Company History

Toyota, one of Japan's largest automakers, entered the U.S. market in 1957 with economical and reliable compact cars. Today, Toyota builds half of the cars they produce in the U.S. in five vehicle assembly facilities and six parts and materials facilities throughout the nation. Toyota is also committed to developing and producing hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles. Their lineup of cars includes economy-based models, like the Corolla, to tough offroad sport utilities and trucks.

Popular Models

Prius:

The 2005 Prius is Toyota's first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid and quickly became the best-selling hybrid in the U.S. The most noteworthy feature of this car is the Hybrid Synergy Drive system. It monitors various road conditions and transfers appropriate power for any driving situation. From low speeds to moderate acceleration, the electric motor does the work while the gas engine powers the wheels and electric motor via generator when more demanding conditions persist. Other features include Toyota's Smart Key system, HID headlights, Stability Control, a JBL 9-speaker stereo system, and a voice-activated Navigation system.

Highlander:

The Highlander is also available in a hybrid model making it the first ever 7-passenger SUV in the industry. A 3.3-liter V6 engine making 208-horsepower is combined with an electric motor with 167-lb/ft of torque at 0-RPM. The Highlander 2-wheel drive is able to consume 28-MPG on city streets and 33-MPG on the highway, impressive numbers for a mid-size, V6 SUV.

Avalon:

The redesigned 2005 Avalon, Toyota's flagship sedan, enters the market with fresh styling, larger dimensions, and a more powerful engine. This full-size sedan gets a new 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 280-horsepower for quick acceleration and decent fuel economy. The interior is also bigger than previous generations with comfortable, available leather seating for five passengers. The rear seat is wide and can accommodate adults of all sizes. A new feature on the Avalon is Dynamic Laser Cruise Control that automatically adjusts the speed to help maintain distance from slower cars ahead.

Tacoma:

The Tacoma compact truck has been redesigned for 2005 with more payload capacity and interior room combined with an updated exterior. Three cab offerings are still offered with the regular, access, or 4-door double. The engines have also been revamped with a new 4.0-liter V6 cranking out 245-horspower and a towing capacity of 6,500lbs. A 4-cylinder, 164-horsepower, 2.4-liter is also available and can tow up to 3,500lbs. The Tacoma is available in 2 or 4-wheel drive with available Prerunner and S-Runner performance versions.

Tundra:

The full-size Tundra truck continues for 2005 with a more powerful 4.7-liter engine that produces 282-horsepower and 325-lb/ft of torque for towing up to 7,100lbs. 4-door Access Cab models are large enough to fit 6-passengers on front and rear bench seats. An all-new 4.0-liter V6 from the Tacoma is available and makes 245-horspower.

All information was gathered from Toyota's official website, www.toyota.com, and MSN Autos, www.autos.msn.com. Please refer to these resources for more about Toyota or its top models. See Carguide123's specific model articles for more information about a particular model.