The auto world is huge, with over 50 different automakers that produce vehicles. Brands such as Land Rover, BMW, Porsche, Subaru, and Ford are now common household names. Jeep even has its own line of gear built specifically for its off-road vehicles. Competition is fierce amongst these groups, and there are even new brands such as the Austrian automaker Milan that want a piece of the action.

With so many automakers out there, it’s only natural to wonder which brand is the top producer of cars in the world, and the name may come as a surprise to you. According to OICA, it’s Toyota.

Humble beginnings

Toyota’s history didn’t start out with a bang. In fact, it has rather humble beginnings, but as history shows, humble beginnings can often lead to the building of empires.

In 1936, a Japanese inventor named Sakichi Toyoda started a company named Toyoda Automatic Loom. He licensed one of his inventions with a British company as a way to fund his own company.

Then, like Jeep’s startup with the American military, the Japanese government took an interest in the Toyoda Automatic Loom company because of its potential military applications. Sakichi’s son Kiichiro began to help, and the company bloomed.

The name was changed to Toyota, and the American military gave the fledgling company a chance for peacetime production in 1945, but this didn’t last. In 1957, Toyota made its debut in Hollywood, but sales still weren’t great. It wasn’t until the 1960s that things really began to take off for Toyota and it quickly began to overtake many of its competitors.

Many may wonder how the company did this, and here are just a few possibilities.

Thinking ahead

Toyota has a good grasp of the facts that fads come and go. For example, remember when some cars had the hood removed so everyone could see how cool the engine looked? Yeah, that didn’t stick very long, and for good reason.

U.S. News points out the Prius Hybrid as an excellent example of Toyota’s forward thinking. When the Prius Hybrid came out, many thought of it as a bit of a joke. Why have a car that runs on electricity and gas when you can just fill up at the pump? Then the gas prices started to jump in America, and suddenly a hybrid car was looking like an amazing deal. Toyota took a big gamble, but it was a calculated risk that more than paid off.

Quality

J.D. Power had nothing but good things to say about Toyota and the level of quality vehicles it produced in 2018. According to J.D. Power, “Toyota’s 2018 group of vehicles upholds their standards for quality and ease-of-use.” Toyota consistently earns awards based on quality and dependability, and Toyota seems to be striving for even more awards.

Affordability

The number one thing that most consumers look for when buying a new car is, “Can I make payments.” Everyone has that dream car that gives them a little thrill when they see it driving past, but for most people, it’s probably not going to become a reality. If it does, they will most likely have to buy one used.

Toyota realized that money is the driving factor behind making sales, and it prices its vehicles in a range that nearly anyone can afford. The Toyota Corolla has been around for over 50 years now, and its price has consistently been affordable. Consumers know that if they need a good commuter car to get them back and forth to work, Toyota can produce them for a price that won’t break the bank.

It’s no wonder that Toyota continues to stay ahead of its competitors and holds its crown as the top auto manufacturer in the world.