Jan 21, 2021

Toyota has an unusual logo compared to many other automakers. A lot of other brands are satisfied to make a logo based around the first letter of their name or another straightforward symbol, but the Toyota emblem goes a bit deeper. There are a few interpretations and theories that people have, but Toyota has spoken about the topic, and it makes a lot of sense when you know what the three circles are meant to represent.

When Did Toyota First Start Using the Current Logo?

The dawn of a new decade seemed the appropriate time for Toyota to debut what we have now known as the Toyota logo for some time. The decade was the ‘90s, a time where branding was becoming increasingly important, and Toyota started putting the new logo on its cars.

2021 Toyota 4Runner red driving into shadows headlights on near trees

2021 Toyota Venza close up of front grille and headlight

Is the Toyota Logo Meant to Spell out the Company’s Name?

A popular interpretation of the 3 circles is that they are meant to be seen as a combination of each letter of the name. It sort of works, if you look at it the right way, but that’s not the official interpretation of the company. You can see the shape of overlapping “T”, “O”, “Y”, and “A” letters if you use your imagination, making it a fun parlor trick, but nothing more.

What Was the Toyota Logo Made to Represent?

When Toyota approved the 3-circle design for the Toyota logo, it was meant to represent the unification of two things: the heart of the customer and the heart of the company’s products. That explains two circles, but what about the third? The third circle (the largest) is meant to represent “technological advancement and the boundless opportunities ahead.” The design has obviously stuck, as the Toyota logo has since become one of the most recognizable logos out there.

Read more about it here: http://toyota.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7649/~/what-does-the-toyota-logo-represent%3F#:~:text=In%201990%2C%20Toyota%20debuted%20the,and%20the%20boundless%20opportunities%20ahead