Toyota today is one of the most recognized auto brands, known for its reliable, durable, and long-lasting vehicles. According to statistics, about 80 percent of Toyota cars sold 20 years ago are still running.
In this article, we look into Toyota’s history and explore some of its amazing and interesting fun facts that many may not know.
1 – Toyota actually started as a textile company
Founded by Sakichi Toyoda in 1926 as Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd. (now Toyota Industries Corporation), it is credited with producing the world’s first automatic textile loom in 1924. Even today, it still produces a range of textile machinery.
2 – Toyota’s first car was the Toyoda Model AA
An interesting fun fact is that Toyota was initially Toyoda. So its first model was the Toyoda Model AA launched in 1936 and had a 62 HP, 3.4-liter inline six engine paired with a three-speed manual gearbox.
3 – From Toyoda to Toyota
Toyota was originally Toyoda, as formed by its founder, Sakichi Toyoda. The name was changed to Toyota in 1937, as its meaning (fertile rice paddies) didn’t seem to suit a car brand. The name Toyota was quite close to Toyoda, and also in Japanese, “Toyota” was written in eight strokes, and eight is seen as a lucky number in Japan.
4 – An amazing Fun Fact : The Korean War actually saved Toyota
Toyota was on the verge of bankruptcy during the 1950s when the Korean War started. The US, then needing more military equipment, gave big orders to Toyota for military trucks that, in a way, helped it to recover and grow.
5 – There is a city called “Toyota”
In 1959, the Japanese government renamed the city of “Komoro” as “Toyota.” This was in recognition of the importance of Toyota to the Japanese economy. It still serves as the location of Toyota’s headquarters.
6 – The Toyota Tundra had once pulled a space shuttle
A powerful fun fact is that in 2012, a Toyota Tundra was used to tow a 150,000-pound (60-ton) space shuttle. The Tundra featured a 5.7 L iForce V8 engine producing 381 HP.
7 – Toyota had won the Le Mans race 5 times in a row
Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid Le Mans Hypercar had won the grueling 24-hour Le Mans race continuously from 2018 to 2022, making it five in a row.
8 – World record for the fastest lap time in the Le Mans race
Toyota TS050 Hybrid currently holds the Guinness World Record™ for the fastest lap time in the 24-hour Le Mans race at 3 min 17.297 sec, driven by Mike Conway (UK) in June 2019.
9 – Celica was Toyota’s most successful sports car
It was produced by Toyota from 1970 to 2006. Apart from its commercial success, it also excelled in the WRC, winning 38 rallies, the driver’s title in 1992, and both the manufacturers & drivers titles in 1993 & 94. Presently, Toyota seems to be working on getting back the Celica.
10 – The most expensive Japanese car ever sold so far is a Toyota
A 1966 Toyota S2000GT was sold for $2.53 million in 2022. It was the very first car with chassis number MF10-10001 and had been given to Shelby to modify it for SCCA C-Production racing. They ended the 1968 season at 4th overall with four 1st, eight 2nd, and six 3rd place finishes.
With only 351 produced, it’s sure to be on the list of every car enthusiast’s and collector’s.
11 – The Land Cruiser is Toyota’s longest-running model
Starting in 1951, the Toyota Land Cruiser is still going strong. It is renowned for its comfort and off-road capability.
12 – Guinness World record for the longest driven journey
Emil and Liliana Schmid (Switzerland) have traveled 741,065 km (460,476 miles) as of April 2017 across 186 countries in the same 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser since 1984 and are still going. They hold the Guinness World Record™ for the longest driven journey, most mileage done in a single car, and the most countries visited in a single car.
13 – The Toyota Corolla is the world’s best-selling car of all time
Ever since its debut in 1966 as a 1-liter, compact, 5-seat sedan, the Toyota Corolla has proven to be so successful with an amazing number of over 50 million units sold so far.
14 – World’s first manufacturer to sell over 10 million units in a year
In 2013, Toyota became the first automotive company in the world to ever sell over 10 million cars in one calendar year.
15 – Toyota is now the world’s biggest automaker
In 2023, Toyota sold around 11.23 million vehicles, much ahead of second-placed Volkswagen with around 9.25 million and Hyundai-Kia in third with around 7.1 million vehicles in sales. A total production of over 300 million vehicles to date.
16 – A Toyota is sold every 3 seconds, an interesting fun fact
With a sale of 11.23 million units sold globally in 2023, it corresponds to a vehicle being sold every 3 seconds.
17 – Toyota Prius – The world’s first mass-produced hybrid car
Though there have been cars produced with hybrid systems much before the Toyota Prius, it was the Prius that, being mass-produced, brought the technology to the masses. Ever since its introduction in 1997, over 6 million units have been sold. Seeing its success, have other manufacturers also started developing hybrids, PHEVs, EREVs, and EVs?
18 – Prius holds the Guinness Record™ for the highest fuel efficiency
In Sep 2024, the Toyota Prius had set a Guinness World Record™ for the most fuel-efficient car with a consumption of 2.53 l/100 km while traveling from Los Angeles to New York.
19 – Toyota Mirai – The world’s first full-production hydrogen fuel cell car
Introduced in 2014, the Toyota Mirai is the world’s first vehicle to be sold commercially. So far it has sold around 25,000 units globally ever since its launch.
20 – Mirai holds the Guinness Record™ for longest distance by an HFC vehicle
In 2021, the Toyota Mirai had traveled 1,360 km (845 miles) on a complete fill of hydrogen that takes just 5 minutes. Thus setting a Guinness World Record™ for the longest distance by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle in a single charge.
21 – Toyota is the world’s top manufacturer of forklifts
Toyota holds the top position in a ranking of forklift manufacturers with a market share of around 30%, followed by Kion of Germany with a market share of around 15%.
22 – Toyota spends $1 million per hour on R&D
According to Toyota, “It spends globally approximately $1 million per hour on R&D to ensure that Toyota rapidly and continuously develops cutting-edge, high-quality, and appealing vehicles and technologies.”
23 – Toyota holds the most patents of all automotive companies
With 236,808 patents, Toyota holds the most patents among global automotive players, followed by Bosch with 143,741 and Hyundai with 106,936 related patents.
24 – The Toyoda family is still linked with Toyota
Akio Toyoda, who is the current chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, is the great-grandson of the founder, Sakichi Toyoda.
25 – Last but not the least Fun Fact : What all does Toyota produce?
Apart from automobiles, Toyota also produces trucks, buses, forklifts, textile power looms, automotive steel, auto parts, batteries, and real estate. Lexus, Daihatsu, and Hino are fully owned by Toyota.
