Toyota Motor Sales, USA

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	October 31, 1957; 69 years ago in California, United States
Headquarters	Plano, United States
Area served	United States (49 states)
Key people	James E. Lentz III (President)
Products	Toyota and Lexus vehicles
Number of employees	6500+
Parent	Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (commonly referred to as TMS or Toyota USA) operates as the North American branch responsible for sales, marketing, and distribution within the United States. Established in 1957 in California, TMS currently employs more than 6,500 individuals. In 2017, Toyota shifted its headquarters to a newly developed campus in Plano, Texas, positioning itself near prominent corporations such as FedEx and J.C. Penney. Previously, its main office was located in Torrance, California, where it coordinated operations through 14 regional offices.

TMS manages the distribution and sales of Toyota and Lexus vehicles across 49 states via a network exceeding 1,200 Toyota dealerships—of which over 900 formerly retailed Scion models—and more than 200 Lexus dealerships. California leads with the highest dealership count at 172 locations. In Hawaii, Servco Pacific handles Toyota vehicle distribution. TMS is responsible for creating nationwide television advertisements and marketing content while overseeing dealer-level marketing efforts to ensure consistent brand messaging. Additionally, it administers regional logistics through 12 parts distribution centers and five vehicle distribution hubs. The company’s president is James E. Lentz III.

Relocation to Plano

In 2014, Toyota revealed plans to move its U.S. headquarters to Plano, Texas, situated within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The new site was designed to accommodate approximately 4,000 employees, including about 2,000 relocating from the existing headquarters and around 1,000 staff from Toyota Financial Services, formerly based in Torrance. The transition aimed for completion by late 2016 or early 2017, with an initial phase involving a temporary office in Texas and gradual employee transfers. This move was projected to boost enrollment by roughly 150 students at the Dallas Japanese School, which serves local Japanese and Japanese American communities.

On April 29, 2014, Mayor of Dallas Mike Rawlings remarked that although Toyota had considered moving to the City of Dallas, concerns regarding the quality of education within the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) led them to opt for Plano instead. Toyota cited factors influencing their decision including superior education standards from K-12 through higher education, convenient airport access, and cost of living advantages. The company did not disclose other cities evaluated during this process. Torrance Mayor Frank Scotto expressed regret over the departure of Toyota’s headquarters from the city.

Matthew Haag of The Dallas Morning News observed that Toyota’s choice of suburban Plano likely stemmed from its resemblance to Torrance’s suburban setting.

Previous headquarters

Before relocating, Toyota’s U.S. headquarters were situated in Torrance, California, part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The facility consisted of six buildings encompassing significant office space. In 2012, a hydrogen fuel cell generator with a capacity of 1.1 megawatts was installed on-site; this system supplied up to half of the campus’s peak power needs without producing emissions and yielded annual utility savings near $130,000. By 2014, the Torrance campus employed approximately 5,300 personnel.

The company’s inaugural U.S. office began operations on October 31, 1957, at 6000 Hollywood Blvd, a location that once housed a Rambler/Ford dealership—remaining a Toyota dealership as of July 2022. The selection of this site was influenced by Los Angeles area’s direct airline connections to Tokyo and its proximity to the Port of Los Angeles.

The Torrance headquarters facility opened in 1982 and received the Golden Nugget Award in 2003 following expansion of its South Campus. After Toyota’s move to Texas, the Torrance campus was sold and subsequently demolished by 2022 to make way for redevelopment projects.

Passenger Vehicles

Corolla (available in gasoline and hybrid versions)
Camry (hybrid model)
Crown (hybrid variant)
Mirai (hydrogen fuel cell vehicle)
Prius (hybrid)
Prius Prime (hybrid)

Sports Models

SUVs, Crossovers, and Minivans

Pickup Trucks

Passenger Cars

ES (hybrid)
IS
LS (available in gasoline and hybrid)

Coupes

LC (gasoline and hybrid options)
RC
RC F

SUVs and Crossovers

GX
LX
NX
RX
RZ
TX
UX

Distribution

In 1968, entrepreneur Jim Moran was invited to create a Toyota dealership network throughout the Southeastern United States. After evaluating the vehicle’s reliability, build quality, and competitive pricing, Moran accepted the opportunity. On October 26, 1968, he launched Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET), distributing vehicles through the Port of Jacksonville.

Similarly, racing aficionado Thomas H. Friedkin became involved with Toyota after Carroll Shelby declined a distribution proposal. Friedkin founded Gulf States Toyota Distributors (GST) in 1969, serving the Houston market via the Port of Houston.

For the other 40 states, Toyota Motor Sales supplies dealers directly.

Southeast Toyota Distributors

A subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises, Southeast Toyota Distributors represents the largest independent Toyota distributor in the United States. It supports 177 independent dealerships across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, accounting for nearly a quarter of Toyota’s U.S. sales.

Gulf States Toyota Distributors

Owned by the Friedkin Group, Gulf States Toyota Distributors manages 158 independent dealerships in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. It stands as the other principal independent distributor for Toyota in the country.

Marketing

In 2003, Toyota Motor Sales USA acquired naming rights to Houston’s Toyota Center through a 20-year agreement valued at $95 million ($4.75 million annually). This deal marked the first time an international corporation sponsored a sports venue in Houston and ranked among the top ten most lucrative NBA arena naming rights contracts.

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