Do Lexus and Toyota use the same paint?
Yes. In practice, Lexus and Toyota largely share paint suppliers and base color families, but Lexus also maintains exclusive colors and branding-specific finishes that aren’t typically offered on Toyota models.
This article examines how paint is sourced, named, and finished across Toyota’s mainstream lineup and its luxury division, Lexus, and what that means for color matching, availability, and customization as of model years around 2023–2025.
Shared foundations: suppliers, pigments, and processes
Automakers rely on a network of global paint suppliers and a standardized multi-layer finishing process. The following points summarize where Toyota and Lexus converge.
- Common coating suppliers: Toyota and Lexus vehicles are typically produced with coatings from major global suppliers such as PPG, Axalta, BASF, and other regional partners, with exact contracts varying by plant and market.
- Shared base color families: White, black, silver/gray, blue, and red are widely available across both brands, especially for mass-market models.
- Similar paint system and finishes: The standard approach involves a multi-layer process (primer, peak filler/coatings, color basecoat with pigments, and a clearcoat), with regional and model-year variations.
- Pearl and metallic options: Pearl and metallic (including mica-based) finishes are offered by both brands, though the specific color catalog differs by brand and year.
These shared elements help ensure some consistency in appearance and serviceability between Toyota and Lexus, while still allowing brand-specific customization. Actual color names, codes, and availability can differ between the two marques.
Lexus-exclusive colors and branding-driven differences
Beyond common foundations, Lexus curates its own branded color library. Some hues and finishes are unique to Lexus, reinforcing the luxury brand’s identity and model-year campaigns.
- Lexus-exclusive color options: The luxury division occasionally offers exclusive pearl, metallic, or special finishes that are not available on Toyota models, reflecting Lexus’s design language and marketing strategy.
- Brand-specific color codes and catalogs: Even visually similar colors may have distinct color codes and formulations for Lexus versus Toyota, requiring brand-specific references for exact matching.
- Region and model-year variation: Availability of Lexus-exclusive colors can vary by market and model year, with some hues tied to special editions or regional offerings.
For buyers and service professionals, this means exact color matching across brands isn’t guaranteed. If exact replication is critical—such as for a repair, repaint, or cross-brand matching—consult the official color code from the respective brand and a qualified body shop for precise formulation.
Summary
In summary, Lexus and Toyota share many core painting practices, suppliers, and broad color families, driven by a common corporate ecosystem. However, Lexus maintains its own palette of exclusive colors and brand-specific color codes, which means exact cross-brand matches aren’t always possible. Understanding the official color codes and consulting experienced painters or dealerships is the best way to ensure color fidelity across repairs or custom work.
Is Lexus paint thicker than Toyota?
It's 170 microns here usually most Toyota cars are between 100 to 120 microns. And most Lexus are between 130 to 150. So it's definitely thicker than other models.
What paint brand does Lexus use?
No Compromise on Quality. Whether providing services, maintenance, or manufacturing, Lexus does not compromise on quality. Lexus cannot achieve such quality by simply buying paint off the shelf. The company is consistently working on premium-quality paint supplied by a Japanese company called Kansai Paint.
Are Toyota and Lexus paint codes the same?
Lexus is manufactured by Toyota and shares many of the same color codes. Lexus made is pretty easy to find the color code. On all models, there is an color ID plate on the drivers door jamb. When you locate it, it will have the letters C/TR and then the paint code follows.
Why do Lexus and Toyota look the same?
Yes — Lexus vehicles are manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation. In fact, many Lexus models are built in the same plants as their Toyota counterparts, particularly in Japan and North America. This includes shared production facilities for engines, chassis components, and advanced safety systems.
