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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  Couldnt be better! - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Yssisa - December 13 - 2:16 pm

  This car is amazing! Smooth rides, great handling, an all-a-round do everything car. Towing is exceptional (towed a 6x12 trailer for 2000 miles and didnt even notice it). Off road would be fun, but my wife wont let me take her car off road. I want another for myself. One person said the low-preasure light for the tire comes on. I found it to be the spare tire. All the other tires get checked and the spare gets forgotten. Toyota even has a sensor on the spare... way cool, but dont forget it or the light will bug you.

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  RAV4 sporty edition - 2018 Toyota RAV4
  By Rick - December 13 - 1:50 pm

  Love this vehicle. My back especially loves this vehicle. Perfect for me, stylish (have the blacked out sport edition), mileage is great, cargo area is adequate (golf clubs fit—very important) and the mileage is great mixed. We have 2 in our family and love both.

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  I love my RAV4! - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Lynn - December 13 - 1:03 pm

  The 2009 Toyota RAV4 drives very smoothly, has a lot of pep for a 4 cyl and great visibility. I dont like driving in general and takes me a while to get used to a car, but I felt very at-ease with this car right from the beginning.

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  Great multi-functional car - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Scotch - December 13 - 9:36 am

  Great car! 4 cyl engine with plenty of passing power. Back seats and passenger seat fold down enough to haul nearly anything Ive needed including a full sheet of plywood and other lumber. The only down side to the sport model is that it requires 93 octane gas, though, I get approx 28 mpg.

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  Comfort Plus - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By Doug - December 13 - 9:33 am

  Have had my Limited for a couple of weeks now and cant believe the quiet comfort and smooth ride even compared to the 2005 Limited I traded in. Beautiful car

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  Oh what a feeling! - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mr. Brown - December 13 - 6:06 am

  I used to have a 93 Toyota pickup, 5 spd manual with the 22RE engine that I loved. Put 24k miles on my 08 so far and no major complaints. The SR5 4.0L V6 has more than ample power. Roomy interior. Gated automatic shift lever does not have locking button so that the lever can shift at anytime if it is accidentally bumped. The downshifts could be smoother and less often, but arent that big a deal. Wish Id gotten the stick shift instead, but at the time I wanted to try an automatic after 15 years of my old truck. Love the suicide rear doors on the access cab. But rear seating is cramped and should only be for short trips or kids.

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  If you drive it,You will buy it!! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By javolsfan - December 12 - 8:10 pm

  I am very pleased with my corolla S. It is a joy to drive and the performance and fuel economy is excellent! I shopped around quite a bit and for the money this hands down beats the competition by far!!

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  Big Step Forward & Worth The Wait - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By billbo4 - December 12 - 10:04 am

  As a long time Toyota fan, I was delighted that the Corolla was seriously upgraded for 2014. I have always been impressed with the Corollas build quality and reliability but it was in danger of being left behind in the compact car segment due to a lack of style and current technology. After trading in my 2010 S model for a new LE Plus, I could not be happier. The styling, ride, technology and interior room are greatly improved. Granted this is no sports car, but this has the quietest ride in the compact class and is as smooth as glass on the interstate at 80 mph. The CVT shifts smoothly and fuel economy is noticeably better. All of this at a better price than either Honda Civic or Mazda 3.

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  Outstanding - 2009 Toyota Sienna
  By bobsienna - December 12 - 4:53 am

  This is the best vehicle that I have ever had. It is very comfortable and a joy to drive. There is plenty of room to carry things. I wish I had it when my kids were in college to haul many pairs of shoes. It gets good mileage on the highway but not so good in town, however I drove a PT Cruiser for a few days and only got 2 MPG better mileage.

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  Excellent SUV - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Ryan - December 12 - 12:50 am

  Toyota has made me very happy, The 4 Runner is the best vehicle I have ever driven, So many standard features without a large price tag. So many wonderful uses for the 4 Runner, Rugged yet very nice and elegant at the same time. Thank you Toyota for making my decision easy when purchasing a new SUV, the choice was very clear!