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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  2004 Tacoma Xtracab 4cyl 5-spd - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By DaveJ - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Superb build quality. Everything fits, everything works. Quality materials used throughout. No squeaks or rattles. Interior design marred by absurd placement of clock. Interior cubby-hole space is minimal. Adequate power, excellent transmission, easy to use clutch, strong brakes. Fuel economy is very good for a truck, but noticeably worse than cars with similar size engines. Six-speaker audio system better than expected. Easy to drive, with a fairly car-like ride. Insurance less than the Honda Accord we traded in. Buying experience at this dealership was actually quite pleasant; neither a battle of wits nor an endurance test.

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  Love this Car!!!! - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By blueboy - December 2 - 2:00 am

  My First Toyota, a 2004 Corolla CE. I LOVE it. Very Nice Driving Experience. Very Responsive and Quick Engine and Acceleration. Quiet and Smooth Ride. Steering and Handling Effortless. CD and Radio Excellent Sounding. A Quality Built car. I am Always finding Excuses to take a Ride Now. A Little more leg room for the driver who has longer legs than mine would be a nice upgrade. I will always look at Toyotas first in the future. I also had a very Nice experience when purchasing this Corolla. The sales woman was patient and very knowledgeable.

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  Smart engineering - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By guye - December 2 - 2:00 am

  As our family is growing at the request of my family I decided it was time to to get a minivan. I looked at a few on on the market and bought the Sienna. The seating throughout is very supportive & comfortable. The flexibility of the interior layout is unmatched, attention to details (in & out) is very clever and the finish and quality is rock solid. The car is comfortable to drive, performance is very good. The new Toyota/ Lexus 3.3 liter mated to the 5speed auto transmission is extremely smooth in its power delivery. The suspension/steering is comfortable yet gives you a true feel of the road. Definitely a "10" in the minivan category.

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  Worth the money - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Terptracker - December 1 - 9:00 pm

  Excellent compromise of quality, design, performance and fuel economy ... goes when you need it too, comfortable on trips. Excellent acceleration for a family sedan and gets upper twenties in combined driving, over 30 on long trips. Controls are mostly large and easy to read while driving. Could use memory seats, but its a minor complaint. Steering has minimal road feel, but it still grips the road fine. Brakes are responsive and have a secure feel. On occasion, would like a fold-down rear seat.

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  Best SUV made for the price - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By John Rawlings - December 1 - 8:13 pm

  This is a high-end vehicle for a mid- range price. I purchased my 4-runner brand new and 63,000 miles later have only one regret. This truck was not the best design for tall people but ok with the floor position for the seat completely back. Not much ceiling clearance either. Now with that said the Toyota 4- runner deserves recognition as a premier SUV by which all others should be judged. Large enough for a family of 4 to take on vacation, convenient roof racks ,and equipped with a powerful 4.0L engine that can effortlessly take you anywhere. Toyota has always impressed me with quality control that is unparalleled by any auto maker in for comparatively priced vehicles.

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever owned! - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Susie - December 1 - 4:56 pm

  I bought this SUV used and have never had to have any work done on it except normal upkeep. It is the most comfortable car Ive ever owned. When replacement time comes, I will replace it with another Sequoia.

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  Great car for practical people - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Allen - December 1 - 4:53 am

  I went from a 98 Chevy S-10 to a 07 Prius and have yet to have a real complaint. Dont care about image or stupid things like 0-60 in under 5 seconds, Im just going from A to B and I like to throw a lot of things in the back like my old truck. I get about 50-51 mpg consistently (my wife is pedal heavy and she still gets 44 mpg at worst); so what if it doesnt hit EPA, no car does, and Im still easily beating most cars at 50mpg. I would totally recommend this car to anyone who can afford it. The most basic Prius comes with many more features than most other cars so dont be tricked into thinking a basic hybrid is way more expensive than a basic Civic, compare it to something similar.

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  The Good, The Bad and The Thirsty - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By Mixed Feelings - December 1 - 3:33 am

  I should preface with this by saying Im a car nut and scare people with my knowledge of cars and trucks. I looked at all of the full size pickups before deciding on the Tundra. It hasnt let me down but Im getting tired of the $70 fill ups. The concept for the all new Tundra is a little scary. If you want a Tundra and can afford the gas get one now! FYI- the Double Cab has more headroom than the other Tundras. I had a 97 F150 and this thing blows it away. You cant beat Toyota trucks for resale either. I practically had to give my F150 away and I was glad to see it go.

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  Tundra 4wd double Cab - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Cliff - December 1 - 1:30 am

  American Truck makers had better beware, after looking over all available options in trucks the choice was clear. The only option I have added to this truck is a Rhino Liner. Impressive performance, easy to drive, my wife enjoys driving it. As an American I would like to buy American, but the cars and trucks we produce just dont hold up to what the Japanese offer

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  Corolla Review - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Frank - November 30 - 10:56 pm

  I have 1000 miles on this 09 Corolla. The fuel mileage so far has been 33 mpg. The car feels very tight with no rattles or squeaks and it rides pretty good on the highway. The car is very quiet with little wind and road noise and the engine is quiet which gives this car a high quality feel. The brakes feel good and the trunk seems roomy. The paint is very nice and looks quality. The steering feels too touchy and it takes constant correction to hold a straight line at highway speeds. If I would have known about this steering flaw I might not have bought this model. Take a long test drive and decide for yourself before you buy.