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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  The best for gas mileage - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Stu - June 30 - 7:16 pm

  Great gas mileage. Have consistently gotten between 48 & 52 mpg. Very roomy inside. Hatchback styling with rear seats that go down provide alot of room for packagaes and suitcases. Have to get used to the quietness of it especially at red lights when the engine is resting and you do not hear anything.

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  My Tacoma... - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By YoTRacer158 - June 30 - 1:36 pm

  I have had absolutely no problems with my Tacoma. My Tacoma spends just as much time in the dirt as it does on the road, and I drive very hard offroad. The only thing I have had go bad was the clutch started slipping at about 30k miles, but this was due to the extra power from the TRD supercharger combined with my hard driving style. This truck has been great to own and I would never consider owning any other other truck.

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  Bluetooth, Bluetooth, Echo, Echo - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Spencer Rogers - June 30 - 9:02 am

  We have a 2017 Highlander, Limited AWD with the JBL premium sound system. If you have a choice, DO NOT get the JBL system. The Bluetooth system is terrible and EVERY phone call has a terrible ECHO making it unbearable to use. We end up picking up the phone and not using hands free which is a big safety issue and illegal in some states. I have had it to the dealer 4 times for this, and their final response to me this week was that it was a JBL issue and until JBL fixes it for them, there is nothing they can do. "Please be patient with us and we will let you know when it is resolved".

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  A great SUV for the price and size - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By blinker - June 29 - 11:33 pm

  We compared CRV, RDX and RAV4. The styling and performance of the CRV was less than stellar. The RDX was really cramped feeling in both head and legroom with just OK performance. The RAV4 has much more room and comfort (Im 62"). The V6 is quick and smooth and we are getting around 20+ mpg city. I have seen comments of the RAV being noisy or the seats not comfortable. Dont find that at all. This Sport with appearance pkg. and leather seats is quiet and comfortable--almost making you forget its a SUV and I am a nitpicker.

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  I Love It! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Maria - June 29 - 9:56 am

  I finally bought the car Ive always wanted. This car is like a truck runs great has great pickup and go when needed. Has enough room for passengers and luggage. Tows well with no problem. I just love it!

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  Good - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Brittany Huneycutt - June 28 - 1:26 am

  This is a wonderful car that turns heads in all the right ways and has great control and handling.

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  2005 XR 5-speed - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By John - June 27 - 5:33 pm

  I have been completely satisfied with my Matrix after 1 year of ownership. It has been completely reliable and gas mileage as good as advertised at 33-36 MPG. It wont win any races for speed, but I knew that when I bought it.

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  Great Car for the price! - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By amma - June 27 - 1:10 am

  I had an old camry V6 XLE that I traded in for this vehicle. My old Camry was way more powerful. After all, it was V6 with 193ft/lb-203hp engine. Nonetheless, I found the new camry more fun to drive with reasonably good torque/hp. The gas/mileage on my camry06 is much better than my Honda2005. Only drawback is that Camry standard does not have keyless entry:(

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  Beyond Your Expectations 2006 Toyota AvalonLimited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Ray Lanfear - June 26 - 8:40 pm

  Overall great dependable car for 200,000miles or more.

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  Luv my 1998 Toyota - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Sweet Pea - June 26 - 4:16 pm

  What a fabulous small car! I have enjoyed driving this car for 11 years now, and its still going strong. The fuel efficiency is outstanding. I have and never done anything other than routine maintenance on this car (which I purchased new), and it now has 195,000 miles on it. I recently test drove some new cars, and my 98 Toyota actually drove better than some of them!