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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  Echo, Love it ! - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Frank - April 25 - 12:30 am

  The best money I ever spent on a car! Its a shame this car did not catch on with most of the public. With todays gas prices its a solution available today ! Its about half the cost of a hybrid, but gets 40+ mpg ! A great value. I was surprised how peppy this car is for a fuel efficient car.

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  I did the research for you-buy it! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By CO Bobby - April 24 - 12:53 am

  I spent 4 months researching a new vehicle to replace a 1998 Jeep Wrangler. Main focus was quality and reliability. The 2005 met the above criteria as well as cost and style. Name and mid-size SUV-I drove it and spent countless hours on the net reviewing it. The 4Runner is simply the best valued mid-size SUV out there. Its got great style, handles well, has great base features and is just plain fun to drive. Dont waste your time-pick a color and take it home.

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  Immortal - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By Woods Browder - April 23 - 8:27 pm

  This car is unstoppable! Whether its the road, rain, snow, mud, this car can go through anything. This 4wd 4Runner runs brand new

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  Traded in 03 Odyssey or 09 Sienna XLE - 2009 Toyota Sienna
  By carolynbe - April 23 - 6:26 pm

  We just traded in our 03 Odyssey EX-L w/DVD for an 09 Sienna XLE w/ DVD & leather + xtras. I thought my Odyssey was the ultimate family friendly car but this is even better. The Sienna is very well thought out with lots of storage compartments scattered about. Very easy for 3rd row passengers to get into with tumble-forward 2nd row seats. The drive is very smooth and car like. With the Ody, I often felt there was a huge amount of car behind me. The Sienna is a significantly quieter inside than the Ody. All the seats are very comfortable. I really like the center console in the front row - it has a deep center storage bin that is perfect for the DVD headphones.

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  Big car ride in a small package - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By jwp - April 23 - 12:36 pm

  I bought the Corolla a week ago and have only 400 miles, but am really impressed with the quiet ride and smooth drivetrain. Driving between 50 and 65 miles per hour, I am averaging 37.4 mpg with 1.8l engine and 4-speed automatic.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jay - April 22 - 6:10 pm

  4 Runner was delivered the day before blizzard hit New York. All features really help drive the SUV in the snow, we tested it in various parking lots and rear wheel slippage is greatly reduced. My wife loves it, very roomy 1st and 2nd row. Only have 250 miles on it and averaging 15 MPG, hope it goes up.

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  Loving it so far - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By andy82471 - April 22 - 2:46 pm

  Just bought an 09 Corolla LE with almost all the bells and whistles; includes remote keyless entry, ABS, and VSC. The car is very quiet and fit and finish is vastly improved over the outgoing model. The ride is on the softer side and not quite as sporty (or harsh) as the Nissan Versa rental I drove for a few weeks. Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase.

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  My Best Owned Vehicle - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By jimwrye - April 22 - 12:26 pm

  This is a very comfortable vehicle. It has excellent steering and turning ratio. It has everything most people are looking for in a vehicle.

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  Great Truck - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Richard - April 22 - 12:06 pm

  I was very upset with Toyota because I found out after purchasing my 95 4Runner with the 3.0 that there was a known problem with head gaskets but they did not recall for that year. They made up for it with my 2002. Toyota gave me more than I expected for my trade (even knowing the head gaskets were about to go) and sold this one to me at low book. Its been a great truck. Rides great, fun off-road, reliable. Im going to lift this baby up, add bigger tires, and give myself more clearance since it climbs very well over rocks and boulders. My 15 year old is waiting for me to give it to him when he turns 16. Too bad, so sad. Hell have to buy his own. Im keeping mine.

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  I love my new Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Schandelle - April 22 - 7:40 am

  I just got my new Yaris today and I love it. It is taking me some time to get used to driving a new car, but it handles great. It excels much better than my old car, and very quickly for a 4 cylinder. I got the 4 door sedan. I didnt get any special features, just a radio/cd player, but it is better equipped than my old car. At this pricepoint, the payments are affordable on my part time college student income. I just cant say enough about my car.