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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  Seat is killing me - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By mike - August 21 - 3:56 pm

  Bought this car in 2002. Didnt get to spend enough time in it to discover the drivers seat is just awful. It feels misaligned, and wreaks havoc on my back. Brought it back to the dealer and they said it was fine. The acceleration was terific for the first year, then it was noticeably slower getting on the freeway. Just age I was told. The interior is bland, the exterior is okay, but more suited to senior citizens. Ive had an okay experience, never been stranded. I am definitely looking to get out of this car in a hurry though.

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  Excellent SUV - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By T Fontana - August 21 - 1:23 pm

  I love my new Highlander. I loved my Dodge Durango V8, but gas was getting expensive. This is my first Toyota and so far, so good. Very comfortable to drive, Im 52 and hes 511, perfect for both. Nice amount of shopping space and visibility. My 7 yr old love all the cup holders. Only suggestion would be if the SUV came with window guards to protect more from the rain when opening the doors. I wish I had gotten the gray interior instead of the tan, just more vacuuming will be required. Over all very happy with my new car.

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  Best in its price range ! - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Bruce Jackson - August 21 - 11:30 am

  We purchased the limited edition and really love all the bells and whistles that Toyota puts in the car. The ride is very nice . Not as quiet as Lexus but pretty good. Very powerful engine that really delivers when you ask it to. The interior is by far the largest in its class. The back seat room is incredible! This is our second Toyota and will not be the last.

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  Land Crusier is the One - 2010 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Ali Mazarei - August 21 - 11:10 am

  Just bought my second Toyota and I can not be any happier. This car has it all. If you are looking for luxury SUV dont even look at anything else. Toyota Land Cruiser is steps ahead of the others on the market.

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  05 Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By kawacym - August 21 - 8:00 am

  Toyota finally built a car I can love. Have only had the car for a week and am extremely happy with it. Lots of get up and go without sacrificing creature comforts. Styling is somewhat bland but that is fine with me as it could mean that it wont catch the attention of the highway gestapo quite so easily. This car is a quantum leap better than the 96 Avalon it replaced.

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  Best 3 row SUV in its class! - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By CB - August 21 - 6:54 am

  I cant stop raving about my new Highlander! I saw the Pilot and MDX at the dealers and read a lot about the other competitors, Explorer, Traverse, Acadia, etc. It has more standard features than the base level MDX or even a comparable Pilot - for example, to get the 2nd row Captains Chairs in the Pilot you have to go to the highest trim level or to get the Honda Sensing safety features you have to pay 1,000, also Navigation is extra (at least on the EX-L). I love all the standard safety features that are included in the Toyota (collision mitigation, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, etc.) and it comes with optional Captains Chairs (which are very comfortable) on the XLE. Yes, the 3rd row seating is smaller than the Pilot but we dont intend to use it that often and when we do it will be mainly for children so that was not a big issue for us. The rear seat cargo room when the 3rd row is up is smaller than the Pilot but again, we dont anticipate that being a big issue and I believe it is bigger than the other cars in this class. The fuel economy is what you would expect for a car of this size and weight. I did not get the AWD on purpose because we dont need it and it just adds expense, but having said that, finding a FWD was very hard - I call my car the "unicorn" because it was so hard to find. I look forward to driven this car every time I get into it!

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  Retiree Gift to Self - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Len - August 21 - 6:06 am

  This is my first truck and ownership has been alot of fun. It is getting used for its intended purpose, road trips and hauling. Definitely a head turner.

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  Hope my love affair w/Toyota continues - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By tlr - August 20 - 9:26 pm

  This is my third Toyota. I started with the ever reliable Corolla that I had for 12 years and 120,000 miles until I passed it on to my niece. Then in 2001, I was one of the first to buy the newly introduced Highlander. It was an instant love affair. Ive had it for 6.5 years and it just hit 96,000 miles. It has had very minor problems or issues. I decided to upgrade to the 2008 even though the new design hasnt grown on me as quickly. I am also finding the "electronic" steering is taking some getting used to and I can really feel the changing of gears in this vehicle much more than my old highlander. I am not totally in love with my new highlander but I am hoping its just the transition.

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  2007 Toyota Prius - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Helene V Fairchild - August 20 - 8:00 pm

  I have really enjoyed my experience with the Hybrid. It gets so much attention. Even other owners stop to chat about how much fun it is to drive. I went back to the dealership and hugged my salesman. I told him that the first week I owned it I counted over 50 miles to the gallon. I couldnt believe it. Stopping at red lights used to really bother me because I thought that I was wasting so much gas and now when the electricity kicks in it is no problem. I just sit and laugh at the poor guys out there losing money. I also find that it can be so quiet. I really like the insturment panel that offers so many choices. Especially the one for climate. I use that continually.

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  Great truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Michael - August 20 - 3:10 pm

  I got the base model no power anything reg cab. Only thing I have is A/C and rear bumper and tinted windows. Love this truck the only thing is It should have come with a clock as standard equipment. There is also no clock in the radio. Speaking of radio a CD would have been better then a cassette. Looking at the way the truck is made it looks old school very easy to work on if needed. Also a locking gas cover is needed.