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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  Late-in-life decision: Hybrid Purchase - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Lee Roach - January 17 - 11:36 am

  At 78 years of age I had decided that buying a new vehicle was frivilous. After all, my 95 Lexus SC 300 5 Speed only had 50,000 original miles. However, after reading about the Prius I made a decision to buy sight unseen, and not having driven. It should be noted that cars have been my hobby throughout life, beginning with a 31 Chevy purchased for $15.00 as junior in high school. This Prius is fascinating, actually one is driving a computer, literally. They may be rare now, but it is the future until fuel cell cars arrive, which I may not see. 50 mpg is also fascinating, the envy of particularly SUV owners. And, it performs well - does everything it isasked to do.

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  Worst Purchase Ive ever made! - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By ralph - January 17 - 8:46 am

  Buying this car was a biggest mistake in my life. Poorest customer service, uncomfortable Steering wheel, Problems with trunk lid closing, cheap material used for interior, seats not comfortable, Toyota does not allow you to put floor mats on the driving side, which is insane as you ruin your cars carpet much sooner. Gas pedal problem was never resolved. I took it to the dealers and they cheated that it has been fixed. In fact, they just took the floor mat away. No compensation was offered for the recall. Please think 100 times before buying this car. You may have other great options in the market such as Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai. Final word, be careful, Toyotas dealers are butchers!

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  Best Car Ive Even Owned. Period - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By hotrodjohn - January 17 - 1:43 am

  I bought a 2006XLS in March 2006. Today, it has 206,000 miles on it without one single problem. I have replaced the tires, battery and brake pads. It still has the original spark plugs, water pump, starter, antifreeze, trans fluid and serpentine belt (which isnt even cracked!). This car has been nothing short of amazing. It is big, the back seat is the biggest of any car I have seen. It is fast with plenty of torque all the way through the powerband, feels like a V8. It averages 27 miles to the gallon with 80 percent highway driving. It is super quiet and smooth. The Camry isnt even close to an Avalon. This is BIGGER than Lexus ES350, yet cheaper. Im going to keep on driving it.

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  Own 2 Camrys and Love Them - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By JC - January 17 - 1:03 am

  Purchased a 2004 Camry SE with 4 cyl and auto trans, new, and loved it so much I bought the exact same model for my wife in 2006. Consumer Reports describes the ride as that of a more expensive car and they are correct. I have had absolutely no problems with either the 2004 or 2006, just normal maintenance. Hwy mileage is 33, city 24, as long as you drive sensibly and keep tires inflated to 32 psi. My tirewear has gone to normal lengths (25,000 for new car tire; 40,000 for replacement Costco Michelin tires).

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  Awesome - 2013 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sully - January 17 - 12:33 am

  I love the truck better now than I did when I first got it.

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  Tremendous Ride - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By DVB - January 16 - 10:06 pm

  Had this car for 2 weeks. Nothing but fun. Bluetooth phone feature makes speaking on the phone safe while driving! GPS system gets me to unfamiliar addresses without getting lost; often right on the dime. Car looks, rides and handle great!!!

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  Great car!! - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By wake - January 16 - 8:40 pm

  My Toyota Corolla is an excellent car. It gets great gas mileage, is very reliable, and is actually somewhat peppy for having such a small motor (if i wanted a fast car I would not have bought a Corolla). This car is excellent for people who want a car to get from work and back, or for a small family who want a reliable car at a decent price.

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  Disappointed in Sluggish Gas Guzzling performance - 2018 Toyota 4Runner
  By Warren - January 16 - 4:27 pm

  Im a first time Toyota owner. Have always loved the 4runner look and finally decided to trade my F-150 and try one. I went with the TRD off road model because I really like the sportier all black trim on the inside and the rims. I probably wont do a lot of off-roading but I do have use for the 4 wheel drive in the winter and I love the "truck" feel. Not many SUVs left like it. Also, Im not a tech guy so the lack of tech options that many reviews talk about doesnt bother me. So, Ive had my new 4runner for a few weeks now and have my first 1,000 miles on it. About half of those are highway miles. There is a lot that I really like about it. Love the way it looks, love the stance, interior is comfortable but not too plush, ride is quite nice for an off-roader, quality seems great, no squeaks or rattles which I cant stand. I have to sadly say though, that Im very disappointed with the engine performance. It feels extremely sluggish and non-responsive to the gas pedal. I noticed this even on test drive but figured It was just different from what I was used to and since all the reviews I read pegged the 0-60 at 7.5-8 seconds, I didnt think it would be an issue and Id quickly get used to it. Unfortunately, not the case. The sluggishness is a continual disappointment. In fact, I have tested the 0-60 myself about a half dozen times and I cant get to 60 in under 10 seconds. Thats nailed to the floor 100%. If I actually drove like that, I think I would get about 5 mpg! Normal accelerator use takes FOREVER to get to normal highway speed. That leads me to my second real disappointment which is the fuel consumption. I knew from reviews that these were not great with gas mileage but mine in considerably worse even then the estimate ratings. They are rated 17 city - 21 hwy (avg 18). As I noted above, I drive about a 50/50 mix and my avg mpg after 1,000 miles has topped out at only 15.7 mpg! Even being very "gentle" with the accelerator, I cant get it to creep up any higher than that. I should say that Im not trying to nit-pic. I REALLY wanted to love this vehicle. Im just really struggling to get past the poor performance issues. I wonder, are the 0-60 ratings and mpg ratings just overly generous/overstated, or could there possibly actually be some kind of a problem with my engine? And I wonder if any other owners share these disappointments? Anyway, if these issues are of concern to you, youre definitely not going to be pleasantly surprised by the 4runner.

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  Nice car, bad quality parts - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Michelle - January 16 - 6:43 am

  I really loved the look of the Camry as soon as I saw it. I owned a 1997 Camry XLE, so it was time for me to get a new one. I had over 100000 miles on that car without a problem or squeak or rattle. But NOT THIS CAR!! I am so disappointed in the quality. Too much plastic, too many rattles and noises. The transmission feels terrible when it shifts. It always jerks and stalls and never accelerates right.

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  nice truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By john - January 16 - 6:30 am

  This is a TRD I bought and am very happy with it. Getting in and out of it is a problem sometimes. The step bars are nice, but then you bang your head on the door frame. The clock placement is demented. I have never been able to see it without looking around the steering wheel. I miss full set of instruments on the dash in front of me, and a locking gas filler. All said, still enjoy owning and driving it.