Are Toyota and INFINITI the same company?
They are not the same company. Toyota Motor Corporation and INFINITI are separate brands with different corporate roots. INFINITI is the luxury division of Nissan Motor Co., while Toyota operates its own broad lineup and uses Lexus as its luxury brand.
Corporate structure and ownership
Infiniti operates under Nissan Motor Co., which is part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Toyota, by contrast, is an independent automaker with no ownership ties to Infiniti, and its premium segment is handled by Lexus rather than a brand under Toyota itself.
Below is a quick snapshot of how the two brands fit into their corporate families.
- Corporate parent: Infiniti — Nissan Motor Co.; Toyota — Toyota Motor Corporation.
- Brand strategy: Infiniti targets the luxury automotive segment; Toyota targets the broad mass market with a wide model range.
- Luxury brand partners: Toyota's luxury arm is Lexus; Infiniti is Nissan's luxury division (not affiliated with Toyota).
- Global context: Nissan is part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance; Toyota operates independently with its own global operations and partnerships.
These distinctions show that Toyota and INFINITI operate under different corporate umbrellas and pursue different market strategies.
Brand positioning and product strategy
When comparing how the brands position themselves, Toyota emphasizes reliability, value, and a comprehensive lineup that spans sedans, SUVs, hybrids, and trucks. INFINITI concentrates on premium features, performance-oriented engineering, and upscale interiors aimed at luxury buyers, competing with other premium brands like Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes in many markets.
Representative models illustrate these approaches.
- Toyota examples: Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Prius, Highlander, Tacoma/Tundra, Land Cruiser (availability varies by market).
- Infiniti examples: Q50, Q60, QX50, QX55, QX60, QX80 (model availability varies by region and year).
In short, the two brands pursue different customer segments and market strategies, despite both drawing on Japanese automotive heritage.
Summary
In the end, Toyota and INFINITI are not the same company. They belong to separate parent corporations—Toyota Motor Corporation and Nissan Motor Co.—with INFINITI functioning as Nissan's luxury brand and Lexus serving Toyota's premium segment. The brands operate independently, with distinct lineups, histories, and strategic goals.
Are Infinitis made by Toyota?
Who makes INFINITI vehicles? INFINITI is a luxury division of the Nissan Motor Company in Japan.
Is INFINITI just a fancy Nissan?
Yes, Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division of Nissan Motor Co.. Nissan created the brand to compete in the luxury car market by offering vehicles with a higher level of performance, comfort, and technology, though they are developed with shared engineering and quality from the parent company.
- Brand creation: Nissan established Infiniti in 1985 as a project to build a new performance luxury division, officially launching the brand in the U.S. in 1989.
- Luxury focus: Infiniti vehicles are designed with premium features, upscale materials, and more sophisticated technology compared to standard Nissan models.
- Shared engineering: While the brands target different markets, they share the underlying engineering and quality standards from Nissan.
- Independent identity: Despite being owned by the same company, Infiniti operates as its own brand, which has allowed it to cultivate an independent identity and attract a different customer base than Nissan.
What is the sister brand to Toyota?
Toyota has several sister companies, most notably Daihatsu and Hino Motors, both of which are subsidiaries that manufacture vehicles under the Toyota Group umbrella. Lexus is also a luxury "sister" brand, operating as a separate, wholly owned subsidiary.
Other sister companies and affiliates
- Daihatsu: A subsidiary focused on manufacturing compact and small vehicles. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota in 2016.
- Hino Motors: Specializes in the manufacturing of trucks, buses, and commercial vehicles. It also produces some Toyota-badged vehicles, like the Land Cruiser "250".
- Lexus: Toyota's luxury vehicle brand. It is a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and operates as the premium division.
- Toyota Tsusho: The trading arm of the Toyota Group, handling various global activities including resource acquisition, recycling, and development projects.
- Woven by Toyota: Focuses on developing software for vehicles and mobility services, and is restructuring to strengthen ties with other Toyota Group companies.
- Joint ventures: Toyota has also formed joint ventures with other automakers to manufacture vehicles in specific markets, such as GAC Toyota in China or Toyota Kirloskar in India.
Is infinity the same as Toyota?
When comparing the INFINITI brand to the Toyota brand, INFINITI has the advantage in the areas of horsepower, towing capacity and safety. Toyota has the advantage in the areas of new car pricing, used car pricing, depreciation, fuel efficiency, overall quality, reliability, retained value and variety of models offered.
