Toyota in Europe

Six decades of growth in Europe

Our European story started in a very modest way. This was when small numbers of imported vehicles were brought here from Japan in the early 1960s. Since those days we have invested in making Europe one of our most important and vibrant global markets – not just for selling cars, but a place for designing, engineering and building them. 

Since 1963

In 1963, 400 Toyota Crowns were shipped from Japan to our first European distributor – Erla Auto – thus starting Toyota’s long involvement in Europe. 

 >25,000 

We directly employ over 25,000 people across Europe. 

EUR 11 bn 

Since establishing our first operations facilities in the 1990s we have invested over EUR 11 bn locally.

8 plants in 6 countries 

We operate 8 manufacturing plants in 6 countries in Europe. 

EUR 6 bn/year 

We spend over EUR 6 bn with 400 European-based suppliers annually. 

53 countries 

We operate a network of 28 National Marketing and Sales Companies in 53 countries. 

3000 dealerships 

A network of over 3000 Toyota and Lexus authorised retailers. 

23 logistic centres 

14 parts logistics centres & 9 vehicle logistic centres.

European cars for European drivers

The Toyota European family supports the sustained development of Toyota’s operations in Europe, based on our key priorities of superior quality and customer satisfaction. We work hard to further strengthen the Toyota and Lexus line-ups in Europe. Our vehicles combine environmental performance and driving pleasure, with services tailored to meet the expectations of European customers. Recognising that European customers are some of the most discerning in the world, we use their expectations as a benchmark for designing cars that meet the highest standards of performance, design and aesthetic appeal.  

Mass-producing human happiness

We see ourselves now as a mobility provider, not just a car maker. We established KINTO Europe to accelerate Toyota’s mobility services growth in Europe and we aim to become the preferred service provider for each mobility need by providing one-stop-shop mobility solutions for all customers. By supporting Mobility for All, we can make a sustainable contribution to our mission of mass-producing human happiness. 

Built in Europe

We began researching how to make cars cleaner and more efficient long before it became a headline issue for the auto industry as a whole. We have made particularly significant investments in hybrid and fuel cell technology. We have put more than four million electrified vehicles on European roads since launching Prius, our original hybrid. And we don’t just sell our hybrids in Europe, we build them here too, in our plants in the UK, France, Turkey, Czech Republic and Poland. 

Car plants that are also eco plants

Having our facilities within Europe means we can offer our customers shorter delivery times and reduce the impact on the environment of our shipping operations. Building cleaner cars in Europe and for Europe is only one aspect of our work to protect and nurture the environment. The factories and offices we have built are world pioneers of new and effective ways to reduce waste, conserve natural resources, minimise emissions and work in harmony with the natural world around us.