15 Interesting Facts About Toyota That Will Make You Love This "Jap" Even More

"Japanese" or "German," maybe "French," or "Korean"?! This is an eternal debate among car enthusiasts...

While there is a "dead heat" in terms of technical performance, comfort, and design, one Japanese giant stands out among numerous brands and models of leading automotive nations.

Take a look at why Toyota enjoys the reputation of being one of the biggest and most popular car brands of today.

A Family Business

Toyota Motor Corporation is a company in the traditional ownership of the Japanese Toyoda family. The change of name from Toyoda to Toyota occurred for practical reasons - in the Japanese Katakana script, Toyota is written more simply, with "only" 8 strokes, and the number eight is considered lucky by people from the Far East.

Humble Beginnings

Before becoming an automobile factory, Toyota was the backbone of Japan's textile industry and produced automatic sewing machines. By selling machines, they gained capital to enter the automotive industry. The first "Toyota" was called the Model AA sedan and was produced in 1936.

Incredible Production Intensity

Toyota's production facilities around the world produce a new car on average every 20 seconds.

Reliability and Longevity

Approximately 80% of Toyota models produced 20 years ago are still reliably running on roads worldwide.

Perseverance

In 1950, Toyota was on the brink of bankruptcy. Paradoxically, it was the Korean War that started the same year that saved the factory. After the US military ordered thousands of vehicles for its needs during its presence on the Korean Peninsula, the factory "got back on its feet."

Pioneer in Environmental Protection

Toyota is among the first factories in the automotive industry to adapt its technology to the principles of preserving the planet and a healthy environment by developing hybrid and electric models (Prius, Mirai, Corolla, Camry, Avalon, RAV4, Highlander).

Brand Popularization Through Sports

Toyota was the first Japanese car manufacturer to participate in sports races. It was in 1957 at the traditional Australian Round Rally, which took place from 1953 to 1998.

The One and Only - Toyota Corolla

Toyota owns the best-selling car model of all time. The Toyota Corolla has been sold in over 44.2 million units since its inception in 1966, across all series.

"Umbrella" Effect

Toyota Corporation has stakes in several well-known brands in the automotive industry. Companies such as Daihatsu, Subaru, Isuzu, and Mazda are just a few in which Toyota holds shares. On the other hand, brands like Lexus and Scion are fully owned by the Japanese giant.

Leader in Mass Production

Toyota is the world's first car manufacturer to produce over 10 million units in a single year (2013), including all models.

Worldwide Operations

Toyota has its sales network in the largest number of countries worldwide, with representations in over 170 countries, including Serbia.

The Most Common Car on Global Roads

Among the total number of cars in the world, Toyota is the most represented brand.

Leader in Technological Innovations

In the world of the automotive industry, Toyota is an absolute record holder in the number of technological innovations, with over 1000 patents. One of the recent ones is the liquid hydrogen-powered engine, which is installed in the Toyota Mirai model.

Highest Level of Safety

Since 2018, all Toyota models are equipped with the special Toyota Safety Sense device, which includes a unique radar at the front of the car, a system for collision prevention through vehicle, pedestrian, and lane detection, as well as an integrated camera inside the vehicle.

Flying Car

Toyota is involved in the development of a flying car that is expected to light the Olympic torch at the opening of the postponed Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympic Games.