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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  I Love My Truck - 1995 Toyota Pickup
  By mary garrison - November 21 - 10:00 am

  This truck has been an excellent vehicle. My husband and I bought it to replace a 1979 Toyota Tacoma (you can see that we really needed a new one). At the time, my husband was still working and only used the truck on weekends. In 1998 he retired because of Parkinsons Disease. The truck only has 44,692 actual miles on it. He doesnt drive very much anymore. I do most of the driving, and I have bad knees a d need tgo get an automatic so that it wont be hard on my knees.

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  1st SUV - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By bch - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Quiet ride, roomy 1st and 2nd row. 3rd row seat should fold flat and optionally with a touch of a button like the Expedition. Getting in and out of 3rd seat thru folding of the 2nd row seat can be improved. Loved the different readings available in the convenience package. It tells me the actual mileage per gallon used. The mileage improves as the car is driven more. Cant assume that keyless entry is standard in the SR5.

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  GOOD CAR POOR WORKMANSHIP - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By mds - November 21 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car new in 1994 and while it was under warranty three power windows broke and oxidation on the side mirrors (paint) were replaced.I also replaced all four GOODYEAR tires before 30000 miles due to cracks in tires that could not be fixed.Also had two handles that broke off on the inside. After the warranty was up two more windows dropped at a cost of 313.00 each.

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  Best Car I ever owned - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Tim Cummings - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. Perfectly reliable.

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  great - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By mike dober - November 21 - 10:00 am

  good car very nice drives smooth perfect for anyone best car ever!

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  My first 4Runner - YUMMY - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Cibyl - November 21 - 10:00 am

  I drove a few different SUVs in its class (Chevy, Ford, etd) and there was no comparison. The 4Runner had the best meld of looks, performance, power and comfort. A HUGE step up from my Jeep Cherokee, which I still love, but the 4Runner is an entirely different class of vehicle. The ride is smooth yet tight, the new V6 is powerful and silky, and the interior and exterior are both beautiful. It is without a doubt the nice vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  Tunnel Vision - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By aquadog - November 21 - 10:00 am

  The dashboard instrument cluster is like looking into a tunnel and very hard to focus on the dials. The clock is part of th climate control and is very difficult to see in bright light. The back door needs to have a remote latch in the drivers area instead of using your key lock. The mirror needs to have a light, all ladies look for this option. Other than the mentioned deficiencies the truck is great.

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  owner - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By tan - November 21 - 10:00 am

  replaced seat frame rear strut under warranty.body too thin

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  Improvements and Upgrades - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By El Supremo - November 21 - 4:13 am

  Toyota has upgraded the vehicle significantly. I have previously owned a 1996 and 2000 XLS models. My biggest complaints are the seats are not as comfortable as the 2000 model and the laser cruise control backs the speed down when approaching the rear of another vehicle without regard to what is behind your vehicle. I dont see the practicality of the rear window sunshade.

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  2006 Toyota Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By jtaft - November 21 - 3:33 am

  I purchased this vehicle after owning a Toyota Matrix 4WD XR for 4 years. I can honestly say the Prius has better and much quieter acceleration. I am averaging 52.5MPG on my second full tank of gas in mostly city driving around Boston! (48MPG on the first tank) I will miss 4WD drive in the winter, but traction control/VSC is better than nothing! The 6 CD changer takes MP3 CDs which means you can record 100-150 songs on a disk (600-900 total song jukebox)!!! If that is not enough there is AUX in in the armrest for IPODS and SAT in for Satellite Radio! It seems to be able to substain 100MPG at speeds between 30-40MPH while coasting with no arrows on the energy display for 2-3 miles at times!