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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  Great Car/Cruise Control Worthless - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - July 30 - 1:23 am

  Layout and design is the best out of all the other SUVs I have looked at. More leg room in rear than any other SUV. Overall it is just what I was looking for. Fuel mileage is acceptable and power is good for a 4 cylinder. Handling and ride are good along with attention to detail when building. If you buy this vehicle just dont plan on using cruise control if you get a 4 cylinder version. You will not be happy with the way it performs. Before you buy do a search for 06 and 07 RAV4 cruise control problems and you will see what I am talking about. Toyota dropped the ball on this one.

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  Ahh its not so bad...depending on view - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Camp H - July 30 - 12:16 am

  Peppy engine but very noisy, I have a 6 speed manual trans and its very easy to shift. Radio rocks. Common complaint I read is road noise, that is true. Seats are comfortable. Views are good (rear window is small so that is limited) Only thing that needed to be fixed was serpentine belt had to be replaced & belt tensioner had to be replaced. Other than that the car is extremely reliable.

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  4 month Owner - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By army4 - July 29 - 3:23 pm

  I have owned my Venza now for about four months and really enjoy the vehicle. The only thing I made a constructive critique about is the shifter is in the way of the seat heater, getting to the cups in the cup holder, adjusting the temperature. It just feels like I always have to reach around the sifter all the time.

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  I am pleased - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jim - July 29 - 12:30 pm

  I am very pleased with this SUV. I wanted an 8 cylinder, but the 6 has plenty of power. I especially like the sunroof and power rear window. All in all a really good midsize SUV.

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  Sienna limited AWD - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By thai - July 29 - 11:00 am

  Very quiet, smooth, Lexus like ride with the utmost in comfort and luxury. This van is quite refined and screams out quality. I cant believe Toyota has come so far with their R&D, only complaint is the price tag!

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  Technology Niightmare - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Steve K. - July 29 - 8:12 am

  Purchased 2018 XSE 4cyl. with all options two months ago. We had a 2016 XSE 4cyl. but thought it was just blah. The navigation system was simple and good but the upgrade stereo was terrible. Now in the 2018, the upgrade stereo is tremendous but the navigation, WIFi, remote start are all a technology nightmare. To think you pay $35k for a new car and you can’t use theses features.

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  AC smells from mildew - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By JEF - July 29 - 6:58 am

  This being my 3rd Avalon (probably my last one as well) has a terrible smell coming from the AC vents. Dealer says this is normal, well it is not nor is it acceptable. They recommend changing the cabin air filter. It was changed to no avail, smell still there. Dealer checked the drain and all appears OK. There appears to be a design flaw in the drain for the AC evaporator for which they will do nothing.

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  Family Hauler - 2013 Toyota Sienna
  By Isaac Herskovitz - July 29 - 6:03 am

  I like the car a lot. Seats are very comfy and tech easy. One problem would be voice navigation. It never works, so I just stick to Waze. Love this car. Good Family hauler. I like the captains chairs in the back. Everything works very good and repairs have been minimal. We drove this on trips to Vegas (from L.A.) and to San Diego. 17k miles

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  5,000 mile feedback - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By sore neck - July 28 - 4:00 pm

  Our 2010 Prius is impressive but not perfect. the few items we do not like really annoy us, however the many items we do enjoy balance things out. The gas mileage average is only 43 MPG. We expected more. The daily commute is in town driving. On the highway, the car is blown around on windy days. Reminds me of a 1960s WV bus, if you remember them. The headrests are painful. I am 61" and my wife is 57". Neither of us can get the headrest to be comfortable. We had to reverse the headrests to make them comfortable. We bought lumbar supports at the Healthy Back store to make the seats livable. Brakes are VERY grabby.

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  Not Much to Improve - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By jmai - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my 2002 SR5 2WD two weeks ago and I really dig it! Despite all of the belly-aching over the lack of horsepower by many, it really is not too bad. Its much faster than the Mitsu Montero Sport (3.5 liter - 200 HP) that I test drove (I can walk faster - on my hands)! I like the interior layout and I love the exterior. Its a bit dated, but still a "looker" nonetheless. Im hoping the new 4Runner looks like a Highlander, so I wont be tempted to trade in.