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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  Outstanding for the money. - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Bill DiGrezio - March 21 - 4:50 pm

  This has beat every luxury car I have owned---BMW-Jaguar-Cadillac. It beats all in quality and comfort. Style could be a bit better but for the money the car is super. It is priced at a much lower price that the Lexus but has all the features of the top of the line Lexus. Highly recommend unless you are willing to spend $15-20K more for upgraded style.

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  Pluses and minuses - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By robotnik - March 21 - 11:32 am

  This is my third Corolla. All were bought new. The first, a 1990 that lasted about 200k. I have a 2006 that has nearly 160k, and runs super. The 2006 is my best drivingCorolla, after comparison. The 2006 tracks well. The 2015 doesnt. Is it because of thinner tires, or the wheel base? The 2006 body has a more solid feel. Thinner steel in the 2015? It could be just my impression. 2015 cabin and instrument panel blows 2006 away. Great improvement. I hate the CVT tranny. Engine over-revs. The 2006 takes off like a bullet. The 2015 is unresponsive. On a hill, the engine sounds like its in neutral, over-revving. Blind spots over left shoulder, no camera to compensate. Rear-view mirror too small.

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  Silver Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Gus - March 21 - 3:53 am

  Late spring and summer driving has been a lot of fun. The heating and AC work better than my previous Silverado. Gas mileage on a 2850 mi. trip was 20.03 mph. This was before 4K miles on the truck. Acceleration is to be experienced for yourself.

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  Prius performance - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By prius - March 21 - 3:00 am

  The car is great to drive, nice looking and very comfortable. Seats 5 easily even very tall people. I am not as thrilled with the gas consumption as I had hoped. When I bought the car I was led to believe I would get great mileage. It says 50-60 mpg in the ads and in the booklet and I am getting 44-45 and a range of a bit over 350 miles per tank . They should change the ratings and give the consumer better information.

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  Great 4x4 in the era of crossovers - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Matt - March 20 - 9:40 pm

  We just picked up our new 4Runner - I have to say - after seeing the new Explorer today I am so happy with the decision to buy the 4Runner - this is a real 4X4 SUV and includes everything we could want in a truck. We opted for the 3rd row with leather and convenience package. The fit is perfect, the interior is perfect and the drive is what I would expect from a 4X4. I cant wait to put the truck to the test and I will be sure to post an update at 10,000 miles. In my opinion (after owning an Explorer, Mountaineer, Tahoe, Equinox and Jeep) this is the best deal out there. Nice work Toyota!

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By JimG - March 20 - 7:43 pm

  My Avalon has been a dream come true. The car has been flawless and I have gotten over 34 mpg on the highway. I have no problems with interior noise as others have complained. I have had the vehicle for over a year and the only time it has been in the shop is for oil change. The push button start is great. I get annoyed when I have to take the keys out to start my other vehicle. My wife and I took it on a 800 mile trip to VA and the ride was very comfortable. I give the Avalon the highest rating.

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  Im a Rav4 Girl - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Jackie - March 20 - 7:10 pm

  Its so much fun to drive. I have never owned a suv b4, now I will never go back to a midsize. I owned a toyota before in the 1980s went to Honda, now Im back home. Its roomy, sleek in style, and drives like a car. Never was interested in the older models. Now Im very impressed.

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  Never should have bought it. - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Susan - March 20 - 5:52 pm

  Bought it in Sept 2015, and it was the worst decision I ever made. The interior is very cheaply made. It has one of the worst factory stereos I have ever seen. The speaker sound goes up and down by its self, it sounds as if I put a blanket over the speakers. The nav system is just as bad. When on the phone through bluetooth it also fades in and out and the person on the other end of the phone has problems hearing. The blind spot is not good, it needs to sound an alarm when wanting to change lanes, just some little flashing lights are not enough. The LDA (lane departure alarm) system is just stupid. If you are drifting out of your lane the car should push you back not just sound an alarm. There are a lot of other things ( way too many to list) wrong with this car. For just over $30K it should be a much better car. We bought my husbands car a 2015 Chrysler 200 for about the same price and his is by far a better car for the price. I will never buy Toyota again.

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  Very disappointed - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By Scott - March 20 - 12:20 pm

  Despite the glowing reviews, our 2001 Sienna XLE is one of the worst vehicles we have owned. Its build quality, interior and exterior, leaves much to be desired. The power doors have stopped working, the transmission is leaking, the front speakers went out, the radio head unit is failing, one of the visors is broken, and the fabric and interior overall are poor. I am so disappointed, and my wife hates this vehicle as she has lost confidence in it; we admit that our 2000 Dodge Caravan was a better vehicle, if you can believe that!

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  So far I like it alot! - 2012 Toyota Yaris
  By toyotafan6 - March 20 - 7:03 am

  Ive only had my new 2012 Yaris 3 DR LE a couple of weeks but so far I am impressed. Has good visibility: sits a little higher than my 2001 Corolla LE - gas mileage pretty good, according to the display Im averaging 33 mpg, all city driving...Drivers seat very comfortable. I love the design of the dashboard/controls, all easy to reach and good-sized control knobs. The two-tone dash (black and soft grey) looks expensive and instead of being perfectly smooth it has a little bit of texture to it. Mine is the Wave Line Pearl color, a light blue. Tire are pretty good quality, Goodyear Assurance. I havent sat in the rear yet but it looks to be fairly roomy. Handling is good.