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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  Most boring & best vehicle I have owned - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Andy S. - November 12 - 1:06 pm

  Our Highlander has been nothing but flawless. Not a single warranty issue and it does an excellent job as our family vehicle. The only thing I would have done different was not get the 3rd row seat. It was never used once in the almost 4 years I have owned it. Also, if you want to buy a first generation Highlander, I highly recommend getting a 2005-2007 model. This was after the Minor Model change and the interior is much better than the 2004 and earlier models.

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  4 cylinder, 4x4 Tacoma with 4 speed automatic - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By nedreck - November 12 - 11:42 am

  Overall the truck has been pretty good. The acceleration of the 4 cylinder in this model with the 4 wheel drive and 4 speed automatic transmission is poor, and fourth gear is way too high for this engines modest power and torque level and the shift points are all wrong, in my opinion. It always starts and runs well for me, but the blower fan has been replaced twice under warranty.

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  Good Old Lady - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Sunday Driver - November 12 - 2:00 am

  It has been a reliable vehicle. Ive been good about maintaining it according to the owners manual. Had to replace the radiator a couple of years ago; has almost 110,000 miles on her. I was thinking about selling her cause little cosmetic things are breaking like the bezel on the drivers side cracked (had to open the door from the outside)and the center console lid hinge is cracked all the way down. Clear coat on hood is starting to peel. Thinking about buying an American made hybrid vehicle this time around. This good old lady has been a good ride.

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  Great car. - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By Janice - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car new and it has been a great car, reliable, good drive, roomy and comfortable. I purchased a new car in 1999 and wished I bought another Camry. I purchased an Accord which is reliable but not as attractive or fun to drive. I have 140,000 miles on the car and it still runs great.

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  pretty nice car - 1999 Toyota Avalon
  By Sam S - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for approx. two years and I havent seen one problem with it. I even got in an accident where someone rear-ended me at about 40 MPH. I noticed that the damage was fairly minimal. The acceleration is pretty good except I dont like how the car is approx. 300 pounds heavier than the Maxima. I also dont like how there is no available manual trans. with this car like the Maxima. Overall I giv this car a good rating.

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  Great Car! - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By gaylian - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Great gas mileage, excellent pickup and very sporty looking.

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  Owners Pride - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By LV_Boy - November 12 - 2:00 am

  What can i say, Celica GT-S is simply a dream machine for anyone who would like to own a reliable and economical race car for normal roads. Excellent steering and immense control on curved roads allows me to step on the gas and make turns, on speeds between 50-60 mph, seem easy. Of all the sport coupe competitors i have driven, Celica feels more in control as a race car.

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  exceptional suv - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By rollingib - November 12 - 2:00 am

  very nice vehicle, i will probably trade it in on the new 2003 version. best vehicle i ever owned.

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  When is an option not an option - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By buzz006 - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I was moving up from a 1990 Toyota Corolla. I could not fathom why the Heavy Duty heater option with the rear windshield wiper was an option, but every car had it. Every time I brought it up, they said they could not do for me what I wanted. I suggested the just raise the price $250.00 and call is standard rather than an option. I ended up buying what they have in stock. Today it went down to freezing and I turned on the wipers and nothing happened with the frost on my Windshield. I turned them off and put on the air on high and defrost on and heat on. Winin about 1 minute the windshield was clear. I was happy to see this.

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  Shocks & Struts need replacing - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By redwards - November 12 - 2:00 am

  It is a value-priced auto.