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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  Not a bad miniSUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By RJ - February 27 - 11:00 pm

  Despite what people seem to think, the 4-cyl engine is more than adequate around town, and if you put on a set of dedicated snow tires, you wont need AWD (especially with Toyotas traction control). Mileage is in the mid to low 20s in mostly stop and go traffic with the AC going. (One minor gripe is the first 3 fan settings on the AC are fairly weak and while the 4th is decent, it sounds like a jet engine.) Tons of leg room in every seat and the rears recline as well. Plenty of storage room, both in the cubbies and in the "trunk". The rear door can be a bit heavy and hard to open for curb-parking, but the detent holds it well, even on hills.

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  not quite yet!! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By willard.dills@its.ny.gov - February 27 - 9:18 pm

  Toyota please please please change your shift points for the transmission to be above 1000rpm. The 3.5l engine does not have enough torque to be smooth at that rpm. If you sneeze while in gear at 1000rpm it will downshift. ECT power mode is great which changes the transmission to the correct shift points but you have to turn that on every time you start the vehicle. I dont want to be one of those haters who just says the transmission sucks because I dont believe that. I just think the ECU programming for the trans shift points if off of what it should be. My recommendation is to put out a TSB that gives people the option to bring it in if they want to perform the transmission shift point change or not. Very close to being a perfect truck but not quite yet or at least until we see that TSB come out.

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  Lousy Transmission - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jay Alan - February 27 - 7:03 pm

  I bought this truck after having a 2002 GMC Envoy. Since I bought this truck, Ive noticed the vehicle shifts up or down harshly and at the wrong speeds. When the ac is on, the idle is so high that the truck seems to drive itself. Coming off the highway, the car lurches forward when youre merging onto a new road. Very disappointing and cant wait to get rid of it.

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  So Far, So Good - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By wayne - February 27 - 6:49 pm

  Bought the 2016 Corolla LE in Feb 2017. I didnt figure I d even have a shot at a 2016 model this late into the game but the dealer near me had bought a group of 5-6 and seemed to have them priced aggressively. I have always owned Fords or Chevrolets but I wanted to try a Toyota because Ive heard so much about their longevity. The last two cars Ive owned lasted me 12 and 13 years each. Im hoping to get much more than that from this 2016 Corolla. I put about 250 miles per week on it so far and the best thing Ive noticed is the mileage. Averaging 37mpg running city/highway miles. Hoping to get a little better than that when the summer gas mix comes out. It has the feel of a small car ride but the room inside seems spacious. So far, so good for this Corolla. I hope it gives me many years of riding pleasure ahead.

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  Love this car! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Steve - February 27 - 8:06 am

  This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Great mileage, lots of fun to chat with folks whove never seen one. :-) All in all, a reliable (although not the most comfortable on LONG drives), cute, fun, responsible automobile.

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  Barcelona Red V6 SE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By DEJ - February 27 - 4:10 am

  Great car! Traded in my 2001 Maxima. Loved that car, but I have NO regrets. This car is quieter than the Max. It rides almost as smooth. This is expected with the stiffer SE suspension. Performance nuts should have fun here. Not an Indy car but plenty of power. Leather seats were comfortable. My biggest pet peeve with all new cars is head room. There just isnt enough in todays cars. Not the case here. Lots of headroom (unless you get the sunroof). Leather interior very comfortable. Ask the dealer to throw in the all weather floormats. They look nicer than the carpeted ones. All in all, a great car!

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  2017 LE Plus V6 AWD - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By DG - February 27 - 4:04 am

  I am in regional Sales and generally replace my Highlanders every three years or so. My first was a 2004. I traded my black 70k mi 2014 XLE AWD for a 2017 gray/black LE Plus AWD. Why the LE Plus over another XLE? Well, the LE Plus has the features that I use/like the most on the road- power seat, leather wrapped wheel, upgraded audio (excellent sound quality), power lift gate with flipper window, 3 zone auto climate control. After negotiating my best deal among 3 dealers, the LE Plus was 4K lessthan the XLE (you recoup some of the XLE cost when you sell, though). The feature that I missed the most initially was keyless entry and go. This is my first car in 15 years without a sunroof(which I dont really miss). Really like my LE Plus - I added bodyside moldings, rear bumper protector and all weather mats. It came with Michelin tires and the ride quality is superior to the deuhler HLs. The safety sense is a great system, and the lane keeping feature is really neat. I also like the auto dimming headlamps. Overall, this Highlander is very comfortable for my 62" frame and I would not hesitate to recommend it- its very reliable and has consistently high resale value. The quality of the interior materials feels superior to most of its competitors. I did look at the 2017 Pilot, which is larger, but the seat mounted armrests were uncomfortable and a deal breaker for me. The interior of the Highlander is much nicer.

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  My 2002 Prius - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By mi - February 26 - 8:13 pm

  Its a fun little car on the outside and very roomy and comfortable on the inside. Until you sit in it you dont realize how big it is! Very comfortable on a long drive.. No problem going up mountains - and passed many that were bogging down. The milage was great, over 40mpg going up above 7K feet and 49mpg coming back down!!

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  Transmission - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Tom - February 26 - 3:00 pm

  Bought used with 14,000. Very well maintained. At 84K the transmission lurched. Learned that the ECM ($1,300) was defective and may have affected the transmission. Have never had a transmission problem with 8 cars purchased - some with 200K miles. I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN.

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  2005 Toyota Camry SE - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By laura - February 26 - 8:53 am

  I just purchased an 05 Toyota Camry SE. (Traded an 05 Chevy Trailblazer 4x4.) The Camry is sporty looking, has a smooth & quiet ride, and should be very reliable. I have ground effects on mine which adds a little pizazz! I love it so far! Its a big switch going from 4.2 inline 6 to a 2.4L inline 4 cylinder engine but Im hoping the savings in gas mileage is worth it!