Toyota builds its 300-millionth vehicle

Toyota has announced it has produced its 300 millionth vehicle, achieving the milestone in October 2023. 

The world’s biggest car maker in 2022 produced its first vehicle – a Model G1 truck – in 1935 to launch the Automotive Production Division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Limited, which became Toyota Industries Corporation.

The automotive division was separated to become Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937.

Toyota Motor Corporation took until 1985 to make its 50-millionth vehicle, with the 100 millionth rolling off the production line in 1997.

In June 2012, the 200 millionth Toyota was made. 

Hitting 300.12 million at the end of October 2023, the car maker’s total domestic production in Japan has reached 180.52 million, while international factories have manufactured 119.6 million vehicles. 

The all-time figure includes 3.5 million vehicles produced in Australia at its Altona factory in Melbourne's south-west, which produced cars for both local consumption and export to the Middle East between 1963 and 2017.

The Toyota Corolla – now in its 12th generation – represents the biggest share of the pie, with 53.399 million manufactured since 1966, arriving in Australia the following year.

“This history did not just start when [Toyota founders] built the first car,” Chairman and Master Driver Akio Toyoda said in a media statement to mark the achievement.   

“The founding members repeatedly tried and failed, continually building prototypes, and their efforts led to the Toyota of today. Toyota has faced danger time and again to this point. Each time, what has saved us are the customers who love Toyota cars.

“I think the number of cars tells the stories of our customers, and the customers who have chosen Toyota cars to be their partners through their own stories are what allow us to continue making cars to this day.

“I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. I love cars, too, and we will carry on making cars, one by one and with care, along with all our car-loving colleagues.”

Toyota took over from Holden as the best-selling brand in Australia for the first time in 1991 and has held the number one spot for the past 25 years. 

While Toyota leads the Australian sales charts overall at the end of October 2023 by a significant margin, its most popular vehicle, the HiLux – which has been the number one selling vehicle in Australia every year since 2015 – is locked in a tight battle with the Ford Ranger for the top spot.