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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  Toyota Solara Convertible - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Linda - January 27 - 1:46 am

  Great car... super gas mileage... fun to drive... very comfortable car for four people... can get two sets of golf clubs plus luggage in the trunk for beach weekend.

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  Best Truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Off Road Boy - January 26 - 2:16 pm

  This truck is very good. I am normally not a Toyota fan. The older models looked very cheap. But the newly modeled Tacoma changes my mind. The truck is powerful, quite, and very handsome. This truck is well worth buying. =)

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  Awesome for the Money - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By G.C. Sekaran - January 26 - 12:16 pm

  This is a great car for the money. It is spacious and and the leather seats are comfortable. The 6 Disc CD system is great. Im very happy with it. I dont know why people are complaining about the looks? Im glad I chose this over the cramped 2 seat roadsters. I can go long distance without having to sacrifice luggage.

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  Best Car Ever - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By XL - January 26 - 9:53 am

  It is the best! Fit, finish, reliability! Fun to drive and to look at!

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  Lovin my FJ - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Smitty - January 26 - 7:16 am

  This is a great all around vehicle. I traded a Grand Cherokee and dont regret it for a minute. Performance on and off road is better than I could have imagined. If you want the best bang for your buck, get the FJ Cruiser! Hello Toyota! Glad to meet you.

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  An Exceptional Automobile - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By aebmlb - January 25 - 4:43 am

  Very quiet ride with ample leg and head room. Also very responsive powerfull V6 with great handling ability.

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  Fantastic Car - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By CharlieB - January 25 - 4:26 am

  Ok, where do I start? This is one of the best cars I have ever owned and I have owned many in my time, all new. True, this vehicle is not a performance car. The addition of a cold air short ram intake system help immensely. As for ride, the stock tires have to be replaced. Mine were replaced with Goodyears comfort assurance, again, big difference. I’ve used it for every project around the house, versatility is excellent for a small package. The vehicle has never let me down in bad weather never stuck in snow or on ice. I have driven around vehicles stuck on snowy hills! As for mileage, a consistent 40 MPG was recorded from Jersey to Florida down Rt.95. Average is around 26 city.

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  So far very good - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Serbian - January 25 - 2:00 am

  50.000 km without single problem. Car did not see dealer. Seats and seating positions is excelent. I like big trunk. I do not like "side wind" driving car instead of me.

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  Yellow Bus - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By BigCD - January 25 - 2:00 am

  The matrix xrs is a very interesting car/wagon. It looks small, but the inside is comfortable with 5 adults. It has a small wagon/suv stance but it handles as good as a $30000 sports car, its extremely tight and nimble. The engine has a lot of pep, especially at high rpms, it is rock solid at 120mph (trust me)and it gets 25+mpg around town. The 17inch wheels and 6 disc cd changer will cost you $300, thats cheap and worth it. It would be nice to have 30hp more and 30lbs of torque but thats were the afterparts market kicks in. Just think of the Matrix as a Celica GTS with a biggger trunk.

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  This is a fun SUV - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By CamaroRB - January 25 - 2:00 am

  Wanted small SUV and test drove most of them. None compared to the RAV4 - it handles like a car but drives like a SUV without the noise and it is awesome in heavy snow. The 2004 model is well designed and looks different to all those other "standard" SUV styles. At that price and with all the features, why would anyone want to spend $10 to $20 thousand more just to have a big monster. Get the L package and you have it all.