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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  Your Best Bet - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mike H - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Yes, it does cost a little more but it is worth every penny. This truck has not let me down in any way. From build quality to MPG it is a winner. My father has an S-10 that was purchased at the same time in 1999 and his has been in the shop 5 times. My Taco has only seen the inside of a shop for routine maintenance. By the way, get the TRD package if you can find it. Better ride, better off-road, more options.

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  Tundra - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Bongoman - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Best full size truck for the money

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  03 Avalon XLS - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By RCH - September 27 - 10:00 am

  After 3 Maxima SEs, we decided to go with a little more comfort & luxury, and have not been disappointed. Very smooth and comfortable transportation. A great highway cruiser with pretty good gas mileage (28+ w/only 1,500 miles). It handles the beat up Chicago-area roads very well.

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  You wont win a race in this vehicle. - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By Susy G. - September 27 - 10:00 am

  I traded in a 2000 sports car for the Rav 4 because my previous Toyotas (3 of them) held up very well and kept their value (the sports car was already having engine problems and depreciated almost 50%!). The car/truck handles very well (tight turns), but I found the Ravs 4 cylinder engine a bit sluggish. Not very fun to drive on the highway when youre trying to change lanes or get on. However, city driving is a bit more fun.

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  Surprisingly fun car to drive - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Peter - September 27 - 4:23 am

  So far, I’ve been driving it mostly on the highways and only get about 42 – 45 MPH on those trips. I haven’t been able to get to the 50 – 55 MPH range some of the other people reported. I mostly drive in the ECO mode. I know that it’s designed to get a better mileage in the city driving. I will be switching to city driving next month and will probably be able to achieve a better mileage. Some people complain about the continuous chime in reverse. The dealer can switch it of by modifying one of the settings of the car. I had my dealer do that before I picked my car up. The EV mode is not as useful as I thought it would be. Most of the time, I can only go up to 10 MPH in EV mode.

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  Love my 4-Runner! - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By misspriss82 - September 26 - 8:54 pm

  I bought my 4-Runner brand new a year ago. I have the Blizzard Pearl color with tan leather interior. I love it! It is a bit bigger than older 4-Runners, but the ride seems smoother for an SUV this size. I only have one complaint - the windshield wipers do not have a good medium speed, they are either way too fast or way too slow. The radio area could look fancier, but its user friendly, so I dont really care about that. I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time and I will continue to buy 4-Runners in the future.

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  Big Toyota!! - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By MICHAEL - September 26 - 8:43 pm

  I had Toyota 4Runner Limited 4x4 before changeing to Sequioa 4x4 Limited Edition for the family of four. INCREDIBLE!!! We love it!!! Space, Style, Headed seats, Room, Power and View (Our kids wants to keep it forever)

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  Toyota Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Bill Noble - September 26 - 4:10 pm

  My Toyota Highlander is probably the best ride Ive ever owned, including 2 Camrys Ive owned. It holds the road almost by itself and practically floats. Im not as impressed with its interior design, or that most options cost more than with other makes. The 3 year warranty is adequate, because Ive only had one problems with any Toyota Ive had, which was the fuel pump on a Camry. Thanks for asking!

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  TOYOTA QUALITY!! THE BEST REAL SUV!!! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By dwillix - September 26 - 8:43 am

  The 4Runner is the best of the best in terms of a true off road SUV!! It has a super smooth ride and the styling is awesome. This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned! I have just over 50K miles on it now and get 20+ MPG overall! Goes great in snow, sand, over large hills - and on the road! A must buy if youre looking for a great SUV!!!

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  Simply The Best Truck - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By T Con - September 26 - 8:13 am

  Ater doing the SUV thing we decided to look at a four door truck. After researching the other manufacturers, we decided to go with the Toyota. The 5.7 liter engine is amazingly powerful. We got the SR5 Crewmax X-SP package which gives you a lot of extras for the price of the truck. The interior comfort is amazing, I am 63 and have more than enough room in the front or rear of this truck. My wife loves this truck more than I do for the comfort and awesome looks that it has. Toyota gives you what you want with the Tundra, power, performance, comfort and reliability. If you dont get caught up with the power of the 5.7 you can get 20 mpg while driving. If you drive it you will buy it.