched easily, good turning radius but low hood makes it a little tricky to park, decent torque, quiet ride.

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  good but not great - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By esteband67 - December 7 - 3:00 am

  Purchased 04 Tacoma new. Love the outside looks. Power is good but not great. Dash and controls good. The clock is not visible but who cares. Everyone complains about the 4 cup holders. I love it! Put change in one, water in another, and Coke in another. Still one left for passenger. Only have 40,000 and the water pump went out. Good thing I got the extended warranty. I thought I would get at least 20 mpg on freeway but only have gotten 19. I get 16 in city which is horrible. For that matter, I would have gotten a Tundra. Would of got more power out of it and more room. I doubt I would get another toy. Nice truck, but expensive. Would look for something cheaper next time.