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 am so glad I bought this truck! - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Tedzwife - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I got tired of my mini van and decided to get an suv. After days of research, test driving and comparison shopping, I finally found it! The body is nicely contoured. Not too rugged. The interior is driver friendly, everything where you need it and sleek. The safety features are a major plus! the break assist and anti skid protection make me feel safer driving in poor weather.

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  ok ok ok - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By howie123 - November 4 - 10:00 am

  for theprice you can`t beat it--my wife has an accord and that feels like a toy compared to my camry

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  Awesome truck! - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By joebob - November 3 - 10:06 pm

  This is a truck, not a truck on a car platform like the Ridgeline. I like alot of what reviewers dont like about it. I like the high step in - 20 inches...which means it will get through the snow drifts at the end of my long driveway. Its a smooth ride as trucks go. The bed is deep, where the Ridgeline is shallow. The instrumentation display is much better than the Chevy/GMC IMO. Sure you sit with your legs a bit straight in the front seat, but once again, I know it will get through anything without bottoming out. The resale value, and reliability are a the top of the segment. Its a blast to drive. Sure it can be a bit sluggish if you are trying to maximize the MPGs merging on the freeway, but all you have to do is either press the ECT button, or push harder on the peddle to overcome it. My 16 year old did that and actually improved the MPG. Go figure.

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  Disappointed for the money - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Roger - November 3 - 8:50 pm

  I am selling the car after 25 months of ownership. What a disappointment. Worst highway car I have ever owned. Cant keep it between the lines and forget about driving it on the highway when it is breezy. Transmission is the worst at slow speed. Motor is very noisy. AC climate control in the winter is very poor. Steering problems, oil leaks, radio problems. This car is not what the so-called experts claim it to be. Buy some other vehicle. Dont listen to the experts.

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  2005 Solara V6 Coupe - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Joby Randrup - November 3 - 5:10 pm

  I have had absolutely no issues with my Solara at all. There are no rattles regarding interior components or moldings, the fit of both interior and exterior panels are perfect. I can drive it conservatively and get 27 to 28 miles to the gallon with 91 octane fuel. Even if I decide to push it a bit harder, I can still get 25 to 26 miles per gallon. I have gotten many positive comments regarding the exterior styling of the vehicle. I had this Solara built so have all of the sporty upgrades but none of the fluffy upgrades (I didnt need a mirror that told me which direction I was going). The tuning upgrades have not affected the comfort of the ride as far as I can tell. I researched vehicles for 1 year before I bought, looking at Volvos, Mustangs, Hondas, everything that compared. This vehicle is the best hands down. I love this car!!

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  Love this car! - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By oxamanduhx51 - November 3 - 4:20 am

  When I was looking for at this vehicle at first, I love the style of it! I almost bought one without driving it first. Lucky for me, one of my customers happened to have one and he let me drive it. I fell for it! I read a lot of reviews that said it lacked in the driving, they said it wasnt fun to drive, I feel the total opposite! I am a Toyota person, my 1998 Camry has 365k on it and still on the road today. I was spectacle of the quality of the newer Toyotas and that of the 3.5 V6 (ticks on start up like a sewing machine) which is why I went with the 2.7 4 cylinder. I have literally no complaints about this Venza at all!

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  Love my Prius! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Jane - November 3 - 1:20 am

  We waited 9 months to receive our 2005 Prius and we couldnt be happier. We are looking forward to our first long distance trip. This is our second Toyota. We have a 1991 Previa with 225,000 miles and still going strong. We love our Toyotas.

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  Tough little truck - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By larry P - November 2 - 10:36 pm

  I have replaced the exhaust manifold, rear leaf springs, and the universal joint at the differential twice. It does not burn or leak oil. The steering gear and suspension are tighter than a friends much newer full- size domestic truck with 1/6th the miles. Manual transmission and original clutch.

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  Not so big and not too small - 2018 Toyota C-HR
  By SWH - November 2 - 3:54 pm

  Yes, Ive read the knocks on the acceleration (not the fastest, but Im also coming from a V6. I think the road noise is probably the worst problem. The blind spots are thoroughly taken care of by the Blind Spot Detection. I think it may be the safest car Ive ever owned. I drive it on the turnpike every day and acceleration once you are up to speed isnt an issue - you only see it when you try to accelerate from a stop. I had a Cadillac so maybe I notice the road noise the most. The ride is close - it probably would be more similar with beefier tires, but it wouldnt look so great. Steering is terrific. I have the blue with white top so its hard to find a cuter car. Surprisingly my 6 husband has no issue with getting in and out or sitting comfortably - up higher than sedans. The features are awesome but did miss XM radio so had it installed and it really should have a button to open your garage door. It would also be super cool if your apps would show up on the big touch screen then I could see Waze better. There are obvious upgrades that will occur on future models. I love the car, I certainly would buy another.

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  You Get What You Pay For - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By Jay0893 - November 2 - 12:59 pm

  First time leasing a Toyota. Bottom line: its an economy car. If you travel and have rented cars--it would be the one youd be driving if you the cheapest rate was your no.1 priority. Its...a solid inexpensive car that optimizes features to the extent possible for a car of this price and category. Being brand new--easier to tolerate some of the irritating things that Id expect from cars like this, primarily: extremely noisy above 40-50 MPH. Seats are very basic and stiff--comfort adjustments seem to be a given basic feature in cars today--the corollas would be too--if it was 1980. Decent control panel and ease of Bluetooth. Speakers and sound are terrible--like a cheap speaker bought in a pinch at Walgreens for 5.99. Surprisingly bad. Headlights and safety features are strong. Gas mileage of course is exceptional--you can drive the thing all month in your avg. metro area on one tank of gas. It is a complete sled of a car on acceleration until the engine warms up (in 2017? And with a little car with no weight to it-would have thought a basic feature) Very nice optimization of cargo space --they really do a nice job optimizing. You can fit much more than youd think in this little car. But in the end--its nothing luxurious by way of smooth ride, or comfort beyond normal day to day city driving. Solid. Reasonably priced, bland but decent enough exterior look. Sure the rental companies are all over Corollas, also seems a car youd lease your teenage child as a first car or reliable college car--as buying or leasing brand new is very affordable. My number one irrantant that, had I known at signing, would have been a deal breaker: the noisy ride. Definitely zero in on that in test drive to make sure you can live with it or itll really grate on your nerves.