What is the oldest Toyota logo?
The oldest Toyota logo traces back to the Toyoda family crest used by the company before it branded its automobiles, long before the now-iconic three-oval emblem appeared on its cars.
To understand Toyota’s branding history, it helps to start with the company’s origins. Toyota began as Toyoda Automatic Loom Works in the 1930s and later expanded into automobile manufacturing. The visual marks the company used before adopting the modern emblem reflect its roots in a family business and its early branding efforts, before settling on the globally recognized three-oval symbol in the late 20th century.
Historical context of Toyota’s earliest logos
Below is a concise timeline of Toyota’s earliest marks, leading up to the current emblem.
- The Toyoda family crest (kamon) used by Toyoda Automatic Loom Works and the early automotive division, representing the company's roots before it became Toyota.
- The modern three-oval emblem, widely known as the Toyota emblem, introduced in 1989 to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary and adopted worldwide for branding in the following years.
These marks illustrate how Toyota evolved from a family-owned weaving business to a global automobile brand, moving from a traditional family crest to a distinctive corporate emblem.
Additional context and implications
For branding historians and enthusiasts, the transition from the Toyoda crest to the three-oval emblem marks a shift from a family-centered, era-specific identity to a globally standardized corporate image. The three-oval logo is designed to symbolize the convergence of the hearts of customers and the mutually beneficial relationship between the company and the world, reinforcing Toyota’s brand narrative in a modern, universal mark.
Summary
The oldest Toyota logo is rooted in the Toyoda family crest used during the company’s early years as Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, preceding the introduction of the three-oval Toyota emblem in 1989. This progression mirrors Toyota’s journey from a family-owned loom manufacturer to a global automotive brand with a distinctive, enduring logo.
Has Toyota ever had a different logo?
1949 - Bringing Good Luck
In 1949, the company changed the logo to "Toyota" using 8 strokes. Toyota with 8 strokes was considered lucky in Japanese culture. This new spelling launched Toyota onto the international stage. The logo design evolved to a red circle with Toyota spelled out in clean sans-serif typeface.
When did Toyota stop using the TEQ logo?
In 1949, as a result of the name change to Toyota, they introduced a new symbol, often erroneously called the "Teq" (due to the "トヨタ" katakana resembling said letters), which became the company's primary corporate emblem, until when it was replaced by the 1989 T-oval logo.
What was Toyota's first logo?
From "TOYODA" to "TOYOTA"
The "Toyota" name stems from the family name of the founder, Sakichi "Toyoda," with early vehicles produced by the company originally sold with a Toyoda emblem. In 1936, the company ran a public competition to design a new logo, leading to a change in the brand name to the current Toyota.
What does a black Toyota logo mean?
The meaning behind the logo we see today
white represents innovation and class while black is associated with power and sophistication.
