Editing Toyota (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Toyota}}

===1920s–1930s===
{{primary|section|date=December 2023}}
[[File:Toyota Loom Mass Production Bertel Schmitt.jpg|thumb|The mass-produced Toyoda automated loom, displayed at Toyota Museum in Aichi-gun, Japan]]

In 1924, [[Sakichi Toyoda]] invented the Toyoda Model G Automatic [[loom]]. The principle of ''[[jidoka]]'', which means the machine stops itself when a problem occurs, became later a part of the [[Toyota Production System]]. Looms were built on a small [[production line]]. In 1929, the patent for the automatic loom was sold to the British company [[Platt Brothers]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Story of Sakichi Toyoda |url=https://www.toyota-industries.com/company/history/toyoda_sakichi/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923003201/https://www.toyota-industries.com/company/history/toyoda_sakichi/index.html |archive-date=September 23, 2017 |access-date=September 22, 2017 |publisher=Toyota Industries Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Barrow|first= Colin|author-link= |date= August 3, 2011|title=The 30 Day MBA in Marketing: Your Fast Track Guide to Business Success |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t2qmrGFRqHsC |location= |publisher= [[Kogan Page]]|page=71 |isbn=978-0-7494-6218-5}}</ref> generating the starting capital for automobile development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History Of Toyota |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812013404/http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/ |archive-date=August 12, 2011 |access-date=August 15, 2011 |publisher=Toyota}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Morck|first= Randall K.|author-link=Randall Morck |date= November 2007|title=A History of Corporate Governance Around the World: Family Business Groups to Professional Managers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X6knIE-47BAC |location= |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]] |page=400 |isbn=9780226536835}}</ref>

Under the direction of the founder's son, [[Kiichiro Toyoda]],<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140">{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/overall_chronological_table/1931.html |title=Chronological Table 1931–1940 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2012 |website=Toyota Motor Corporation |publisher= |access-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Toyota Company History from 1867 to 1939 |url=http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/history/1867.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510085717/http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |access-date=September 11, 2010 |publisher=Toyota}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last= Andres|first= Anton|date= November 7, 2023|title=300 million made: How Toyota took the world by storm |url=https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/feature-articles/toyota-300-million-cars-a5100-20231107-lfrm |magazine= [[Top Gear Philippines]]|location= |publisher= [[Summit Media]]|access-date=December 28, 2023}}</ref> [[Toyota Industries|Toyoda Automatic Loom Works]] established an Automobile Division on September 1, 1933, and formally declared its intention to begin manufacturing automobiles on January 29, 1934.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/><ref>{{cite book |last= El-Sayed|first= Mohamed|author-link= |date=April 2017 |title= Fundamentals of Integrated Vehicle Realization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WOObEAAAQBAJ |location= |publisher= [[SAE International]]|page= 13|isbn=9780768080360}}</ref> A prototype [[Toyota Type A engine]] was completed on September 25, 1934, with the company's first prototype sedan, the [[Toyota A1|A1]], completed the following May. As Kiichiro had limited experience with automobile production, he initially focused on truck production; the company's first truck, the [[Toyota G1|G1]], was completed on August 25, 1935, and debuted on November 21 in Tokyo, becoming the company's first production model.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/><ref name="G1_GA">{{cite web |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/car/id60014788/index.html |title=Toyota Model GA Truck |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2012 |website=Toyota Motor Corporation |publisher= |access-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} Modeled on a period Ford truck, the G1 sold for ¥2,900, ¥200 cheaper than the Ford truck. A total of 379 G1 trucks were ultimately produced.<ref name="G1_GA"/><ref>{{cite magazine |last= Sanchez|first= Edward A.|date=March 7, 2013 |title=Toyota Shows 75-Year Family Tree With Interactive Timeline: From a Pre-War Pickup to Today's Tundra |url= https://www.motortrend.com/news/163-news130307-toyota-interactive-timeline/|magazine=[[Motor Trend]] |location= |publisher=[[Motor Trend Group]] |access-date=December 28, 2023}}</ref>

In April 1936, Toyoda's first passenger car, the [[Toyota AA|Model AA]], was completed. The sales price was ¥3,350, ¥400 cheaper than [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] or [[General Motors|GM]] cars.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Information from a sign at the Toyota Museum in Nagakute-cho, Aichi-gun, Aichi Pref |url=http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/data_e/a03_08_1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120220844/http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/data_e/a03_08_1.html |archive-date=November 20, 2012 |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The company's plant at Kariya was completed in May. In July, the company filled its first export order, with four G1 trucks exported to northeastern China.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} On September 19, 1936, the Japanese imperial government officially designated Toyota Automatic Loom Works as an automotive manufacturer.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}}

[[File:1936 Toyoda Model AA 03.jpg|thumb|The 1936 Toyota AA, the first vehicle produced by the company while it was still a department of Toyota Industries]]

Vehicles were originally sold under the name "Toyoda" (トヨダ), from the family name of the company's founder, [[Kiichiro Toyoda|Kiichirō Toyoda]]. In September 1936, the company ran a public competition to design a new logo. Of 27,000 entries, the winning entry was the three Japanese ''[[katakana]]'' letters for "Toyoda" in a circle. However, [[Rizaburo Toyoda]], who had [[mukoyōshi|married into the family]] and was not born with that name, preferred "Toyota" ({{nihongo2|トヨタ}}) because it took eight brush strokes (a lucky number) to write in Japanese, was visually simpler (leaving off the [[Dakuten|diacritic]] at the end), and with a [[voiceless|voiceless consonant]] instead of a [[voice (phonetics)|voiced]] one (voiced consonants are considered to have a "murky" or "muddy" sound compared to voiceless consonants, which are "clear").

Since ''toyoda'' literally means "fertile rice paddies", changing the name also prevented the company from being associated with old-fashioned farming. The newly formed word was trademarked and the company began trading on August 28, 1937, as the Toyota Motor Company Ltd.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/><ref name="Davis">{{Cite book |last=Davis |first=Pedr |title=The Long Run – Toyota: The first 40 years in Australia |publisher=Type Forty Pty Ltd |year=1999 |isbn=0-947079-99-8 |location=South Hurstville |page=24}}</ref><ref name="fiftyyears64">{{Cite book |title=Toyota: A history of the First 50 Years |publisher=Toyota |year=1988 |isbn=0-517-61777-3 |page=64}}</ref>{{sfn|Dawson|2004}} Kiichiro's brother-in-law [[Rizaburo Toyoda]] was appointed the firm's first president, with Kiichiro as vice-president. Toyota Automatic Loom Works formally transferred automobile manufacturing to the new entity on September 29.<ref name="Toyota_chron_3140"/>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}}

The Japanese government supported the company by preventing foreign competitors [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[General Motors]] from importing automobiles into Japan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chang |first=Ha-Joon |title=Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism |publisher=Random House |year=2008 |location=New York |page=20}}</ref>

At the onset of [[World War II]], Toyota almost exclusively produced standard-sized trucks for the Japanese Army, which paid one-fifth of the price in advance and the remainder in cash upon delivery.<ref name=daito>{{cite journal|author-last=Daito|author-first=Eisuke|title=Automation and the Organization of Production in the Japanese Automobile Industry: Nissan and Toyota in the 1950s|journal=Enterprise & Society|year=2000 |issue=1|volume=1|page=143|jstor=23699656 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23699656|quote=Moreover, during the war, Toyota manufactured standard-sized trucked almost exclusively for the army, which paid one-fifth of the price in advance and the balance in cash on delivery.}}</ref><ref name=EB>{{cite encyclopaedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica|title=Toyota Motor Corporation|date=June 14, 2023 |quote="During World War II the company suspended production of passenger cars and concentrated on trucks"|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Toyota-Motor-Corporation}}</ref>

===1940s===
{{primary|section|date=December 2023}}

Japan was heavily damaged in [[World War II]] and Toyota's plants, which were used for the war effort, were not spared. On August 14, 1945, one day before the [[surrender of Japan]], Toyota's Koromo Plant was bombed by the [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 6, Item 1: Resumption of factory production |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section6/item1.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Reingold |first=Ed |date=August 23–30, 1999 |title=People around the world drive Toyotas--and produce them too. A textile-factory boy is the industrial wizard who made it happen |url=http://www.cnn.com/ASIANOW/time/asia/magazine/1999/990823/toyoda1.html |magazine= [[Time Asia]]|volume=154 |issue= 7/8|location= |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=December 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= February 9, 2010|title=Toyota's long, bumpy road to success |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/toyotas-long-bumpy-road-to-success |work= [[Khaleej Times]]|location=[[Toyota City]] |access-date=December 15, 2023}}</ref> After the surrender, the [[Occupation of Japan|U.S.-led occupying forces]] banned passenger car production in Japan. However, automakers like Toyota were allowed to begin building trucks for civilian use, in an effort to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 6, Item 3: Converting to Meet Civilian Demand and Dealing with Post-war Reforms |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section6/item3.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The U.S. military also contracted with Toyota to repair its vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 6, Item 5: U.S. Army Vehicle Repair Operations and Compact Car Development |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section6/item5.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}}

By 1947, there was an emerging global [[Cold War]] between the Soviet Union and the U.S., who had been allies in World War II. U.S. priorities shifted (the "[[Reverse Course]]") from punishing and reforming Japan to ensuring internal political stability, rebuilding the economy, and, to an extent, remilitarizing Japan. Under these new policies, in 1949, Japanese automakers were allowed to resume passenger car production, but at the same time, a new economic stabilization program to control inflation plunged the automotive industry into a serious shortage of funds, while many truck owners defaulted on their loans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2 Section 6, Item 6: Dodge Line Recession and liberalization of vehicle production and sales |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section6/item6.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} Ultimately, the [[Bank of Japan]], the [[central bank]] of the country, [[bailout|bailed out]] the company, with demands that the company institute reforms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 6, Item 6a: Emerging business management crisis |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section6/item6_a.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}}

=== 1950s ===
{{primary|section|date=December 2023}}

As the 1950s began, Toyota emerged from its financial crisis a smaller company, closing factories and laying off workers. Meanwhile, the [[Korean War]] broke out, and being located so close to the battlefront, the U.S. Army placed an order for 1,000 trucks from Toyota.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Daito |first=Eisuke |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23699656 |title=Automation and the Organization of Production in the Japanese Automobile Industry: Nissan and Toyota in the 1950s |journal=Enterprise & Society |location=UK |volume=1 |number=1 |year=2000 |pages=139–78 |doi=10.1093/es/1.1.139 |jstor=23699656 |access-date=15 December 2023 | issn = 1467-2227 }}</ref> The order helped to rapidly improve the struggling company's business performance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 7, Item 2: Special Demand Caused by Korean War |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section7/item2.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} In 1950, company executives, including Kiichiro's cousin [[Eiji Toyoda]], took a trip to the United States where they trained at the [[Ford Motor Company]] and observed the operations of dozens of U.S. manufacturers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 7, Item 1: Training at the Ford Motor Company and Observation of American Machinery Manufacturers |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section7/item1.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The knowledge they gained during the trip, along with what the company learned making looms, gave rise to [[The Toyota Way]] (a management philosophy) and the [[Toyota Production System]] (a [[lean manufacturing]] practice) that transformed the company into a leader in the manufacturing industry.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2003-11-16/can-anything-stop-toyota |title=Can Anything Stop Toyota?: An inside look at how it's reinventing the auto industry |first1=Brian |last1=Bremner |first2=Chester |last2=Dawson |work=Business Week |location=US |date=November 17, 2003 |access-date=2023-12-10}}</ref>

[[File:1955 Toyopet Crown 03.jpg|thumb|Toyopet Crown, the first vehicle fully designed and built by Toyota]]

Toyota started developing its first full-fledged passenger car, the [[Toyota Crown|Toyopet Crown]], in 1952.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sen |first= Gautam|date=November 27, 2023 |title= Toyota Corona: The Car That Became the Vanguard of Japan Inc. |url= https://magazine.derivaz-ives.com/toyota-corona-the-car-that-became-the-vanguard-of-japan-inc/ |magazine= Derivaz & Ives|location= [[India]]|publisher= |access-date=December 15, 2023}}</ref> Prior to the Crown, Toyota had been outsourcing the design and manufacturing of auto bodies, which were then mounted on truck frames made by Toyota.<ref name="Toyopet Crown Development">{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 8, Item 3: Development of the model RS Toyopet Crown |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section8/item3_b.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The project was a major test for Toyota, who would need to build bodies and develop a new chassis that would be comfortable, but still stand up to the muddy, slow, unpaved roads common in Japan at the time.<ref name="Toyopet Crown Development" />{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The project had been championed for many years by founder Kiichiro Toyoda, who died suddenly on March 27, 1952. The first prototypes were completed in June 1953 and began extensive testing, before the Crown went on sale in August 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 8, Item 3: Development of the model RR Toyopet Master |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section8/item3_c.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The car was met with positive reviews from around the world.

After the introduction of the Crown, Toyota began aggressively expanding into the export market; the company entered [[Saudi Arabia]] for the first time in 1955 with Land Cruisers, following an agreement reached with Abdul Latif Jameel (founder of his [[Abdul Latif Jameel|company of the same name]]);<ref>{{cite news |last= Chahrour|first=Carla |date= 22 October 2020|title= The arrival of Toyota in Saudi Arabia|url= https://www.arabnews.jp/en/business/article_29519/|work=[[Arab News Japan]] |location= |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Lawrence|first=Miles |date=2 September 2016 |title=Abdul Latif Jameel: A Saudi-Japanese success story |url= https://english.alarabiya.net/business/aviation-and-transport/2016/09/02/Abdul-Latif-Jameel-A-Saudi-Japanese-success-story|work=[[Al Arabiya News]] |location= |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref> Toyota also brought Land Cruisers into neighboring [[Yemen]] in 1956.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bazaraa |first=Aidrous |date= 22 November 2007|title=We are preparing for the post- joining WTO era in more than one way |url= https://yementimes.com/aidrous-bazaraa-we-are-preparing-for-the-post-joining-wto-era-in-more-than-one-way-archives2007-1105-business-economy/|work=The [[Yemen Times]] Archives |location= |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref> In 1958, Toyota established a production facility in Brazil, the company's first outside of Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 9, Item 3a: Toyota's first production outside Japan at Toyota do Brasil |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section9/item3_a.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Koh |first=Yoree |date= August 26, 2013|title= Toyota Scrambles to Catch Up in Brazil|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324906304579036581891609224 |work= [[The Wall Street Journal]]|location= [[Tokyo]]|access-date=December 15, 2023}}</ref>

Toyota entered the United States market in 1958, attempting to sell the Toyopet Crown.<ref name="brooks">{{cite magazine |last= Brooks|first= Stephen|date=January 29, 2016|title= 2JZ-Powered 1970 Toyota Crown: A Brief History of the Toyota Crown in America |url= https://www.motortrend.com/features/1601-2jz-powered-1970-toyota-crown/ |magazine= [[Motor Trend]]|location= |publisher=[[Motor Trend Group]] |access-date=December 15, 2023}}</ref> The company faced problems almost immediately.  The company had to confront for the first time how its name sounded to native speakers of the English language; namely, "Toyota" has the English word "[[toy]]" in its first syllable. [[Toyota Motor Sales, USA]]'s first sales administrator James F. McGraw bluntly told his new Japanese supervisors after joining the company in 1959: "'Toy' sounds like a toy and toys break".<ref name="James_Page_44">{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Wanda |title=Driving from Japan: Japanese Cars in America |date=2005 |publisher=McFarland & Company |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn=9781476612805 |page=44 |edition=2007 reprint |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ixBeCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA44}}</ref>  The Crown was a flop in the U.S. market, with buyers finding it overpriced and underpowered (because it was designed for endurance on the bad roads of Japan, not high-speed performance on the [[Good Roads Movement|good roads]] of America).<ref name="brooks" />  In response, exports of the Crown to the United States were suspended in the early 1960s in favor of the Land Cruiser and the [[Toyota Tiara|Tiara]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 9, Item 5: Passenger car exports suspended |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/taking_on_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section9/item5_a.html |access-date=June 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref><ref name="brooks" />

After Kiichiro's death, his cousin [[Eiji Toyoda]] led the company for the two decades. Eiji helped establish the company's first plant independent from the Loom Works plant.{{sfn|Dawson|2004}}

===1960s–1970s===
{{primary|section|date=December 2023}}
[[File:Toyota 2000GT 1968 (4120827306).jpg|thumb|[[Toyota 2000GT]] (1967–1969)]]

At the start of the 1960s, the Japanese economy was booming, a period that came to be known as the [[Japanese economic miracle]]. As the economy grew, so did the income of everyday people, who now could afford to purchase a vehicle. At the same time, the Japanese government heavily invested in improving road infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 2, Chapter 1, Section 2, Item 1: The High Rate of Economic Growth and Motorization |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/entering_the_automotive_business/chapter1/section2/item1.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} To take advantage of the moment, Toyota and other automakers started offering affordable economy cars like the [[Toyota Corolla]], which became [[List of best-selling automobiles|the world's all-time best-selling automobile]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Corolla |url=http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2006/corolla/key_features/history.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620034142/http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2006/corolla/key_features/history.html |archive-date=June 20, 2006 |access-date=March 20, 2013 |publisher=Toyota |location=USA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Part 2, Chapter 1, Section 3, Item 1: Corolla |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/entering_the_automotive_business/chapter1/section3/item1.html |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=75 Years of Toyota}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}}

Toyota also found success in the United States in 1965 with the [[Toyota Corona]] compact car, which was redesigned specifically for the American market with a more powerful engine. The Corona helped increase U.S. sales of Toyota vehicles to more than 20,000 units in 1966 (a threefold increase) and helped the company become the third-best-selling import brand in the United States by 1967. Toyota's first manufacturing investment in the United States came in 1972 when the company struck a deal with Atlas Fabricators, to produce truck beds in Long Beach, in an effort to avoid the 25% "[[chicken tax]]" on imported light trucks. By importing the truck as an incomplete [[chassis cab]] (the truck without a bed), the vehicle only faced a 4% tariff.<ref name="ending chicken2">{{Cite web |last=Ikenson |first=Daniel |date=June 18, 2003 |title=Ending the 'Chicken War': The Case for Abolishing the 25 Percent Truck Tariff |url=http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6806 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921113753/http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6806 |archive-date=September 21, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011 |website=The Cato Institute}}</ref> Once in the United States, Atlas would build the truck beds and attach them to the trucks. The partnership was successful and two years later, Toyota purchased Atlas.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Toyota's TABC Plant Celebrates 40 Years of Manufacturing in California |date=August 21, 2012 |url=https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-tabc-plant-celebrates-40-years-manufacturing-california/ |access-date=June 2, 2021 |website=[[Toyota Motor North America]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gardnerweb.com/articles/toyota-manufacturing-in-america-40-years-on |title=Toyota Manufacturing in America 40 Years On |last=Vasilash |first=Gary S. |date=August 23, 2012 |website=gardnerweb.com |publisher=Gardner Business Media |access-date=December 15, 2023 |quote=}}</ref>

In Southeast Asia, Toyota made efforts to establish domestic production in the Philippines and Indonesia in early 1970s. In the Philippines, it partnered with local company [[Delta Motor Corporation]]. Toyota assisted Delta Motor with capital procurement and technology transfers. In 1973, Delta Motor commenced operations at a new plant, beginning local production of engine blocks for the Toyota Corona [[Toyota R engine#12R|12R]] engine and other parts. In Indonesia, Toyota established [[Toyota Astra Motor]] as a joint venture with local partner [[Astra International]] in 1971, and conducted significant retooling at the PT Gaya Motor assembly plant. The plant began assembling various models, including the Toyota Corona, Toyota Land Cruiser, large trucks, and the Toyota Corolla, with production surpassing 10,000 vehicles by 1973. For both countries, Toyota developed a [[basic utility vehicle]] (BUV) with the local partners to meet local needs and support technology transfers, in response to domestic production policies in Asia. The first prototype of the BUV was completed in January 1975. The BUV was launched as the Toyota Tamaraw in the Philippines in December 1976, and as the [[Toyota Kijang]] in June 1977. The vehicle was well received in both countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Item 6. Reinforcement of Local Assembly Systems |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/entering_the_automotive_business/chapter2/section5/item6.html |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Toyota Global}}</ref><ref name="Toy752">{{cite web |title=Overall Chronological Table: 1971-1980 |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/overall_chronological_table/1971.html |access-date=2014-01-18 |work=75 Years of Toyota |publisher=Toyota Motor Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Toyota Introduces BUV in the Philippines |url=https://global.toyota/en/detail/7595172 |access-date=2021-07-24 |website=Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website}}</ref>

The [[1970s energy crisis|energy crisis of the 1970s]] was a major turning point in the American auto industry. Before the crisis, large and heavy vehicles with powerful but inefficient engines were common. But in the years after, consumers started demanding high-quality and fuel-efficient small cars. Domestic automakers, in the midst of their [[malaise era]], struggled to build these cars profitably, but foreign automakers like Toyota were well positioned. This, along with growing [[Anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States|anti-Japanese sentiment]], prompted the U.S. Congress to consider import restrictions to protect the domestic auto industry.

The 1960s also saw the slight opening of the Japanese auto market to foreign companies. In an effort to strengthen Japan's auto industry ahead of the market opening, Toyota purchased stakes in other Japanese automakers. That included a stake in [[Hino Motors]], a manufacturer of large commercial trucks, buses and diesel engines, along with a 16.8 percent stake in [[Daihatsu]], a manufacturer of [[kei car]]s, the smallest highway-legal passenger vehicles sold in Japan.<ref name="NYT1995">{{Cite news |last=Pollack |first=Andrew |date=September 21, 1995 |title=Toyota Doubles Its Holdings in Daihatsu Motor of Japan |work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/21/business/international-business-toyota-doubles-its-holdings-in-daihatsu-motor-of-japan.html |access-date=December 27, 2016}}</ref> That began what became a long-standing partnership between Toyota and the two companies.

===1980s===
[[File:1987 Toyota Corolla (AE82) CS sedan (2015-11-11) 01.jpg|thumb|By the 1980s, the [[Toyota Corolla]] was one of the most popular cars in the world and became [[List of best-selling automobiles|the world's all-time best-selling automobile]].]]

After the successes of the 1970s, and the threats of import restrictions, Toyota started making additional investments in the North American market in the 1980s. In 1981, Japan agreed to [[Voluntary export restraint#1980 Automobile VER|voluntary export restraints]], which limited the number of vehicles the nation would send to the United States each year, leading Toyota to establish assembly plants in North America. The U.S. government also closed the loophole that allowed Toyota to pay lower taxes by building truck beds in America.

Also in 1981, Eiji Toyoda stepped down as president and assumed the title of chairman. He was succeeded as president by [[Shoichiro Toyoda]], the son of the company's founder.{{sfn|Dawson|2004}} Within months, Shoichiro started to merge Toyota's sales and production organizations, and in 1982 the combined companies became the Toyota Motor Corporation. The two groups were described as "oil and water" and it took years of leadership from Shoichiro to successfully combine them into one organization.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hino |first=Satoshi |year=2006 |title=Inside the Mind of Toyota |page=24 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9781563273001}}</ref>

In Japan, Toyota offered mid-level luxury cars that were a class below the Crown and Century and offered hardtop coupes and sedans. The [[Toyota Supra|Supra]], [[Toyota Mark II|Mark II]], [[Toyota Cresta|Cresta]] and [[Toyota Chaser|Chaser]] offered several trim packages with different engine displacements to provide buyers with [[Road tax#Japan|annual road tax]] advantages. At the same time, sports cars like [[Toyota Celica|Celica]], [[Toyota Corolla Levin|Corolla Levin]] and [[Toyota Sprinter Trueno|Sprinter Trueno]] sold very well.

Efforts to open a Toyota assembly plant in the United States started in 1980, with the company proposing a joint-venture with the [[Ford Motor Company]]. Those talks broke down in July 1981.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Website {{!}} 75 Years of Toyota {{!}} Section 3. Local Production Starts in North America {{!}} Item 1. Negotiations with Ford |url=https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/text/leaping_forward_as_a_global_corporation/chapter1/section3/item1.html |access-date=June 29, 2021 |website=www.toyota-global.com}}</ref> Eventually in 1984, the company struck a deal with [[General Motors]] (GM) to establish a joint-venture vehicle manufacturing plant called [[NUMMI]] (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) in [[Fremont, California]].<ref name="atc2010">{{Cite web |last=Siegel |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Siegel |date=March 26, 2010 |title=The End Of The Line For GM-Toyota Joint Venture |url=http://ww.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=125229157 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423033037/http://ww.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=125229157 |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |access-date=April 7, 2010 |website=[[All Things Considered]] |publisher=[[National Public Radio]] }}</ref> GM saw the joint venture as a way to get access to a quality small car and an opportunity to learn about The Toyota Way and the Toyota Production System. For Toyota, the factory gave the company its first manufacturing base in North America allowing it to avoid any future tariffs on imported vehicles and saw GM as a partner who could show them how to navigate the American labor environment. The plant would be led by [[Tatsuro Toyoda]], the younger brother of company president Shoichiro Toyoda.<ref name="Lyon 2018">{{Cite web |last=Lyon |first=Peter |date=January 9, 2018 |title=The Lasting Legacy Of Toyota's Tatsuro Toyoda: A Ground-Breaking Joint Venture In The U.S. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2018/01/09/toyotas-former-president-and-champion-of-prius-hybrid-tatsuro-toyoda-dies-at-88/ |access-date=August 6, 2021 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref> The first Toyota assembled in America, a white Corolla, rolled off the line at NUMMI on October 7, 1986.<ref name="timeline">{{Cite web |title=timeline |url=http://www.nummi.com/timeline.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402121111/http://www.nummi.com/timeline.php |archive-date=April 2, 2010 |access-date=November 30, 2013 |publisher=NUMMI}}</ref>

Toyota received its first Japanese Quality Control Award at the start of the 1980s and began participating in a wide variety of [[#Motorsports|motorsports]]. Conservative Toyota held on to [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|rear-wheel-drive]] designs for longer than most; while a clear first in overall production they were only third in production of front-wheel-drive cars in 1983, behind [[Nissan]] and [[Honda]]. In part due to this, Nissan's [[Nissan Sunny|Sunny]] managed to squeeze by the Corolla in numbers built that year.<ref name="whp19">{{Cite journal |last=Hattori |first=Yoshi |date=June 1984 |title=Japan: Minica magic |journal=[[Wheels (magazine)|Wheels]] |location=Sydney, Australia |publisher=Murray Publishers |page=19 |quote=Nissan built 1,200,000 front wheel drives, Honda about one million, and Toyota 800,000. Mazda was fourth, with 700,000 front wheel drive cars. |ref=Wh0684}}</ref>

[[File:Lexus LS 400 UCF10 I.jpg|thumb|The Lexus LS 400 went on sale in May 1989 and was seen as being largely responsible for the successful launch of Lexus.]]

Before the decade was out, Toyota introduced [[Lexus]], a new division that was formed to market and service luxury vehicles in international markets. Prior to the debut of Lexus, Toyota's two existing flagship models, the [[Toyota Crown|Crown]] and [[Toyota Century|Century]], both catered exclusively for the Japanese market and had little global appeal that could compete with international luxury brands such as [[Mercedes-Benz]], [[BMW]] and [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]]. The company had been developing the brand and vehicles in secret since August 1983, at a cost of over US$1 billion.{{sfn|Dawson|2004|page=4}}{{sfn|May|2006|p=43}} The [[Lexus LS#XF10|LS 400]] flagship full-size sedan debuted in 1989 to strong sales, and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the Lexus marque.

===1990s===
[[File:1994 Toyota Supra Sport Roof in Red, front left.jpg|thumb|The Toyota Supra (JZA80) is one of the most recognized Japanese sports cars.]]
[[File:1998 Toyota Prius NHW10 Silver Strara Metallic (front).jpg|thumb|Toyota Prius, first generation (NHW10 1997–2000) the first mass produced [[hybrid car]] ]]

In the 1990s, Toyota began to branch out from producing mostly compact cars by adding many larger and more luxurious vehicles to its lineup, including a full-sized pickup, the [[Toyota T100|T100]] (and later the [[Toyota Tundra|Tundra]]), several lines of SUVs, a sport version of the [[Toyota Camry|Camry]], known as the [[Toyota Solara|Camry Solara]]. They would also launch newer iterations of their sports cars, namely the [[Toyota MR2|MR2]], [[Toyota Celica|Celica]], and [[Toyota Supra|Supra]] during this era.

In Japan, Toyota continued to cater to the growing demand for mid-level luxury cars and offered several conventional and pillared hardtops sedans at its Japanese dealership network. The [[Toyota Soarer|Soarer]], [[Toyota Mark II|Mark II]], [[Toyota Cresta|Cresta]], [[Toyota Chaser|Chaser]], [[Toyota Corona EXiV|Corona EXiV]], and [[Toyota Carina ED|Carina ED]] found many buyers. At the same time, sports cars like the [[Toyota Supra|Supra]], [[Toyota Celica|Celica]], [[Toyota MR2|MR2]], [[Toyota Corolla Levin|Corolla Levin]], [[Toyota Sprinter Trueno|Sprinter Trueno]], and even the subcompact [[Toyota Starlet (P80)|Starlet GT]] reflected a time of prosperity.

December 1997 saw the introduction of the [[Toyota Prius (XW10)|first-generation Toyota Prius]], the first mass-produced [[Hybrid electric vehicle|gasoline-electric hybrid]] car.<ref name="toyoland-chronology">{{cite web|title=Toyota Prius Chronological History|url=http://www.toyoland.com/prius/chronology.html|access-date=November 6, 2009}}</ref> The vehicle would be produced exclusively for the Japanese market for the first two years.

With a major presence in Europe, due to the success of [[Toyota Team Europe]] in motorsport, the corporation decided to set up Toyota Motor Europe Marketing and Engineering, [[Toyota Motor Europe|TMME]], to help market vehicles in the continent. Two years later, Toyota set up a base in the United Kingdom, [[TMUK]], as the company's cars had become very popular among British drivers. Bases in [[Indiana]], [[Virginia]], and [[Tianjin]] were also set up.

Toyota also increased its ownership of Daihatsu during this period. In 1995, Toyota increased its shareholding in the company to 33.4 percent, giving Toyota the ability to veto shareholder resolutions at the annual meeting.<ref name="NYT1995" /> In 1998, Toyota increased its holding in the company to 51.2 percent, becoming the majority shareholder.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 28, 1998 |title=Toyota to take over Daihatsu Motor |work=The Japan Times |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/1998/08/28/national/toyota-to-take-over-daihatsu-motor/#.WGKRwNIrKM8 |access-date=December 27, 2016}}</ref>

On September 29, 1999, the company decided to list itself on the [[New York Stock Exchange|New York]] and [[London Stock Exchange]]s.

The later half of the 1990s would also see the Toyoda brothers step back from the company their father had founded. In 1992, Shoichiro Toyoda would shift to become chairman, allowing his brother Tatsuro to become president, a job he held until his retirement in 1995.<ref name="Lyon 2018" /> Shoichiro would step down as chairman in 1999. Both would retain honorary advisory roles in the company. [[Hiroshi Okuda]] would lead the company as president from 1995 until 1999 when he became chairman and the President's office would be filled by [[Fujio Cho]].

===2000s===
[[File:R&D Center of Toyota Susono Shizuoka.jpg|thumb|Toyota East Fuji Research and Development Center]]

In August 2000, exports began of the Prius.<ref name="toyoland-chronology" /> In 2001, Toyota acquired its long time partner, truck and bus manufacturer [[Hino Motors]]. In 2002, Toyota entered [[Formula One]] competition and established a manufacturing joint venture in France with French automakers [[Citroën]] and [[Peugeot]]. A youth-oriented marque for North America, [[Scion (automobile)|Scion]], was introduced in 2003. Toyota ranked eighth on [[Forbes 2000]] list of the world's leading companies for the year 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Forbes Global 2000 |work=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/results.jhtml?passListId=18&passYear=2004&passListType=Company&searchParameter1=unset&searchParameter2=unset&resultsStart=1&resultsHowMany=100&resultsSortProperties=%2Bnumberfield1%2C%2Bstringfield2&resultsSortCategoryName=rank&passKeyword=&category1=category&category2=category&fromColumnClick=true |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524102554/http://www.forbes.com/lists/results.jhtml?passListId=18&passYear=2004&passListType=Company&searchParameter1=unset&searchParameter2=unset&resultsStart=1&resultsHowMany=100&resultsSortProperties=%2Bnumberfield1,%2Bstringfield2&resultsSortCategoryName=rank&passKeyword=&category1=category&category2=category&fromColumnClick=true |archive-date=May 24, 2006}}</ref> Also in 2005, Fujio Cho would shift to become chairman of Toyota and would be replaced as president by [[Katsuaki Watanabe]].

In 2007, Toyota released an update of its full-sized truck, the Tundra, produced in two American factories, one in Texas and one in Indiana. ''Motor Trend'' named the 2007 [[Toyota Camry]] "Car of the Year" for 2007. It also began the construction of two new factories, one in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, and the other in Blue Springs, Mississippi, USA.

The company was number one in global automobile sales for the first quarter of 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 24, 2008 |title=Toyota Claims World's Best-Selling Automaker Title |work=Automotive |publisher=US News |url=http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080424-Toyota-Claims-World-s-Best-Selling-Automaker-Title/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029033432/http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080424-Toyota-Claims-World-s-Best-Selling-Automaker-Title/ |archive-date=October 29, 2008}}</ref>

Toyota was affected by the [[2008 financial crisis]] and in December 2008 it had its first annual loss in 70 years.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Vlasic |first1=Bill |last2=Fackler |first2=Martin |date=December 23, 2008 |title=Car Slump Jolts Toyota, Halting 70 Years of Gain |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/business/23auto.html?_r=1&fta=y |url-status=live |access-date=January 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904024627/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/business/23auto.html?_r=1&fta=y |archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref> In January 2009, it announced the closure of all of its Japanese plants for 11 days to reduce output and stocks of unsold vehicles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fackler |first=Martin |date=January 7, 2009 |title=Toyota to Shut Factories for 11 Days |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/business/worldbusiness/07toyota.html?bl&ex=1231390800&en=be40ce4593ec2976&ei=5087%0A |url-status=live |access-date=January 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206003257/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/business/worldbusiness/07toyota.html?bl&ex=1231390800&en=be40ce4593ec2976&ei=5087%0A |archive-date=February 6, 2016}}</ref>

In October 2009, Toyota announced that they were establishing an office in South Korea and launched the Camry sedan, Camry hybrid, Prius and the RAV4 during the launching event at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/10/123_53916.html |title=Toyotas New Models Challenge Hyundai Motor |first=Jane |last=Han |publisher=Korea Times |date=October 20, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2022}}</ref>

Between 2009 and 2011, Toyota [[2009–2011 Toyota vehicle recalls|conducted recalls]] of millions of vehicles after reports that several drivers experienced [[Sudden unintended acceleration|unintended acceleration]]. The recalls were to prevent a front driver's side [[Car mat|floor mat]] from sliding into the [[Automobile pedal|foot pedal]] well, causing the pedals to become trapped and to correct the possible mechanical sticking of the [[accelerator pedal]].<ref name="pressroom.toyota.com" /> At least 37 were killed in crashes allegedly related to unintended acceleration,<ref name="Healey 2010" /> approximately 9 million cars and trucks were recalled,<ref name="CSM" /> Toyota was sued for personal injuries and wrongful deaths,<ref name="Hirsch 2013" /> paid {{USD|1 billion}} to settle a class action lawsuit to compensate owners for lost resale value,<ref name="Zalubowski 2012" /> and paid a {{USD|1.2 billion}} criminal penalty to the United States government over accusations that it had intentionally hid information about safety defects and had made deceptive statements to protect its brand image.<ref name="fined2" />

[[File:Akio Toyoda.jpg|thumb|Akio Toyoda was named President of Toyota in 2009, pictured in 2011.]]

Amid the unintended acceleration scandal, Katsuaki Watanabe stepped down as company president. He was replaced by [[Akio Toyoda]], grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda, on June 23, 2009. Akio had been with Toyota since 1984, working jobs in production, marketing and product development, and took a seat on the board of directors in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Akio Toyoda bio|url=https://global.toyota/en/company/profile/executives/board-of-director/akio_toyoda.html|access-date=August 5, 2021|website=Toyota Motor Corporation|language=en}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} Akio's promotion by the board marked the return of a member of the Toyoda family to the top leadership role for the first time since 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2009 |title=Toyota names Akio Toyoda as next president |url=http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/01/09/Toyota-names-Akio-Toyoda-as-next-president/UPI-99791231535710/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328134246/https://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/01/09/Toyota-names-Akio-Toyoda-as-next-president/UPI-99791231535710/ |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |access-date=July 25, 2009 |publisher=UPI.com}}</ref>

=== 2010s ===
In 2011, Toyota, along with large parts of the Japanese [[automotive industry]], suffered from a series of natural disasters. The [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] led to a severe disruption of the supplier base and a drop in production and exports.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Toyota's Financials Hit By Earthquake |work=Thetruthaboutcars.com |url=http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/08/toyotas-financials-hit-by-earthquake |url-status=live |access-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017120858/http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/08/toyotas-financials-hit-by-earthquake/ |archive-date=October 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 29, 2011 |title=This Is A Tsunami Wave |work=Thetruthaboutcars.com |url=http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/07/this-is-a-tsunami-wave |url-status=live |access-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017120457/http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/07/this-is-a-tsunami-wave/ |archive-date=October 17, 2013}}</ref> Severe flooding during the 2011 [[monsoon]] season in Thailand affected Japanese automakers that had chosen Thailand as a production base. Toyota is estimated to have lost production of 150,000 units to the tsunami and production of 240,000 units to the floods.

On February 10, 2014, it was announced that Toyota would cease manufacturing vehicles and engines in Australia by the end of 2017.<ref name="toyota-exit">{{Cite news |last=Dunckley |first=Mathew |date=February 10, 2014 |title=Toyota confirms exit from Australian manufacturing in 2017 |work=Port Macquarie News |url=http://www.portnews.com.au/story/2078487/toyota-confirms-exit-from-australian-manufacturing-in-2017/?cs=2452 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221175235/http://www.portnews.com.au/story/2078487/toyota-confirms-exit-from-australian-manufacturing-in-2017/?cs=2452 |archive-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ToyotaExitsAustralianManufacturing">{{Cite press release |title=Toyota Australia Announces Future Plan For Local Manufacturing |date=February 10, 2014 |publisher=Toyota |location=Australia |url=http://www.toyota.com.au/news/toyota-australia-announces-future-plan-for-local-manufacturing |access-date=February 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222153203/http://www.toyota.com.au/news/toyota-australia-announces-future-plan-for-local-manufacturing |archive-date=February 22, 2014}}</ref> The decision was based on the unfavourable Australian dollar making exports not viable, the high cost of local manufacture, and the high amount of competition in a relatively small local market.<ref name="ToyotaExitsAustralianManufacturing" />{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} The company planned to consolidate its corporate functions in Melbourne by the end of 2017, and retain its Altona plant for other functions. The workforce was expected to be reduced from 3,900 to 1,300.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Toyota Australia announces its future plans |date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=Toyota |location=Australia |url=http://www.toyota.com.au/news/toyota-australia-announces-its-future-plans |access-date=March 18, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324100021/http://www.toyota.com.au/news/toyota-australia-announces-its-future-plans |archive-date=March 24, 2016}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=December 2023}} Both [[Ford Motor Company]] and [[General Motors]] ([[Holden]]) followed suit, ending Australian production in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The automaker narrowly topped global sales for the first half of 2014, selling 5.1 million vehicles in the six months ending June 30, 2014, an increase of 3.8% on the same period the previous year. [[Volkswagen AG]], which recorded sales of 5.07 million vehicles, was close behind.<ref name="AutoSales">{{Cite news |title=World biggest carmaker tag retained by Toyota |publisher=The Japan News.Net |url=http://www.thejapannews.net/index.php/sid/224277905/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/World-biggest-carmaker-tag-retained-by-Toyota |url-status=dead |access-date=July 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053950/http://www.thejapannews.net/index.php/sid/224277905/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/World-biggest-carmaker-tag-retained-by-Toyota |archive-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref>

In August 2014, Toyota announced it would be cutting its spare-parts prices in China by up to 35%. The company admitted the move was in response to a probe foreshadowed earlier in the month by China's [[National Development and Reform Commission]] of Toyota's Lexus spare-parts policies, as part of an industry-wide investigation into what the Chinese regulator considers exorbitantly high prices being charged by automakers for spare parts and after-sales servicing.<ref name="ToyotaChina">{{Cite news |date=August 21, 2014 |title=Anti-trust probe forces Toyota to cut auto spare parts prices in China |publisher=Asia Pacific Star |url=http://www.asiapacificstar.com/index.php/sid/224972433 |url-status=dead |access-date=August 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120735/http://www.asiapacificstar.com/index.php/sid/224972433 |archive-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref>

In November 2015, the company announced that it would invest {{USD|1 billion}} over the next five years into [[artificial intelligence]] and robotics research.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Heather |date=November 5, 2015 |title=Toyota to invest $1 billion into artificial intelligence |publisher=[[CNNMoney]] |url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/11/05/technology/toyota-ai-research/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109083239/http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/05/technology/toyota-ai-research/index.html |archive-date=November 9, 2015}}</ref> In 2016, Toyota invested in [[Uber]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=May 24, 2016 |title=Toyota is establishing a 'strategic partnership' with Uber, which is a really big deal |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/24/11762420/oyota-uber-partnership-investment-announced |url-status=live |access-date=May 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805061225/https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/24/11762420/oyota-uber-partnership-investment-announced |archive-date=August 5, 2017}}</ref> In 2020, a corporate governance report showed that Toyota owns 10.25 million shares of Uber, which was valued at $292.46 million as of March 30, 2020. According to Reuters, this was roughly 0.6 percent of Uber's outstanding shares.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 24, 2020 |title=Toyota holds $293 million stake in Uber, governance report shows |publisher=[[Reuters]]|location=US |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-toyota-shareholdings-idUSKBN23V1PN |access-date=November 8, 2020}}</ref>

In March 2016, Toyota partnered with [[Yanmar]] to create a fiberglass pleasure boat using Yanmar outboard marine diesel engines or Toyota inboard engines.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 10, 2016 |title='ガリバー'ヤマハの牙城を崩せるか!? トヨタとヤンマーがプレジャーボートでタッグ |language=ja |trans-title='Gulliver' Can you break down the stronghold of Yamaha? Toyota and Yanmar join to make a pleasure boat |work=My Navi |url=http://news.mynavi.jp/articles/2016/03/10/marin/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809213837/http://news.mynavi.jp/articles/2016/03/10/marin/ |archive-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref>

In August 2016, the company purchased all remaining assets of Daihatsu, making the manufacturer of small cars a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toyota completes full takeover of Daihatsu |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/01/business/corporate-business/toyota-completes-full-takeover-daihatsu/ |access-date=August 1, 2016 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |archive-date=August 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803002949/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/01/business/corporate-business/toyota-completes-full-takeover-daihatsu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On August 27, 2018, Toyota announced an investment of {{USD|500 million}} in [[Uber]]'s [[autonomous car]]s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 27, 2018 |title=Toyota To Invest $500 Mln Uber To Develop Driverless Car: WSJ |work=[[Business Insider]] |url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/toyota-to-invest-500-mln-uber-to-develop-driverless-car-wsj-1027487944 |url-status=live |access-date=August 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828134445/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/toyota-to-invest-500-mln-uber-to-develop-driverless-car-wsj-1027487944 |archive-date=August 28, 2018}}</ref>

In October 2019, Toyota backed the Trump Administration's proposal that federal authority should override California's ability to set its own emissions standards for automobiles. The proposal would reduce California's 2025 fuel efficiency standard from about 54.5 to 37 MPG.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hsu |first=Tiffany |date=October 29, 2019 |title=Toyota's Support of Trump Emissions Rules Shocks Californians |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/business/toyota-california-emissions-honda-gm-chrysler.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102175427/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/business/toyota-california-emissions-honda-gm-chrysler.html |archive-date=November 2, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> This shift by Toyota away from fuel efficiency damaged the company's reputation as a [[green brand]].<ref name="Grandoni 2020">{{Cite news |last=Grandoni |first=Dino |date=July 17, 2020 |title=Analysis – The Energy 202: Toyota faces revolt from eco-conscious customers after siding with Trump |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/11/06/the-energy-202-toyota-faces-revolt-from-eco-conscious-customers-after-siding-with-trump/5dc1bc52602ff1184c3161f5/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106173432/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/11/06/the-energy-202-toyota-faces-revolt-from-eco-conscious-customers-after-siding-with-trump/5dc1bc52602ff1184c3161f5/ |archive-date=November 6, 2019 |access-date=January 15, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |quote=[Toyota] is not the only car company taking the Trump administration's side in the high-stakes legal fight. But Toyota's position may be particularly risky since it has spent decades cultivating an environmentally conscious reputation for pioneering the Prius, the first mass-market hybrid in the United States, along with other hybrid cars. Some Toyota owners, drawn to what they thought was a green brand, are in open revolt against the automaker. They're sending complaints to the company, taking to social media to call for boycotts and promising to buy cars that sided with California in its fight with President Trump.}}</ref><ref name="The New York Times 2021" />

===2020s===
[[File:SZ 深圳 Shenzhen 寶安區 Bao'An 歡樂港灣商場 OH Bay Baoan Shopping Mall shop Toyota car showroom July 2023 Px3 01.jpg|thumb|Toyota [[Showroom]] in [[Shenzhen]], China]]

By 2020, Toyota reclaimed its position as the largest automaker in the world, surpassing [[Volkswagen Group|Volkswagen]].<ref name="yahoo-news">{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2021 |title=Toyota beats Volkswagen to become World's No.1 car seller in 2020 |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/toyota-beats-volkswagen-become-worlds-064728076.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128235501/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/toyota-beats-volkswagen-become-worlds-064728076.html |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |website=[[Yahoo! News]]}}</ref> It sold 9.528 million vehicles globally despite an 11.3% drop in sales due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="yahoo-news" /> This includes subsidiaries [[Daihatsu]] and [[Hino Motors]].<ref name="yahoo-news" /><ref name="2020-sales">{{Cite news |first=Michelle |last=Toh |title=Toyota overtakes Volkswagen as world's biggest automaker |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/business/toyota-volkswagen-japan-germany-intl-hnk/index.html}}</ref>

On April 2, 2020, [[BYD Auto|BYD]] and Toyota announced a new joint venture between the two companies called BYD Toyota EV Technology Co., Ltd., with the aim of "developing BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) that appeal to customers."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lambert|first=Fred|date=April 2, 2020|title=Toyota launches new electric car company with BYD|url=https://electrek.co/2020/04/02/toyota-electric-car-company-byd/|access-date=September 28, 2020|website=Electrek|language=en-US}}</ref>

In March 2021, Toyota, its subsidiary Hino, and Isuzu announced the creation of a strategic partnership between the three companies. Toyota acquired a 4.6% stake in Isuzu while the latter plans to acquire Toyota shares for an equivalent value. The three companies said they would form a new joint venture by April called Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation with the aim of developing [[fuel cell vehicle|fuel cell]] and [[electric vehicle|electric]] light trucks. Toyota would own an 80% stake in the venture while Hino and Isuzu would own 10% each.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2021 |title=Toyota and Isuzu to take stake in each other to co-develop new vehicles |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/25/business/corporate-business/toyota-isuzu-joint-venture/ |website=Japan Times |access-date=April 6, 2021 |archive-date=June 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617091154/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/25/business/corporate-business/toyota-isuzu-joint-venture/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In April 2021, Toyota said that it will buy [[Lyft]]'s self-driving technology unit for $550 million and merge it with its newly created [[Woven Planet Holdings]] automation division.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2021 |title=Toyota to buy Lyft unit in boost to self-driving plans |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lyft-sells-self-driving-tech-unit-toyota-550-mln-moves-up-profit-timeline-2021-04-26/ |access-date=April 28, 2021 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In June 2021, the company defended its donations to the United States [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] lawmakers after they [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|voted against certifying the results]] of the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]], saying it did not believe it was "appropriate to judge members of Congress" for that one vote.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choi |first=Joseph |date=June 27, 2021 |title=Toyota defends donations to lawmakers who objected to certifying election |url=https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/automobiles/560472-toyota-defends-donations-to-lawmakers-who-objected-to |access-date=June 28, 2021 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|location=US}}</ref> A report by [[Axios (website)|Axios]] found that Toyota was the top donor to 2020 election objectors, by a substantial margin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toyota is the no. 1 donor to 2020 election objectors — by far |url=https://news.yahoo.com/toyota-no-1-donor-2020-204446039.html |access-date=June 28, 2021 |website=[[Yahoo! News]] |location=US}}</ref> The company then reversed course in July 2021 and ceased donations to election objectors, releasing a statement saying it understood that its PAC's donations to those objectors, which far outpaced those of any other company, "troubled some stakeholders."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Markay |first=Lachlan |title=Toyota to cease donations to election objectors |url=https://www.axios.com/toyota-cease-donations-election-objectors-180432b0-acb5-4cbe-97ec-f4de95370cbe.html |access-date=July 8, 2021 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=July 8, 2021 |location=US}}</ref> Toyota resumed donations after a six-month pause.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Kate |title=Toyota resumes political donations to 2020 presidential election objectors |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/toyota-political-donations-to-election-objectors/ |access-date=July 12, 2023 |work=CBS News |location=US |date=April 25, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2021, Toyota announced that it would invest {{currency|8 trillion|JPY}} ($70 billion at 2021 exchange rate) in electric vehicles by 2030, launch 30 EV models worldwide by that year, and set a sales target of 3.5 million electric vehicles in 2030.<ref name="Kyodo News 2021">{{cite web|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/9cfbdbbc9e50-urgent-toyota-sets-annual-global-sales-target-of-35-mil-evs-in-2030.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315004331/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/9cfbdbbc9e50-urgent-toyota-sets-annual-global-sales-target-of-35-mil-evs-in-2030.html|title=Toyota sets global sales target of 3.5 mil. electric vehicles in 2030|publisher=[[Kyodo News]]|date=December 14, 2021|archive-date=March 15, 2022}}</ref>

Toyota will increase its software engineer intake to around 40% to 50% of all technical hires from the second quarter of 2022, the move plans to address a transformation to so-called CASE — connected, autonomous, [[Shared transport|shared]] and electric — technologies in an environment of intensifying global competition.<ref>[https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/26/business/corporate-business/toyota-electric-vehicles-jobs/ Toyota to boost hiring of software engineers to 50% of technical staff intake] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803115134/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/26/business/corporate-business/toyota-electric-vehicles-jobs/ |date=August 3, 2021 }}, [[The Japan Times]], April 26, 2021</ref>

In 2021, Toyota told some of its suppliers to increase their semiconductor inventory levels from the conventional three months to five months in response to the [[2020-2021 global chip shortage|COVID-19 chip shortage]].<ref name=Nikkei/> The [[Lean manufacturing|"just-in-time" supply chain]] in which parts are only delivered when necessary, had already been revised after the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami]] in Japan, lifting inventories across the entire procurement network.<ref name=Nikkei>{{cite news |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Toyota-ditches-signature-just-in-time-to-fight-chip-crunch |title=Toyota ditches signature 'just-in-time' to fight chip crunch |work=[[Nikkei Asia]] |date=September 15, 2021 |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> The time it takes Toyota to turn over its inventory increased by around 40% during the past ten years, to 36.36 days {{as of|2021|March|lc=y}}.<ref name=Nikkei/>

In June 2022, Toyota recalled 2,700 of its first mass-produced all-electric vehicles due to worries that their wheels could fall off during driving. It was discovered that the bolts on the bZ4X's wheels could loosen up to the point where the wheel simply detaches from the car, causing a loss of control over the vehicle and possible accident.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61919424 | title=Toyota recalls electric cars over concerns about loose wheels | date=June 24, 2022 | publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=June 24, 2022}}</ref>

In August 2022, Toyota pledged up to $5.6 billion towards electric vehicle battery production and announced an increase in investment in its plant near [[Greensboro, North Carolina]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frangoul |first=Anmar |title=Toyota pledges up to $5.6 billion for EV battery production, ramps up investment in North Carolina plant |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/31/toyota-says-it-will-invest-extra-2point5-billion-in-north-carolina-plant.html |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=[[CNBC]]|date=August 31, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Boudette |first=Neal E. |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Toyota adds $2.5 billion to its investment in a North Carolina battery plant. |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/31/business/energy-environment/toyota-battery-plant-north-carolina.html |access-date=September 2, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Also in 2022, Toyota managed to maintain its position as the world's best-selling automaker for the third year in a row.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 30, 2023 |title=Toyota n°1 mondial de l'automobile en 2022 pour la 3e année d'affilée |url=https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/entreprises/industries/toyota-ndeg1-mondial-de-l-automobile-en-2022-pour-la-3e-annee-d-affilee_AD-202301300097.html |access-date=February 14, 2023 |website=BFM TV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 30, 2023 |title=Toyota defends title as world's top-selling automaker in 2022 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-defends-title-worlds-top-selling-automaker-2022-2023-01-30/ |access-date=February 14, 2023 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In 2022, Toyota signed a {{GBP|11.3 million}} deal with the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] to develop [[Hydrogen vehicle|hydrogen-powered]] [[pickup truck]]s. The [[Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]] is investing {{GBP|5.6 million}} in the research scheme, based at [[Burnaston]], with a further {{GBP|5.7 million}} coming through the [[Advanced Propulsion Centre]] UK (APC).<ref>{{Cite news|lang=en|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-63827102|title=Toyota in £11.3m government deal to develop hydrogen pickup trucks|website=BBC|date=December 2, 2022 |access-date=2024-02-07|archive-date=2024-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120112912/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-63827102}}</ref>

In January 2023, Toyota CEO and President [[Akio Toyoda]] announced that he was stepping down and passing the position on to Koji Sato. Akio is the great-grandson of company founder Rizaburo Toyoda. Sato had previously run Lexus, Toyota's luxury car brand. The change is set to take effect on April 1, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Toh |first=Michelle |date=January 26, 2023 |title=Toyota names new CEO as Akio Toyoda steps down {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/26/business/japan-toyota-ceo-steps-down-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=January 26, 2023 |website=[[CNN]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Yamazaki |first1=Makiko |last2=Krolicki |first2=Kevin |date=January 26, 2023 |title=Lexus chief to take over Toyota as founder's grandson steps down |language=en |work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-president-akio-toyoda-become-chairman-2023-01-26/ |access-date=January 26, 2023}}</ref>

In 2023, after negotiating with the unions, Toyota implemented the largest increase in employee wages in 20 years.<ref>{{Cite news|lang=en|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64740171|title=Toyota and Honda announce biggest pay rises in decades|website=BBC|date=February 23, 2023 |access-date=2024-02-07|archive-date=2024-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131035222/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64740171}}</ref>

In July 2024, Toyota announced plans to build an electric car cell plant in Fukuoka and export them to the rest of Asia.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-07-26 |title=Toyota Plans to Build Electric Car Cell Plant in Fukuoka, Nikkei Reports |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-26/toyota-plans-to-build-electric-car-cell-plant-in-fukuoka-nikkei |access-date=2024-07-26 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref>

In October 18 2024, Toyota announced to return to Formula 1 after a 15-year absence, partnering with the US-based Haas team.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-11 |title=Toyota to return to F1 with Haas as 'technical partner' |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/cly6xgld5npo |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In November 2024, Toyota and [[Joby Aviation]] completed an air taxi test flight in Japan using an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Toyota had invested $394 million to Joby as part of a strategic alliance on commercial manufacturing.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Toyota to invest $500 million in electric air taxi company Joby Aviation |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-invest-500-million-electric-air-taxi-company-joby-aviation-2024-10-02/ |first=David |last=Shepardson |work=Reuters |location=US |date=2024-10-02 |access-date=2024-12-16}}</ref>