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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  Scout GPS Link - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By RLC - February 10 - 2:19 pm

  Ijust bought a 2017 Camry. I love the car but hate the Scout GPS Link and related technology. Did I say hate, I mean LOATHE !!!. Its beyond me why Toyota does not offer Android Auto. I need to buy another new car, this one for my wife, in approximately 3-months. While, I like Toyota, I probably wont buy another Toyota because of Scout and the other on-board technology.

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  Scout GPS Link - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By RLC - February 10 - 2:19 pm

  Ijust bought a 2017 Camry. I love the car but hate the Scout GPS Link and related technology. Did I say hate, I mean LOATHE !!!. Its beyond me why Toyota does not offer Android Auto. I need to buy another new car, this one for my wife, in approximately 3-months. While, I like Toyota, I probably wont buy another Toyota because of Scout and the other on-board technology.

• 

  Scout GPS Link - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By RLC - February 10 - 2:19 pm

  Ijust bought a 2017 Camry. I love the car but hate the Scout GPS Link and related technology. Did I say hate, I mean LOATHE !!!. Its beyond me why Toyota does not offer Android Auto. I need to buy another new car, this one for my wife, in approximately 3-months. While, I like Toyota, I probably wont buy another Toyota because of Scout and the other on-board technology.

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  Amazing Car. - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By echoman2 - February 10 - 8:16 am

  I inherited this little guy from my parents when i left for college, with 85,000 miles on it. I have since taken it up to 105,000 miles, because I commute every day to school. Even after 100,000 miles there has NEVER been a single maintenance issue. The thing still runs like a champ. I consistently get 40-43 mpg in the city, and 50 on highway trips. It has a decent amount of space, and can fit four people nicely. The trunk is pretty big, and i have crammed quite a bit of stuff in it. Honestly the most economical car i have ever seen or driven. Its also pretty spunky. The acceleration is decent, and she likes the higher rpms. I have beaten this car up and its still running strong.

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  Corolla From Clunker - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Mark90250 - February 9 - 3:13 am

  Traded in my 4Runner for the CARS rebate and bought the 2010 Corolla. I have to say from where I was its like driving a Cadillac. I commute in the some of the worst traffic there is on interstate 405 in the Los Angeles area. Counting the commute and on my third tank of gas I am averaging 32.8 MPG. Stop and go traffic all the way home. The sound system is good but turns to great using my iPod through the standard auxiliary input. The front seats are comfortable enough, though headroom is tight even for me at 5 ft 10". Nevertheless its an enjoyable commute. The ride is smooth and the steering is not stiff as I have read elsewhere. All in all...Very nice.

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  It took a while, but we got one - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By xxx - February 8 - 10:00 am

  We traded in our 2001 full-size Montero Ltd. What a difference! This blows the Montero out of the water. No more praying for dear life when you take corners or change lanes. We got the deal we wanted by using the internet to email all the dealers in the Southeast. We sent out a broadcast fax, as well. We were very clear in with what we wanted and what price we were willing to pay. There were a lot of dealers that met our price but did not disclose add-ons like "Toyo Guard", dealer prep, paperwork, document processing, etc. that well exceeded the price we wanted to pay. We didnt play that game.

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  No Repairs after 98,000 Miles - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Permanent Customer - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new in August of 1999 with 39 miles on it at 19 years of age. I havent had any problems with my car at all. Ive only had to get the oil changed when supposed to, change the brakes, get a new set of tires, and change the brake lights in the back.

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  Usual Toyota Qaulity, BUT... - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By dehlerg - February 8 - 10:00 am

  The Highlander is good-looking, peppy with the V6, nimble feeling, perfect height for us, roomy feeling, fun too drive. We really dislike the small unlit mirror in the sun visor of this $30,000 car. We don’t understand why Toyota wasted time putting electronics in the rearview mirror, including a compass, but then excluded the outside temp gauge. Soundproofing left plenty of room for improvement, hear lots of road noise. Even though based on Camry chassis, Highlander has relatively bumpy ride.. Gas mileage is poor. On a 200-mile round trip averaging about 68 miles an hour, we got slightly over 20 mpg after 6 months of driving.

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  I am not sure - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By byuc - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I am not an experienced van driver, dont know much about car either. This is the first van for us. We decided to buy a toyota van after seeing the previous reviews about the 2004 sienna. I am still wondering if I got a good deal. But what comforts me most is that my wife loves this van after I drove her to work and picked her up several times. I used to love living in Chicago but now I hate it since it snowed Monday, just two days I bought the van. Forgot to mention, my 6-year-old son showed off to everyone the new van even strangers.

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  Perfect! - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By methodistbill - February 7 - 3:37 pm

  I finally decided to give up on Honda. The road noise in my last Honda was just too pronounced! But my Highlander is one quiet ride! The V6 provides outstanding acceleration too. Though, it doesnt handle like a sports car and have great off-road manners, it does exactly what I want -- provide a stable, quiet ride. It also provides great flexibility with seating and the seats are quickly and easily folded in order to haul more cargo.