Toyota cars are made by Toyota Motor Corporation, a publicly traded Japanese company that is the parent of the wider Toyota Group, including Lexus, Daihatsu, and Hino Motors.
Toyota has no single majority owner. Shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, held by institutional investors, affiliated companies, and the public.
The Toyoda founding family retains a relatively small direct ownership stake, generally estimated around 2 percent, but keeps significant influence through leadership roles and long standing board presence.
This guide covers who owns Toyota, its founding history, where Toyota vehicles are built, the current model lineup, and Toyota position among the largest automakers in the world.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Toyota?
Toyota Motor Corporation is an independent, publicly traded company. It is not owned by another automaker or a single controlling shareholder.
Major shareholders include Japanese banks, insurance companies, and pension funds, alongside international institutional investors that hold shares through the New York Stock Exchange listing.
The Toyoda family, descendants of founder Kiichiro Toyoda, holds a modest direct stake but has provided the company chairman or president for most of its history.
| Company Name | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Headquarters | Toyota City, Aichi, Japan |
| Founded | August 28, 1937 |
| Founder | Kiichiro Toyoda |
| Chairman | Akio Toyoda |
| President and CEO | Kenta Kon |
| Stock Listing | Tokyo Stock Exchange (7203), NYSE (TM) |
| Ownership Type | Publicly traded, no controlling shareholder |
When Was Toyota Founded and Who Started It?
Toyota was founded on August 28, 1937, by Kiichiro Toyoda, whose father Sakichi Toyoda had earlier built a successful automatic loom business.
Toyota grew out of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, using profits and engineering expertise from textile machinery to launch automobile production in Japan.
The company built its first passenger car, the Toyota AA, in 1936, a year before formally incorporating as Toyota Motor Corporation.
Toyota Corporate Milestones
Kiichiro Toyoda establishes Toyota as a separate company from the family loom business.
Toyota begins exporting vehicles to the American market for the first time.
Toyota introduces Lexus as a dedicated luxury division to compete with European brands.
Toyota launches the Prius, the first mass produced hybrid gasoline electric car.
Toyota completes full ownership of Daihatsu, its small car and Southeast Asia specialist subsidiary.
Akio Toyoda steps back from the president role to chairman as Koji Sato takes over as CEO.
Finance chief Kenta Kon is promoted to president and CEO, succeeding Koji Sato.
How Does Toyota Compare to Other Automakers?
Toyota competes with Volkswagen Group for the title of largest automaker in the world by total vehicles sold each year.
Toyota once operated a youth focused brand in the United States called Scion, which was discontinued in 2016. You can read that history in our guide on who makes Scion.
Unlike Nissan or Honda, which briefly explored a merger, Toyota has stayed independent and instead grown by absorbing Daihatsu fully and taking stakes in Subaru and Mazda.
This web of partial ownership stakes gives Toyota influence across several smaller Japanese automakers without the complexity of a single merged corporate structure.
Toyota by the Numbers
Toyota scale sets it apart from nearly every other automaker, spanning dozens of factories and markets across six continents.
Few companies in any industry match Toyota combination of production scale, geographic reach, and consistent profitability year after year.
Where Are Toyota Cars Made?
Toyota operates ten manufacturing plants in the United States, including Georgetown, Kentucky, San Antonio, Texas, and Princeton, Indiana. The Camry, built in Georgetown, is one of the best selling sedans in the country. Toyota luxury division has its own separate guide at who makes Lexus.
In Japan, Toyota builds vehicles at plants throughout Aichi Prefecture near its headquarters, along with additional Toyota Group plants operated by Daihatsu and Hino.
Toyota also runs major assembly operations in Thailand, Indonesia, India, Brazil, and South Africa to serve regional and export markets efficiently.
What Models Does Toyota Currently Make?
Toyota sedans include the Corolla and Camry, two of the best selling passenger cars in United States history.
SUVs and crossovers make up a large share of the current lineup, including the RAV4, Highlander, 4Runner, and the rugged Land Cruiser.
The Tacoma and Tundra serve pickup truck buyers, while the Prius continues as Toyota longest running hybrid model.
Electric and hybrid options have expanded quickly, including the bZ4X electric SUV and hybrid versions of nearly every mainstream Toyota model sold in the United States.
What Companies Are Part of the Toyota Group?
Lexus operates as Toyota luxury division, sharing platforms and factories in some cases while keeping separate dealerships and branding.
Daihatsu, based in Japan, specializes in small cars and has been a wholly owned Toyota subsidiary since 2016, primarily serving Southeast Asian markets.
Hino Motors builds trucks and buses under partial Toyota ownership, though Hino has faced separate merger discussions with other Japanese commercial vehicle makers in recent years.
Is Toyota Really Good or Worth Buying?
- Consistently ranks near the top of Consumer Reports and J.D. Power reliability studies
- Exceptional resale value across nearly the entire lineup
- Widest hybrid model selection among mainstream automakers
- Extensive dealer and parts network across the United States
- Conservative styling and infotainment compared to some rivals
- Certain models carry a price premium tied to strong resale value and demand
- Slower rollout of fully electric models than Hyundai, Kia, or Tesla
- Popular models can face long wait times due to high demand
Toyota routinely tops independent dependability rankings, and its resale value remains among the strongest in the mainstream segment.
For buyers prioritizing long term reliability and low ownership costs over cutting edge technology, Toyota remains one of the safest choices in the industry.
What Is Next for Toyota?
Toyota has pursued a multi pathway strategy, continuing to invest in hybrids, plug in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and battery electric vehicles rather than committing to one technology exclusively.
New CEO Kenta Kon has emphasized continued financial discipline alongside expanded battery production, including new plants in North Carolina and Kentucky.
The Century nameplate has also been spun off into its own standalone ultra luxury brand, signaling Toyota ambition to compete at the very top of the market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes Toyota
Is Toyota owned by the Toyoda family?
Not in a controlling sense. The Toyoda family holds a modest direct ownership stake, generally estimated around 2 percent, but has held leadership roles throughout the company history.
Is Lexus part of Toyota?
Yes. Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota Motor Corporation, sharing some engineering while operating under separate branding and dealerships.
Where is the Toyota Camry made?
The Toyota Camry sold in the United States is built primarily at the Georgetown, Kentucky assembly plant.
Is Toyota the largest car company in the world?
Toyota has ranked as the largest or among the largest automakers by global sales volume in recent years, competing closely with Volkswagen Group for the top position.
For current pricing and specifications, visit the official Toyota website.
Background on company history is available on the Toyota Wikipedia page, and leadership changes are covered in this CNBC report.
Toyota also holds a meaningful equity stake in Subaru, around 20 percent, and a smaller stake in Mazda, giving it a voice in the direction of both companies without absorbing them outright.
That approach has let Toyota share research costs on electric vehicle platforms and future technology while letting Subaru and Mazda keep their own distinct brand identity in the marketplace.
Industry analysts often point to this web of partnerships as one reason Toyota has weathered supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer demand better than several rivals over the past decade.
Whether a buyer chooses a Corolla, a Tacoma, or a Lexus, the underlying decision maker behind engineering, safety testing, and warranty support traces back to the same Toyota Motor Corporation headquarters in Japan.
That consistency across such a wide range of vehicles is part of why Toyota brand reputation for reliability extends so broadly across its lineup rather than being limited to just one or two flagship models.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.