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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  A Kick to Drive - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Pennysaver - September 12 - 10:40 am

  Ive owned my 5 spd. XR for a year. Storage is incredible(seats fold absolutely flat and can carry 15+ bags of mulch, for example), turning radius is excellent, head and rear seating space is great, performance is very reliable and its easy to maneuver. Would prefer availability of 5 spd. manual on XRS 4WD, slightly higher grade of comfort (leather seats, wood trim, more upscale features) but its economical (32 MPG city, 39 MPG hwy)and comfortable and thats what counts.

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  07 Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By jaycac9 - September 12 - 6:40 am

  I have been a truck guy all my life, I have owned ford,dodge and chevy. The new Tundra is by far the best half ton truck I have ever driven. I have a small horse farm so I do use the truck for its intended purposes and it exceeds my expectations. The power is unreal, payload (up to 2662) and towing (up to 10800) capacities are phenomenal. Fit and finish are almost perfect.

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  The Teachers Pet - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By RunningHooligan - September 12 - 5:53 am

  The Toyota Prius is like the teachers pet from school. Reliable, dependable, unoffensive, well-balance, smart, and always willing to satisfy. What is he not? Not overly exciting, dresses a little weird, and gets picked on by bigger kids. However, in the end he ends up being your best friend.

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  Keep what you have when you buy great the first ti - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By D. Capstick - September 12 - 2:59 am

  The 2006 Toyota Avalon Limited is a fantastic vehicle. Super great ride, loads of head and leg room and great on the highway for long road trips. Now have 180,000 miles on the original motor/transmission and never a problem. Just followed the recommended maintenance for the vehicle. Wife and I have made many long long road trips in all kinds of weather and never had a problem. Vehicle has been in about 35 different states and rarely even look under the hood to check if everything is OK. Change the oil and filter at 5,000 miles and keep great tires on it and just go when every we take the notion. Why ride in a little car when these great older vehicles cost less to purchase and last longer. No need to "upgrade" every 2-4 years. Just keep a great vehicle and keep driving it. I intend to keep this Toyota Avalon Limited for another 5-8 years and go for the 250,000 miles mark.

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  Extremely happy - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By CEM - September 11 - 3:33 pm

  I felt compelled to write a review after reading Edmunds statements about Corolla being last in some survey. I truly am extremely happy. Averaging 30mpg combined hwy/local. Very nice look external and internal. Seats more comfortable than the Civic which I previously owned. Quiet. Handles tremendously well. Accelerates smoothly including uphill. Auto shifts smoothly. Multi-CD player sounds great. Its the smooth ride I think really impresses and the nice design. Then just add the quality - confidence this will last 100-200k miles or more.

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  Excellent Vehicle - Highly Recommend It - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By oicjj - September 11 - 7:30 am

  I am so impressed with this car & my next car will the a Solara too! In the past I always owned American cars, but never again! I can not believe the difference between American & Import, its truly unbelievable, there is no comparison. The reliabilty, the ride, the resale, the maintenance is night and day with American made and this Toyota Solora! I love this car-it runs on its reputation! Owning this car has been one of the best things in my life. I am thinking of a new car and I promise it will be a Toyota Solara. I have researched cars & know my cars, so trust me when I say a Toyota Solara is an EXCELLENT CAR! I highly recomment them and will tell the world! :)

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  Toyota Avalon-2004 - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By Warren - September 11 - 5:36 am

  Excellent quality. 3.0L engine may be a little small, but, still a good performer. In 2005, Toyota did put a 3.5L engine in the Avalon. The only real negative is the exterior design. It looks like a box coming down the road.

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  How to make this great ride work for you - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Nathan M. - September 10 - 7:10 pm

  I shopped every SUV on the market and after multiple years of ownership I feel qualified to give this vehicle the review it deserves. There were a few drawbacks to this vehicle when comparing it to others, but Ive come up with a few work-arounds: Cargo Space - lower than most SUVs this is easily and inexpensively fixed with the addition of a roof box or hitch mounted rack / storage. Leather Seats - a dealer add on! Confusing 4wd system - just earmark the page the description is on. Once you figure out when to drop it into Lo / lock the center differential / etc., youre going to love driving this thing in the snow. Dash - Youll get use to function over form.

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  SAVED MY LIFE - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By 6paul11 - September 10 - 7:06 pm

  I wrote a previous review on here, and much time has passed since then. My Solara was an SLE, with a 5 Speed Manual. I just want to tell everyone that this car will save your life. If you take care of it, it will take care of you. I crashed into a the back of a stopped car at 65 mph and it saved my life. My baby is gone, but will never be forgotten.

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  rollin on dubs - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By BG - September 9 - 4:33 pm

  great SUV