
Toyota is divided into FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota. Below are the relevant introductions: 1. GAC Toyota: GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (GAC-TOYOTA), established on September 1, 2004, is a joint venture with 50% investment each from Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan, with a cooperation period of 30 years. The company is located in Nansha District, Guangzhou, the geometric center of the vibrant Pearl River Delta in China, covering an area of 1.87 million square meters, with a building area of 400,000 square meters and an initial production capacity of 200,000 vehicles/year. Currently, there are over 5,500 employees, with 24.9% holding college degrees or above, and an average age of 26. In 2016, GAC Toyota sold 437,300 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 6.9%. 2. FAW Toyota: FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. was established in June 2000, covering an area of 1.61 million square meters, with a current production capacity of 420,000 vehicles per year, registered in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, and currently has over 12,000 employees. FAW Toyota has three major production bases located in Tianjin, Changchun in Jilin, and Chengdu in Sichuan, China. The main products of FAW Toyota include the "IZOA", "VIOS", "COROLLA-EX", "COROLLA", "PRIUS", "REIZ", "CROWN" sedans, and the "RAV4", "PRADO", "LANDCRUISER" SUVs, as well as the "COASTER" bus.

As someone who follows the automotive market, I've noticed Toyota has two key partners in China: FAW Toyota in the north and GAC Toyota in the south. These two function like Toyota's left and right hands, each with distinct manufacturing styles. Practical models like the Corolla and RAV4 mainly come from FAW, while GAC is better known for mid-to-high-end vehicles such as the Camry and Highlander. Have you noticed? If you see a white Toyota with a Yue A (Guangdong) license plate on the road, it's most likely from GAC, whereas models from FAW are more common in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This north-south layout allows Toyota to cater to different consumer groups, and even dealer activities sometimes carry regional characteristics.

Last time when accompanying a friend to look at cars, we talked about how Toyota partnered with FAW in 2003, and then joined forces with GAC in 2004 to establish a second joint venture. Nowadays, GAC Toyota is particularly dominant in South China, with their advanced production facility in Nansha, Guangzhou, where quality control is so stringent that even the torque of screws is inspected with lasers. I heard from a technician at the 4S dealership that although the core technologies are shared, GAC Toyota's tuning of the hybrid system leans more towards fuel efficiency, while FAW Toyota might prioritize power response. Even their parts supplier systems have some differences, so cars like the Corolla produced in the northern and southern plants might have subtle variations in details.

When actually purchasing a car, you'll notice that FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota 4S stores are often located across the street from each other. I've compared their services: FAW dealerships usually have larger spaces with more maintenance bays, while GAC showrooms feature trendier decor with coffee bars in waiting areas. Their sales strategies also differ - for example, the Wildlander offers more discounts through GAC channels, while the RAV4 is FAW's main promotion. I recommend visiting both when car shopping, as even the same engine might have subtle tuning differences between them. Most importantly, don't forget to check maintenance costs - GAC's labor fees might be slightly lower in southern regions.


