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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  Happy so far - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By fan1 - July 15 - 11:13 am

  Model: CE 4Dr 4 cyl, automatic, mfrd 01/07. So far I am very impressed with this car. The only thing the CE didnt have that I wanted was alloy wheels, which Im glad I added to the deal (just over $20k out the door). In a prior life I used to be a mechanic, and I went over this car and detail. Interior/exterior quality is very good. Quiet and refined ride, 4 cyl has sufficient power for everyday driving, and a smooth transmission that shifts well.

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  05 LIMITED DOUBLE CAB 4X4 - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By RANDY - July 15 - 6:00 am

  I TRADED IN A 2002 CHEVY Z-71 THAT I HAD TROUBLE WITH FROM DAY ONE AND GM COULD NOT GET FIXED AFTER 40 TRIPS TO THEIR SHOP AND 2-YEARS! THE DOUBLE CAB HAS BEEN IN ONLY FOR OIL AND FILTER CHANGE. I HAVE ALREADY PUT 10100 MILES ON IT AND NOT ONE PROBLEM. DRIVES LIKE A DREAM, HANDLES GREAT. THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY BAD ABOUT THE DOUBLE CAB IS THAT IT LIKES GAS I GET AROUND 12 PER. GALLON ON AVERAGE. I HAVE PUT IT IN 4WHEEL HI AND FORGOT IT WAS IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IT HANDLES SO SMOOTH, NOT LIKE MY RATTLE TRAP 2002 CHEVY Z-71 I HAD YOU KNEW WHEN IT WAS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE FROM THE NOISE AND VIBRATION! YOU CAN NOT GO WRONG WITH TOYOTA QUALITY!! I TOW A 20 FOOT CARGO TRAILER 6800 LBS. NO PROBLEM!!!!

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  Better cars available than the Corolla - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Vijay - July 15 - 5:06 am

  Toyota of Dallas has great Customer Relations, Service, and New Car Sales. Im satisfied with them. I am not satisfied with this car. My commute is 6 miles local one-way. I average 22-23 mpg. The steering is stiff, there is a huge driver side blind spot, tire noise is very noticeable, the ABS engages even at low speeds and makes a whirring sound. Cornering and braking doesnt inspire confidence. Acceleration is jerky. Interior is cheap quality with lots of plastic. Look at the flimsy rear cup holders! I wish the headrests and armrests were softer. Lastly my change holder broke already after two months and I didnt use it once. I like the mud flaps, rear bumper protector, cargo net and tray.

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  Worth Buying - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By DAXESH - July 15 - 12:30 am

  Good interior and exterior, More leg room at driver side which is good for tall people. Nice performance and good mileage. Sun & Moon roofs, excellent control during turn. I like this car

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  After 3 Years - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rod - July 14 - 11:13 pm

  Last post was 9/6/2006. Nothing has changed except the gas mileage has improved from 19.5 to 21 mpg combined. Absolutely zero defects after 3 years and 36K miles. Best of all, my wife still loves it. It is the best vehicle, new or used that I have owned during the past 43 years. Wife wished we had bought leather with heated seats but the cloth is great. Handled great on snow and ice the past 2 winters. Plenty of power, great handling, and visibility. Still looks like new.

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  Love this SUV much more than I expected. - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By RedbeardCE - July 14 - 10:26 pm

  This family of 5 is loving our 2005 Toyota Highlander. Definitely like the 3rd row seat, our 10 year old enjoys having his own place in the car, as do the 16 and 14 year olds like the middle seat with center arm rest. No more do I hear "will you stop touching me!" from the rear of the vehicle, everyone has plenty of room now. Having this as our family weekend vehicle, the wife and I look for excuses to park my Civic and her Altima and pack the kids in and go out to eat or visit GrandMa or just plain go for a Sunday drive. Looking forward to vacationing this summer and the local drive-in movie too. Does not get the mileage that either of the other two cars get, but the 20/25 split is not bad.

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  Great bang for the buck - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Rick - July 14 - 8:46 pm

  Traded my 06 I4 for this trucklet. What an improvement! Rides and drives great. 25+ mpg highway, 22+ mpg city. Im tall so the drivers side leg room was a bit cramped until I modified the seat track and gave myself 4 more inches of leg room. Holds an amazing amount of cargo even with the rear seats up. Removed the roof cross rails and mpg went up 1+ mpg. I use 16" dedicated snow tires in the winter, handles great. No issues with transmission whine, road noise, etc. No accelerator pedal trouble but had the recall done. Tip-in used to be touchy/quirky but with the mod, its smooth as glass. Dealership service has been A++ Not a $60k vehicle, but for >30K, Im not complaining. Will buy again.

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  A second look 4 months later - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By dwarner - July 14 - 4:50 pm

  I reviewed this vehicle shortly after I bought it and gave high marks across the board, especially to the engine. I still like the car overall, but have a major complaint towards Toyota. After 3 months of driving, paint has chipped from the "running board" part of the passenger side doorframe at the edge between the vertical outside of the car and the horizontal ledge of the frame. The only logical prospective physical cause from my activity has been my shoes rubbing getting in and out. Toyota denied warranty coverage over this item, essentially suggesting I must have done something else. My shoes have been the same for 20 years with no prior problems of this type on any other car.

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  New age of riding - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By p-town - July 14 - 4:13 pm

  I bought this camry to replace my gas drainer (Chevy Tahoe). The difference in gas usage is great, you can tell a big difference in the savings. HWY mpg is about 36 and City mpg is about 38. I believe that Im ready to go anywhere.

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  Almost a year now - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Eroc69 - July 14 - 12:33 pm

  Ive had my V-6 since 12-06. 13000 miles. The driver seat is still soft and mostly uncomfortable. MPG is great for a 6cyl. The tranny hesitates but not frequently and does not flare but we dont use the cruise control. I have tons of scratches and the paint does seem thin. The biggest complaints are the softness of the seat, the super cheap interior dash plastic and the location of the door pulls, they render the door arm rests useless. New problem showed up and my tires are more than half gone. Car has 13K on it, thats unacceptable. I cant sink $400 on tires now. Unfortunately I will trade this in on something in the next year or so, maybe a used TL.