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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  Love my Prius - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By jimjkc - February 13 - 8:38 am

  I was impressed from the moment I sat in the 2012 Prius, it has so many features and I have found it fun to drive on short and long trips. I owned a RAV 4 before trading it in for the Prius and found the Prius to be quieter than the RAV so I was happy about that. The milage is great and I am happy with the cost so far. I believe this will last me for a very long time. A couple of negative things, the USB port is in an awkward place and the date is very hard to change on the computer and the seats could be more comfortable.

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  All I Asked For - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By jmlambion - February 13 - 5:46 am

  Bought this car for my retirement. Wanted reliability, good gas mileage, low maintenance costs and comfort. This car has met every expectation. I buy gas once or twice a month, gets 35 mpg without effort, 40 mpg on hi-way or if I work at it. I change the oil every 5000 miles. It’s comfortable to drive. Only complaint is, original tires lasted 30K miles. Everything works as good as the day I drove it off the Lot.

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  NIce little SUV for the city - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jay - February 13 - 2:10 am

  This is a car/SUV that seems to do exactly whats intended for it. Design in and out are very sporty. I have the leather/sunroof package so it is essentially loaded with options. One option I did not get (and wouldnt) is AWD. There is simply not enough power from the engine to support the extra weight this option adds, and lets be realistic: how often is one really going to NEED AWD? I live in the Seattle area and travel to the mountains quite a bit - ground clearance is high enough to navigate pothole ridden forest service roads, and being from the midwest, I can manage driving in the snow without AWD. Gas milage for an SUV is pretty good as well - 22mpg city, and 30mpg highway.

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  THANK YOU TOYOTA - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By marcia boemmels - February 12 - 6:10 pm

  This is our second Prius. Our 2002 was great! This one is 100% better....more comfort, better gas mileage, larger vehicle, larger tires, and alot more fun to drive. Our Prius also comes with side airbags which makes us feel much safer. We are very very happy with out new car and will buy another next time around! Our experience has not been great with American made cars and were hesitant on going foreign........but we have had NO PROBLEMS with either of our Prius. THANK YOU TOYOTA

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  Matrix - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By degrenia - February 12 - 5:13 pm

  We just bought our car 2 weeks ago and I love the way it drives and I am short so the way the driver seat is I can back up and see so much better than any car I have tried.

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  Not too sporty but man is it reliable - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By VD Drew - February 12 - 3:30 pm

  Celica is my wifes car prior 2 us meeting and weve purchased 2 newer cars since marrying. Having kids Ive tired to sell this 2door however after 2 years of spending $ on the newer cars, this celica has the most miles but 20% of the cost of maintaining the other cars. Its underpowered, doesnt have enough torque, and has a very disappointing rt=rear blind spot, horrible rear seats, uncomfortable for tall drivers, slopping dash where u cant put anything on. I found other small cars better and faster like the Mazda 3, Corolla, Vibe. Pros are its nimble, good looking, good gas mileage, easy to maintain, awesome on curves.

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  This Central Texas Family loves our LTD. - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By CourtneyL - February 12 - 11:46 am

  Weve had our Sequoia since July 08, approximately 5 months. We are a family of 4. My husband, myself, and our two children both under 4years. We purchased the limited, black exterior with tan interior. Our sequoia has everything except for nav and dvd. Things we love: interior roominess- we can fit two carseats, and a full sized adult in the second and third rows. This never happened in our old suv. All three rows recline. In the second row, each seat moves individually. So if the middle person wants to recline, they can do so without bothering the other two riders. My husband now wants to trade his corolla S for a similar riding Tundra!

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  Love most of my Camry... - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Marilyn - February 12 - 7:51 am

  I’ve driven Toyotas for years and have encountered very few problems. My dealer, Cain Toyota, in Canton, Ohio is reliable and the sales and service departments are great. I love my 2018 Camry XLE—EXCEPT for the Entune, the GPS and the hands-free phone. Toyota obviously kept “ improving” until they successfully screwed up the technology. No one can help me...I can’t use the hands-free phone because of horrible feedback. No matter how many times I log in, I keep “waiting” for Entune to connect. I am terribly frustrated.

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  Wonderful Car For Money! - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Salt Lake City - February 12 - 7:00 am

  I purchased my Rav4 in August of this year. It is comfortable, fun to drive, and very stable on the road. The sound system is excellent -- especially for classical music! It has wonderful cargo space in the back, and the side-opening back door is so easy for senior citizens to use. I plan to drive this car for a very long time!

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  Best Off Roader in the world - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Hofgee Rofgee - February 11 - 9:56 pm

  This is a one of a kind machines. It works wonders off road but is still very comfortable on the pavement.