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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  2003 4Runner Much Improved. - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By StephanieandPaul - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I already had a 2000 4Runner, so I was not looking to buy another one. Seeing the new 4Runners exterior did not have a magical effect on me, but after getting in side it, I had to have it. It is so more roomier, the back hatch door closes automatically and has a sensor to open it (no more dirty hands). I love my heated seats and the dual climate control is a must for a happy marriage. The stereo controls on the steering wheel and the new designed HVAC controls keep my eyes on the road. It handels better than the Land Crusier. The acceleration with the V8 is awesome! My insurance rates actually went down due to the side curtain air bags.

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  Ho Hum - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Jack - October 9 - 7:10 pm

  Boring Boring Boring. It better be dependable and have high resale because it is not meeting expectations for performance or economy. HAH! We drive moderately and the best we have ever gotten is 27mpg. In town we usually get about 20mpg. Id hate to see the mileage that someone who rabbits and rages will get. It handles very little better than my pickup. On the positive, it is very roomy for a midsize and the back seat head and legroom was the best we found for the price.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Owned - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Taterhole - October 9 - 3:36 pm

  This was the first Toyota Ive owned. This vehicle has completely sold me on Toyota build quality and mechanical reliability. 62K on it now and weve never experienced a mechanical problem. The 6 is plenty powerful (23 mpg) and the thing rides as comfortably as a car. Fun to drive? I wouldnt go that far, but it is very comfortable. The quality of the interior materials is first-rate. Im not fond of the exterior styling and the paint on our 4Runner has been poor from day one. This surprised me, considering the quality workmanship elsewhere.

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  2007 Rav4 $1700.00 Water eva System - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By kkb3130 - October 9 - 5:00 am

  Original owner 66949 miles. Symptom Check Engine lite/ Swerve tires lite & VSC lite. Advised "cracked" Canister (77740-0R010) $1000.00 no ryme or reason given. Repair done in 2hrs, very unhappy & will be trading in for another brand near future. I feel this was design flaw in system & toyota not taking resposibility. My next car wont be Toyota. kkb3130

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  Enjoyable to drive, good price - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Greg - October 8 - 6:36 pm

  After looking at several vehicles, and test driving them, we felt this was the most vehicle for our money. The closest one we considered was the Saturn Vue. After driving the Highlander though there was really no comparison. The Vue was junk! Like the first review stated, a baby seat in the center of the second row is very difficult to get in tight! Does not fit well!

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  RAV4 reveiw - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By steve mclain - October 8 - 3:07 am

  So far car is all it is advertised

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  Love my camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By rick - October 7 - 11:16 am

  Solid car, good transportation, reliable, great gas mileage, no mechanical problems, changed the oil regularly, third set of tires, will drive it til it falls apart.

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  4runner fan - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Turtle - October 7 - 1:56 am

  I previously had a 2004 4Runner but wrecked it. Loved it! Went 109,000 miles with only normal maintenance. Never changed a light bulb! Have had the 2010 for about a month. It is very similar to the 2004 with a few minor changes. It is larger which I like. Miss a couple things about the old one compared to the new one.

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  Beware of Rough Ride - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Mark - October 6 - 12:33 pm

  Test drive the Sport Version with Run Flat Tires before you buy. The sport suspension with the run flat tires gives a very rough ride. Every bump in the road is felt. Everything else is great.

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  Good Car, Could Use Improvements - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Aaron T - October 5 - 8:56 am

  I have S 4 door manual, blue. Added sun roof and leather seats - nice look! It gets me consistently 34-35 mpg. I do a lot of stop/go (driving in San Francisco) and also highway driving. The car looks awesome with the blue color, like a sports car. You can get nice torque with the stickshift but its a very delicate stick and not easy to shift smoothly. I like the driving style, easy to handle, factory tires and breaks are good. The body quality is my main problem with it. I had a 2001 V6 Maxima before which had much higher quality interior and exterior, body was tough. Besides the cheap body, its also very light. A big car accident would obliterate it, I think.