Are Toyota's Made in Japan Better than Toyota's Made in America? Let’s Find Out!

The odds are pretty good that any Toyota you pick on the road at random was actually made in America. But are there any differences in how a particular make and model you own turns out if it was made in Japan versus the U.S.? Here’s what some automotive experts have to say about the question of who cranks out the better Toyota; plus, how you can tell which country your Toyota was manufactured in.

Made in America

In spite of being a Japanese brand of vehicle, Toyota has been manufacturing vehicles on American soil for over three decades. And with that, there naturally comes the question of whether there is a difference between buying a car made in Japan and one that is made in America when it comes to the same make.

Of the Toyota models made in American the list includes:

• Toyota Sienna (in Princeton, Indiana)
• Toyota Sequoia (in Princeton, Indiana)
• Toyota Highlander (in Princeton, Indiana)
• Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (in Georgetown, Kentucky)
• Toyota Camry (in Georgetown, Kentucky)
• Toyota Avalon (in Georgetown, Kentucky)
• Toyota Tacoma (in San Antonio, Texas)
• Toyota Tundra (in San Antonio, Texas)
• Toyota Corolla (in Blue Springs, Mississippi)

If you spot a Prius, a Mirai, a Land Cruiser or a 4Runner, then the odds are good that it was made in Japan.

However, some Toyota models are also made in other countries such as Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Germany, England, Italy, China, and Korea.

The Question Addressed by Automotive Experts on Both Sides of the World

In a recently released “The Car Care Nut” YouTube channel video, the host addresses the question with assistance from Mr. David Chao a mechanical and automotive engineer who has worked for Toyota for many years and served as an automotive industry advisor and educator of automotive development.

In their discussion you will learn how that the answer to the question is multifactorial based primarily on the interrelated relationships between:

• Engineering and Design Issues
• Parts/Supplier Issues
• Production/Assembly Issues

Furthermore you will learn:

1. It is a myth to never choose the first of any model if you want to avoid new-model problems.
2. Why engineering changes occur multiple times within the same model during its first 2 years.
3. That software is more of a problem than the hardware.
4. Which months of production are the best window for buying a trouble-free vehicle.
5. Not all made-in-Japan Toyotas are built with Japanese parts while some made-in-America Toyota’s have Japanese parts.
6. Whether standards really differ between the two countries.
7. Are there design differences within the same models from different countries?
8. How does the same model compare between different countries?
9. Is there a difference in the diligence of the workers between countries?
10. Is it worth waiting for a Made-In-Japan model when buying a Toyota?

Who’s Toyota is Better Built?

That said, here is another important video from The Car Care Nut YouTube channel that was released recently that may affect how you will look at Toyota models and where they are made.

Without further ado, here is the video in its entirety for your elucidation and benefit as a new and used car shopper:

Are Toyota's Made in Japan Better than Toyota's Made Elsewhere?

How to Tell Which Country Your Toyota Was Manufactured In

This is an easy question to answer. Simply look at your vehicle’s VIN:

• If the VIN starts with a letter, then it was manufactured outside of both North and South America---where “J” is for Japan, “K” is for Korea, “S” is for the UK, “W” is for Germany, “L” is for China, and “Z” is for Italy.

• If the VIN starts with a number, then it was made outside of Japan---where 1, 4, or 5 is made in the U.S., 2 is in Canada, 3 is in Mexico, 6 is in Australia, 7 is in New Zealand; and, 8 or 9 are made in South America.

For more used car articles related to the topic, be sure to check out the following linked articles “The Sealed Automatic Transmission Flush Deception Revealed by a Mechanic; and, “How to Inspect The Transmission Fluid on a Used Prius.”

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Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily automotive-related news.