Vehicle Lineage Chart

Data: Origin of a car's name

The name origins mentioned are limited to principal ones and are not exhaustive for some models.
In Japanese alphabetical order.


Model name
Origin
Released date of the 1st model
iQ
The "i" stands for "individuality," and also brings to mind "innovation" and "intelligence." The "Q" stands for "quality," hints at the vehicle's "cubic" form, and is a "cue" for owners to move toward new values and lifestyles.
Nov.20,2008
Urban Supporter
(Dyna/Toyoace)
This sister vehicle of the Quick Delivery van was so named because the van could weave through city traffic to facilitate delivery.
July 27,2001
ISIS
Named after the Egyptian goddess of fruitfulness and productivity in the hope that the vehicle would enrich the lives of its passengers.
Sep.28,2004
Aqua
Derived from the Latin word meaning water. The name is meant to evoke an image of clean transparency as well as of something that is universally cherished. Also, the name suggests something fluid and unconstrained -- like free-flowing water -- representing the manufacturer's wish that many people draw plenty of enjoyment from this car.
Dec.26,2011
AVALON
A mythical island paradise in Celtic legends.
May 9,1995
AVENSIS
Derived from "avancer," the French word for "to advance."
Oct. 6,2003
ALLION
A name inspired by the "All-in-One" concept of the vehicle and reflecting the manufacturer's ambition to integrate the advantages of all vehicle types into this car.
Dec.25,2001
ARISTO
A prefix of Greek origin meaning "best."
Oct.31,1991
ALTEZZA
An Italian word meaning "height" or "nobility."
Oct.30,1998
 
ALTEZZA GITA
"Altezza" means "height" or "nobility"
and Gita means "trip" or "excursion" in Italian.
July 2,2001
ALPHARD
"Alphard," which is derived from the Greek word "alpha," was intended to evoke an image of the brightest star in a constellation.
May 22,2002
 
ALPHARD G
"Alphard," which is derived from the Greek word "alpha," was intended to evoke an image of the brightest star in a constellation.
The "G" stands for "grand."
May 22,2002
ALPHARD V
"Alphard," which is derived from the Greek word "alpha," was intended to evoke an image of the brightest star in a constellation.
The "V" stands for "victory."
May.22,2002
ALLEX
Derived from the French word "allez" (meaning "to go") and combined with the letter X, the name suggests that you can "go anywhere you like."
Jan.24,2001
ist
Derived from the suffix "-ist," the name points to a person who is passionate about something (stylist, artist, and so on).
May 8,2002
IPSUM
This is the Latin word for "itself."
May 21,1996
VANGUARD
Signifies those who are at the forefront of new developments.
Aug.30,2007
WISH
Named in the hope that owners would be able to get everything they could possibly want in a car in terms of design, packaging, and driving performance.
Jan.20,2003
VITZ
Derived from "Witz," a German word meaning "wit" or "witticism."
Jan.13,1999
WINDOM
The combination of "win" and the suffix "-dom" expresses a state of perpetual victory.
Sep.30,1991
WiLL CYPHA
"WiLL" was the name of a multi-industry marketing project aimed at forward-looking and strong-willed young consumers.
"Cypha" is short for "cyber phaeton," representing an advanced IT car equipped with the latest network service.
Oct.21,2002
WiLL Vi
"WiLL" stands for people who are determined and forward-looking.
The "V" in Vi stands for vehicle, and the "i" stands for "identity," "independence," and "individuality," as well as being the personal pronoun "I" -- concepts we knew would appeal to the target customers (single women in their late 20s). The lower-case "i" was chosen to emphasize the unique "identity" of this vehicle.
Jan.17,2000
WiLL VS
"WiLL" stands for people who are determined and forward-looking.
The "V" in VS stands for "vehicle," and the "S" is for "smart" and "sporty" -- the attributes that characterize the target customers.
Apr. 6,2001
VELLFIRE
Derived from "velvet" and "fire" to emphasize the vehicle's "smooth" and "passionate" characteristics.
May 12,2008
VEROSSA
Comes from the Italian words "vero" (truth) and "rosso" (red).
July 6,2001
VOXY
The name starts with the Latin word for "voice" (vox), and the Y at the end suggests the car's "boxy" shape, giving the vehicle eloquent appeal to young customers.
Nov.16,2001
VOLTZ
Derived from "volt," the name evokes the vehicle's stunning appeal and exciting features.
Aug.20,2002
ESTIMA
The name comes from "estimable."
May 30,1990
 
ESTIMA T
"Estima" derives from "estimable."
The "T" stands for both "tradition" and "Toyota."
Jan.11,2000
ESTIMA L
"Estima" derives from "estimable."
The "L" stands for "liberty" and "luxury."
Jan.11,2000
ESTIMA EMINA
The name comes from "estimable" and "eminent."
Jan.13,1992
ESTIMA LUCIDA
"Estima" derives from "estimable."
"Lucida" refers to the brightest star in a constellation.
Jan.13,1992
FJ CRUISER
The name comes from "FJ40" and "Land Cruiser."
The FJ40 was a type of Land Cruiser produced between 1960 and 1984.
Dec. 4,2010
MR2
Stands for "midship runabout 2-seater."
June 8,1984
MR-S
Stands for "midship runabout - sports."
Oct.12,1999
Opa
"Opa" is an exclamation indicating surprise in Portuguese.
May 24,2000
AURIS
Derived from the Latin word "aurum" (gold) and the English word "aura," the name signifies a car with a distinct aura.
Oct.23,2006
GAIA
Named after the earth goddess in Greek mythology.
May 29,1998
CAMRY
Comes from the Japanese word "kanmuri (kamuri)" (crown).
Mar.24,1982
CAMRY GRACIA
"Camry" comes from the Japanese word "kanmuri (kamuri)" (crown), and "Gracia" is Spanish for "grace."
Dec.16,1996
CARINA
A southern constellation (the Keel).
Dec. 1,1970
 
CARINA ED
A southern constellation (the Keel). The acronym ED stands for "exciting and dressy."
Aug.20,1985
CALDINA
Inspired by the Italian (and English) adjective "cardinal," meaning "essential" or "fundamental."
Nov.16,1992
Curren
The meaning is the same as in English "Current".
Jan.27,1994
COROLLA
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. The name was intended to evoke the image of a beautifully styled, eye-catching compact car.
Nov. 5,1966
 
COROLLA AXIO
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower.
"Axio" comes from the Greek word "axia" ("value" or "quality").
Oct.10,2006
COROLLA FX
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. The name was intended to evoke the image of a beautifully styled, eye-catching compact car. The FX subname was derived from the first and last letters of "FF 2-box."
Oct. 3,1984
COROLLA CERES
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. "Ceres" comes from Roman mythology.
May 18,1992
COROLLA FIELDER
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower.
"Fielder" suggests the car's suitability for field excursions and other leisure activities.
Aug.28,2000
COROLLA II
The name was intended to identify this car as the Corolla's "little brother"
May 19,1982
COROLLA SPACIO
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower.
"Spacio" comes from the Italian word "spazio," meaning "room" or "space."
Jan.13,1997
COROLLA RUNX
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. "Runx" comes from "run" and, with the addition of an "X," represents the ultimate in driving performance.
Jan.24,2001
COROLLA RUMION
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. "Rumion" combines "roomy" and "unique" to represent a car with a spacious cabin and distinctive styling.
Oct. 9,2007
COROLLA LEVIN
A "corolla" is the ring of petals around the central part of a flower. "Levin" is a poetic word for "lightning."
Jan.31,1977
CAMI
Combines "casual" and "mini."
May 17,1999
Quick Delivery
So named because the delivery van provided walkthrough access to the cargo area to speed up delivery.
Sep.28,1982
CROWN
The meaning is the same as in English.
Jan. 7,1955
 
CROWN ATHLETE
The meanings of "crown" and "athlete" are the same as in English.
Sep.24,1999
CROWN ESTATE
The meaning of "crown" is the same as in English.
An "estate car" to the British is what Americans call a "station wagon."
Dec.15,1999
CROWN MAJESTA
The meaning of "crown" is the same as in English.
"Majesta" derives from "majesty."
Oct.28,1991
CROWN ROYAL
The meanings of "crown" and "royal" are the same as in English.
Oct.28,1991
CROWN EIGHT
The meaning of "crown" is the same as in English.
"Eight" comes from the first V8 unit to power a Japanese automobile.
Apr.20,1964
KLUGER L
"Kluger" comes from the German adjective "klug" ("wise" or "smart").
The "L" stands for "liberty."
Aug.28,2003
KLUGER V
"Kluger" comes from the German adjective "klug" ("wise" or "smart").
The "V" stands for "victory."
Nov.24,2000
CRESTA
"Cresta" is the Spanish word for "crest," the symbolic design of a coat of arms.
Apr. 1,1980
GRAND HIACE
The meaning of "grand" is the same as in English.
"Hiace" combines "high" and "ace," signifying that this vehicle surpasses its predecessor, the Toyoace.
Aug. 3,1999
GRANVIA
A combination of the Italian words "gran" (great) and "via" (road).
Aug.22,1995
CORSA
"Corsa" is the Italian word for "race" or "run"
Aug. 3,1978
CORONA
The "corona" is the ring of pearly light around the sun.
The name was apt for this robust and approachable family car.
July 1,1957
CORONA EXIV
The "corona" is the ring of pearly light around the sun. The name was apt for this robust and approachable family car."Exiv" stands for "Extra impressive".
Sep. 6,1989
COASTER
A "coaster" is a ship that is used to carry cargo along the coast from port to port.
Feb. 3,1969
COASTER R
A "coaster" is a ship that is used to carry cargo along the coast from port to port. The "R" signifies that the engine is "rear-mounted."
May 29,1996
COMFORT
The meaning is the same as in English.
Dec.19,1995
SAI
The name comes from the Japanese word "sai"-which means "talent" when written with the character "才" and "coloration" when written with the character "彩."
Dec. 7,2009
CYNOS
Comes from the English word "cynosure," which means someone or something that is the center of attention.
Jan.21,1991
SUCCEED
The meaning is the same as in English.
July 2,2002
SIENTA
This is a combined form of the Spanish word "siete" (seven) and the English word "entertain."
Sep.29,2003
SUPRA
Comes from the Latin word "supra" ("transcending" or "above").
Feb. 6,1986
STARLET
This means a small star burning brightly.
Apr.11,1973
STARLET CARAT
"Starlet" means a small star burning brightly,
and "carat" refers to the value of a precious stone.
Apr. 7,1997
STARLET GLANZA
The meaning of "starlet" is the same as in English.
"Glanza" comes from the German word "Glanz" ("brilliancy" or "sparkle").
Jan. 6,1996
STARLET REFLET
"Starlet" means a small star burning brightly,
and "Reflet" is French for "reflection."
Jan. 6,1996
SPARKY
This is taken from the English word "spark."
Sep.28,2000
SPRINTER
The meaning is the same as in English.
May 1,1968
 
SPRINTER CARIB
The meaning of "sprinter" is the same as in English.
"Carib" is meant as an abbreviation of "caribou" (reindeer).
Aug.30,1982
SPRINTER CIELO
The meaning of "sprinter" is the same as in English. "Cielo" is Spanish for "celestial" or "heavenly."
May 15,1987
SPRINTER TRUENO
The meaning of "sprinter" is the same as in English.
"Trueno" is Spanish for "thunderclap."
May 12,1983
SPRINTER MARINO
The meaning of "sprinter" is the same as in English. "Marino" comes from the English word "Marine" (ocean).
May 18,1992
SCEPTER
The meaning is the same as in English "Scepter".
Sep. 1,1992
SERA
"Sera"is derived from a future tense of the French verb "être." The name evokes the image of a dream car that transports us to the future.
Mar. 8,1990
CELICA
"Celica" is Spanish for "celestial" or "heavenly."
Dec. 1,1970
CELICA XX
"Celica" is Spanish for "celestial" or "heavenly."
"XX" is derived from "unknown" quantity
Apr.13,1978
CELSIOR
Comes from the Latin "celsus" ("lofty" or "elevated").
Oct. 9,1991
CENTURY
The meaning is the same as in English. The Century was built to celebrate the centennial of the birth of Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota group of companies.
Nov.,1967
SOARER
"Soarer" is used with its meaning of a high-performance glider.
Feb.27,1981
TERCEL
The meaning is the same as in English (peregrine falcon).
Aug. 3,1978
DYNA
"Dyna" is short for "dynamic."
Apr.,1959
TOWNACE
A combination of "town" and "ace."
Oct. 4,1976
TOWNACE NOAH
"Townace" is a combination of "town" and "ace,"
and "Noah" was chosen purely for its soothing sound - no biblical reference was intended.
Oct.23,1996
CHASER
The meaning is the same as in English.
June 24,1977
TOURING HIACE
"Touring" was chosen to represent this touring car with an aerodynamic body. "Hiace" combines "high" and "ace," signifying a vehicle that surpasses its predecessor, the Toyoace.
Aug. 3,1999
DUET
The meaning is the same as in English. The name was chosen for its pleasing sound, which we felt matched the styling of the car.
Sep.24,1998
Deliboy
The name evokes an image of an agile delivery boy, which is suitable for this walkthrough van with easy ingress/egress and loading/unloading of cargo. The van also serves as a billboard-on-wheels, which is consistent with the image of a messenger.
July 20,1989
TOYOACE
"Toyoace" is a combination of "Toyota" and "ace."
Sep.,1954
TOYOTA CAVALIER
"Cavalier" is an archaic English word meaning "horseman" or "courtly gentleman." The name was inherited from GM's Chevrolet Cavalier.
Jan.,1996
TOYOTA CLASSIC
The name is derived from the vehicle's classic exterior and interior design modeled after the Toyoda Model AA.
June 20,1996
TOYOPET MASTER
The Toyopet brand name was chosen in a public naming competition. "Master" signifies a person in charge of a group.
Jan. 7,1955
NADIA
"Nadia" is a popular girl's name derived from the Russian word "nadezhda" ("hope").
Aug. 3,1998
NOAH
"Noah" was chosen purely for its soothing sound, and no biblical reference was intended.
Nov.16,2001
HIACE
"Hiace" combines "high" and "ace," signifying a vehicle that surpasses its predecessor, the Toyoace.
Oct. 2,1967
HIMEDIC
The name signifies a vehicle equipped with sophisticated medical devices.
June 8,1992
HILUX
"Hilux" is a combination of "high" and "luxury."
Mar.21,1968
HILUX SURF
"Hilux" is a combination of "high" and "luxury". "Surf" means large waves which symbolize the expansiveness of the vehicle's utility.
May 2,1984
HILUX SPORTS PICKUP
"Hilux" is a combination of "high" and "luxury," and the meaning of "pickup" is the same as in English.
Feb. 3,1992
HARRIER
The harrier is a long-winged, slender-bodied bird of prey.
Dec.25,1997
86
"86" is a reference to the model code AE86 (the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno lines).
Apr. 6,2012
PASSO
"Passo" is Italian for "step." The name conjures up the image of a casual and approachable car.
June 7,2004
PASSO SETTE
"Passo" is Italian for "step." The name conjures up the image of a casual and approachable car.
"Sette" means "seven" in Italian, indicating that the vehicle can accommodate seven people.
Dec.25,2008
PUBLICA
Derived from "public" and "car," the name signifies "a car cherished by the public." The name was chosen in a public naming competition that attracted nearly 1.1 million entries.
June 30,1961
PIXIS SPACE
The name comes from "PIXE" and "PIXY."
Sep.26,2011
VISTA
The meaning is the same as in English.
Mar.24,1982
VISTA ARDEO
The meaning of "Vista" is the same as in English. "Ardeo" means "I glow" or "I desire ardently" in Latin.
July 1,1998
bB
The first letters of "black box."
Feb. 3,2000
FUN CARGO
The two words mean just what they do in English.
Aug.31,1999
BLADE
The meaning is the same as in English. The name signifies a leading-edge car with sharp and attractive features.
Dec.21,2006
BREVIS
Comes from the English word "brave."
June 4,2001
PLATZ
Comes from "Platz" (square) in German.
Aug.31,1999
PRIUS
"Prius" is Latin for "prior" or "previous."
Dec.10,1997
PRIUS a (alpha)
"Prius" is Latin for "prior" or "previous." "a" is English for "alpha", which signifies an added value to the present condition.
May 13,2011
BLIZZARD
The meaning is the same as in English.
Apr. 1,1980
PREMIO
Premio is Spanish for "prize," "reward," or "premium."
Dec.25,2001
PROGRES
Means "progress" in French.
May 14,1998
PRONARD
Comes from the French word "proner" ("to praise/glorify").
Apr. 7,2000
PROBOX
A combination of "professional" and "box."
July 2,2002
BELTA
"Belta" is the Italian word for "beauty."
Nov.28,2005
PORTE
Means "gate" in French. The car was given this name because of its wide-opening sliding door.
July 26,2004
MARK II
The various meanings of "Mark" are the same as in English (target, grade, fame). "Corona Mark II" can be taken to mean that the car is both "the second-generation model" and "an upgraded version" of the Corona.
Sep.21,1968
MARK II WAGON QUALIS
The various meanings of "Mark" are the same as in English (target, grade, fame). "Corona Mark II" can be taken to mean that the car is both "the second-generation model" and "an upgraded version" of the Corona.
"Qualis" comes from the English word "quality," and it also means "of the kind that" in Latin.
Apr.23,1997
MARK II BLIT
The various meanings of "Mark" are the same as in English (target, grade, fame). "Corona Mark II" can be taken to mean that the car is both "the second-generation model" and "an upgraded version" of the Corona.
"Blit" comes from "Blitz," which means "lightning" in German.
Jan.25,2002
MARK Ⅹ
The various meanings of "Mark" are the same as in English (target, grade, fame). The "X" denotes something unknown or unspecified, implying a car for future generations.
Nov. 9,2004
MARK Ⅹ ZIO
The various meanings of "Mark" are the same as in English (target, grade, fame).
The "X" denotes something unknown or unspecified.
Sep.26,2007
MASTER ACE SURF
"Masterace" is a combination of "master" and "ace," signifying a vehicle that leads a group and excels at what it does. "Surf" means large waves which symbolize the expansiveness of the vehicle's utility.
Nov. 8,1982
MINI ACE
"Miniace" combines "mini " and "ace," signifying a small truck.
Nov.15,1967
MEGA CRUISER
The meaning is the same as in English.
Jan. 9,1996
LITEACE
"Liteace" combines "light" and "ace."
Nov.14,1970
LITEACE NOAH
"Liteace" combines "light" and "ace." "Noah" was chosen purely for its soothing sound, and no biblical reference was intended.
Oct.23,1996
RAUM
"Raum" in German means "space" or "room."
May 20,1997
RACTIS
The name means "runner with activity and space." The Ractis was designed with high performance and high capacity as its themes, allowing for spirited driving and a spacious interior.
Oct. 3,2005
RUSH
The meaning is the same as in English. The name evokes the image of a brisk and energetic car.
Jan.17,2006
RAV4 L
"RAV4" is the acronym of Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel-drive.
The "L" stands for "liberty."
May 10,1994
RAV4 J
"RAV4" is the acronym of Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel-drive,
and the "J" stands for "joyful."
May 10,1994
LAND CRUISER
The meaning is the same as in English.
Aug. 1,1951
LAND CRUISER CYGNUS
The meaning of "Land Cruiser" is the same as in English. "Cygnus" is a northern constellation (the Swan).
Jan. 6,1999
LAND CRUISER PRADO
The meaning of "Land Cruiser" is the same as in English. "Prado" is Portuguese for "meadow" or "field."
Apr.13,1990
REGIUS
"Regius" is Latin for "magnificent" or "splendid." The name suggests the stylish body and magnificent performance of the vehicle.
Apr. 8,1997
REGIUS ACE
"Regius" is Latin for "magnificent" or "splendid." The name signifies the stylish body and magnificent performance of the vehicle. The meaning of "Ace" is the same as in English.
Apr. 8,1997
LEXUS
LEXUS CT
(CT200h)
"CT" stands for "Creative Touring," and "200h" signifies a hybrid car with a power output equivalent to that of a 2-liter gasoline engine vehicle.
Jan.12,2011
LEXUS GS
"GS" stands for "Grand Sedan."
Aug.30,2005
LEXUS IS
"IS" stands for "Intelligent Sports (Sedan)."
Sep.28,2005
LEXUS HS
"HS" stands for "Harmonious Sedan."
July.14,2009
LEXUS LFA
The "A" in the name stands for "Apex" of the Lexus LF line of premium sports cars.
Oct.21,2009
LEXUS LS
"LS" stands for "Luxury Sedan."
Sep.16,2006
LEXUS RX
"RX" stands for "Radiant Crossover (X)."
Jan.19,2009
LEXUS SC
"SC" stands for "Sports Coupe."
Aug.30,2005

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