Editing Toyota (section)

===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>