Did you know that Portugal was one of the most important markets for Toyota's expansion on the European continent? And did you know that the brand's first factory in Europe is Portuguese? That's a lot in this article.
We will listen to the testimony of customers, drive competition cars, the brand's classics and the latest models, in an epic of thousands of kilometers across the country.
A story that began in 1968, with the signing of Toyota's import contract for Portugal by Salvador Caetano. A brand (Toyota) and a company (Salvador Caetano) whose names in our country are inseparable.
The most striking models
Over these 50 years, several models have marked Toyota's history in Portugal. Some of them were even produced in our country.Guess what we're going to start with…
Toyota Corolla
Nor could we start this list with another model. The Toyota Corolla is one of the most important models in the automobile industry and also one of the best-selling family members in history.
It began to be produced in Portugal in 1971 and since then it has been a constant presence on our roads. Reliability, comfort and safety are three adjectives that we easily associate with one of the most important models in Toyota history.
Toyota Hilux
Toyota's 50-year history in Portugal was not only made of passenger models. The light commercial vehicle division has always been of enormous importance to Toyota.
Toyota Hilux is a good example. A mid-range pickup truck that has been synonymous with strength, load-bearing capacity and reliability in every market. A model that was even produced in Portugal.
Toyota Hiace
Before the appearance of minivans, Toyota Hiace was one of the models chosen by Portuguese families and companies for the transport of people and goods.
In our country, the production of the Toyota Hiace began in 1978. It was one of the models that helped Toyota to hold a 22% share of the national commercial vehicle market in 1981.
Toyota Dyna
Alongside the Corolla and Corona, the Toyota Dyna was one of three models to inaugurate the production line at the Toyota factory in Ovar in 1971.
Did you know that in 1971, the Ovar factory was the most modern and most advanced factory in the country? An even more relevant achievement if we take into account that Salvador Fernandes Caetano, responsible for Toyota's arrival in Portugal, designed, built and put the factory into operation in just 9 months.
Toyota Starlet
The arrival of the Toyota Starlet in Europe in 1978 is a paradigmatic case of “arriving, seeing and winning”. Until 1998, when it was replaced by Yaris, the little Starlet was a constant presence in the reliability and preference rankings of Europeans.
Despite its exterior dimensions, the Starlet offered good interior space and the usual rigor of construction that Toyota has always accustomed its customers to.
Toyota Carina E
Launched in 1970, the Toyota Carina found its ultimate expression in the 7th generation, launched in 1992.
In addition to the design and interior space, the Carina E stood out for the list of equipment it offered. In our country, there was even a single-brand speed trophy, with the support of Toyota, which had the Toyota Carina E as the main protagonist.
Toyota Celica
In these 50 years of Toyota in Portugal, the Toyota Celica was undoubtedly the Japanese brand's most devoted sports car, winning not only on the roads but also on the rally stages.
Drivers such as Juha Kankkunen, Carlos Sainz, and in Portugal, Rui Madeira, who in 1996 won the Rally de Portugal, at the wheel of a Celica from the Italian Grifone team, marked the history of this model.
Toyota Rav4
Throughout its history, Toyota has repeatedly anticipated trends in the automobile market.
In 1994, the Toyota RAV4 arrived on the market, for many parts of the SUV segment — which today, 24 years later, is one of the fastest growing segments in the world.
Before the appearance of the Toyota RAV4, anyone who wanted a vehicle with off-road capabilities had to opt for a “pure and hard” jeep, with all the limitations that came with it (comfort, high consumption, etc.).
The Toyota RAV4 was the first model to combine, in a single model, the ability of jeeps to progress, the versatility of the vans and the comfort of the saloons. A formula for success that continues to bear fruit.
Toyota Land Cruiser
Alongside the Toyota Corolla, the Land Cruiser is another inseparable model in the brand's history. A true multifaceted “pure and hard”, with work and luxury versions, designed for all types of uses.
Toyota Prius
In 1997, Toyota took the entire industry by surprise when it announced the launch of the Toyota Prius: the automobile industry's first mass-production hybrid.
Today, all brands are betting on electrifying their ranges, but Toyota was the first brand to move in that direction. In Europe, we had to wait until 1999 to discover this model, which combined low consumption and emissions with a notable driving pleasure.
The first step was taken towards the Toyota we know today.
Toyota in Portugal 50 years later
50 years ago, Toyota launched its first ad in Portugal, where you could read “Toyota is here to stay”. Salvador Fernandes Caetano was right. Toyota did.
Today, the Japanese brand offers a wide range of models on the national market, starting with the versatile Aygo and ending with the familiar Avensis, without forgetting the complete SUV range that has in the C-HR a showcase of all the technology and design that Toyota has for offer, and the RAV4, one of the best-selling models in the segment worldwide.
If in 1997 the electrification of the automobile seemed far away, today it is a certainty. And Toyota is one of the brands that offers a more extensive range of electrified models.
The Toyota Yaris was the first model in its segment to offer this technology.
Know the entire Toyota range in Portugal:
Toyota Aygo
But because safety, along with the environment, is another of the brand's core values, still in 2018, all Toyota models will be equipped with Toyota Safety Sense safety devices.
Toyota Portugal numbers
In Portugal, Toyota has sold more than 618 thousand cars and currently has a range of 16 models, of which 8 models have “Full Hybrid” technology.
In 2017, the Toyota brand ended the year with a market share of 3.9% corresponding to 10,397 units, an increase of 5.4% compared to the previous year. Consolidating its leadership position in automotive electrification, the brand achieved a significant increase in the sale of hybrid vehicles in Portugal (3 797 units), with a growth of 74.5% compared to 2016 (2 176 units).
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