What does your Toyota’s name mean? The answer may surprise you
Toyota has become one of the world’s biggest automakers largely on the strength of its exceptional engineering and manufacturing acumen. Then there are its naming conventions. Some, like Corolla and Camry, work well, but others are head-scratchers.
That might explain why Lexus, the company’s luxury brand, uses letters and numbers rather than words for its model names.
If you own a Toyota but have no idea what its name means, here’s your chance to find out.
4Runner: Nothing tricky here. It’s a combination of four-wheel drive and off-road runner.
Avalon: While Toyota says the name is meant to conjure “images of comfort, spaciousness, and sophistication,” Avalon is also the name of the legendary Celtic island of the dead, where King Arthur and other heroes were taken after death. Is this a comment on the average age of Avalon buyers?
Camry: America’s best-selling passenger car’s name is an Anglicized version of the Japanese word for crown, “kanmuri.” How appropriate.
Corolla: No doubt you’ve seen a corolla, and not the type with four wheels. A corolla is the ring of petals around the center of a flower. For Toyota, it’s a reference to the beauty of the compact car’s styling.
Highlander: For some reason, this plain Jane crossover was named after inhabitants of the Scottish Highlands.
Mirai: The Japanese word for “the future” is fitting for Toyota’s futuristic fuel cell vehicle.
Prius: Prior to the Prius’ Japan launch in 1997, there had never been a mass-produced hybrid car. Thus the car’s name, which in Latin means “prior” or “previous.”
RAV4: While in this case standing for recreational active vehicle with four-wheel drive, the term Rav is also a stand-in for the title of rabbi, especially one who holds a position of authority or who acts as a personal mentor. Sequoia: A redwood tree. Sienna: Earth pigment containing iron and manganese oxides, usually used for paint. Toyota, though, would prefer you think of the Italian city of Siena.
Tacoma: An industrial port city in west-central Washington state, on Puget Sound, south of Seattle.
Tundra: Although Toyota says the name was chosen because it “conveys strength and ruggedness,” a tundra is actually a level, treeless plain found in arctic regions consisting of permanently frozen subsoil.
Venza: While Toyota says this is a combination of the words “venture” and “Monza” — the latter being a Northern Italian race course — it’s also a close sound-alike to the Japanese word benza, which means toilet seat.
Yaris: Another mash-up of language, Yaris comes from the word charis, the Greek mythological symbol of beauty, but replaces the “ch” with “ya” — the latter being German for yes. So yes, it’s beautiful — I suppose.