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 as good as I expected - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Bill Kober - September 5 - 10:03 pm

  I have only had my truck a month and I am generally pleased; the 5.7 V-8 has plenty of power. The gas mileage is about what I expected however, the interior quality leaves a lot to be desired.

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  Why wont Toyota listen? - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By James Lawson - September 5 - 4:06 pm

  I have a 2010 Prius with over 100,000 miles on it. In general, I love the car - no serious complaints. However, I had two minor complaints which I relayed to Toyota in 2010. Neither has been rectified1. The Sirius-XM radio displays 16 characters of the title and artist. There is room for 40 characters. Why wont they expand this? 2. When a truck goes backwards, it beeps outside to warn anybody in the drivers blind spit to be careful. When you put a Toyita in reverse, it beeps on the inside trolling the driver Thant Toyita thinks hes too stupid to realize hes in reverse. This is both annoying and insulting.

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  A little Better - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By khinwinchong - September 5 - 2:00 am

  Its good car. But given the price tag around 30K, theres a few things to be desired. Theres little fun driving this souless machine. It can be fast but it is not that confident and communicative in the handling aspect. Polarising styling: slabby headlights and taillights went too far.

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  Money - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Youre Gan - September 5 - 2:00 am

  Great car for the price. With the S version, you get a sporty exterior look to go with the classic Corolla qualities -- great gas mileage and dependability. Ive had mine for a couple of months now, and its really a great fit.

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  Top Notch - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By goodhands83 - September 5 - 1:00 am

  I was looking at the Frontier and the Tacoma. I decided on the Tacoma because of the superior space in the rear seat and Toyotas responsible tradition of workmanship and durability. Not sure if it matters but the battery is huge. I have a double cab short box SR5 Off Road Package and there is plenty of room for adults in the rear seat. As for the problem mentioned by the Editors of this site regarding the low seats, it took my lower back 2 weeks to get used to it but now I love it, all good things take some getting used to. The truck handles great off-road, better than I imagined. This truck is a small tank! It handles curbs at 30-40mph no problem ! oops!

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  Love it so far - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By tboyd8701 - September 4 - 3:54 pm

  I have owned my 2011 Toyota Sienna LE V6 FWD since November 2010. I have put 4100 miles on it. So far I havent had any issues and this vehicle is the most comfortable I have ever driven. Road trips are very nice, the van has plenty of power and doesnt drive at all like a van. The only complaint that I have so far is the road noise in the second and third row seats at highway speed. I also upgraded the seats after buying to leather, this made a world of difference in the feel and appearance of the van. I would recommend going with the XLE because of the option of leather.

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  Excellent car - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By brando - September 3 - 10:00 am

  This car is excellent. This is the best car in the world for the money. very very reliable. cranks up and go everyday. the ride is smooth. The car is so quiet, I have to turn my stereo of at red stop lights to try and hear the engine. THIS IS A BABY LEXUS" shop around it has great resale value, and cool styling. Mine is a 1993 4dr LE drives like a 6. This is not the flashiest or most powerful car on the market, but it is an affordable solid buy. I promise if you take care of it with minimal maintenance it will take care of you. 200,000 and 300,000 miles is not out of the question. I wrecked mine with 160,000 miles on it and it still pures like a kitten.

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  Reliable car - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By mike2002 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  This car is very reliable. We bought this car in 1997 and have not had one engine repair necessary. Braking system is only flaw. Very noisy! Been to dealer about 20 times and is never quiet for long.

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  My history of owning Toyotas - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By PMD - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Just comments to share of my experience of owning Toyotas, they are one of the most reliable cars made. The only thing that I changed on my Toyota is the struts. I had Monroe struts installed and it improved the handling greatly and also the Monroe struts are cheaper in price compared to Toyota struts. I also put better tires on my Toyota, Michelin X ones.

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  very preliminary report - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By chuckfromli - September 3 - 4:26 am

  This report is after just 800+ miles, four tanks of gas, and one hand washing. The van is very quiet and comfortable. The powertrain, especially the transmission, is very smooth. Steering is silky smooth also. Im happy with the purchase. Although you cant see any of the four corners of the van from the drivers seat, it does feel a lot more responsive and tossable than the 2004 we have.