Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. began operations in 1957. Toyota established the company on October 31, 1957, as its American sales, marketing and distribution arm. Its first office occupied a former Rambler dealership at 6000 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, a location chosen for access to both the city’s aviation links and the nearby Port of Los Angeles.
The company began selling vehicles in the United States in 1958. Its initial offerings included the Toyopet Crown and the Land Cruiser, but the Crown struggled because its Japanese-market engineering was poorly suited to sustained high-speed American highway driving. Toyota sold only 287 Crown sedans and one Land Cruiser during 1958.
This early setback did not stop Toyota’s expansion. The company later established a much stronger U.S. presence with compact models such as the Corona and Corolla, followed by American manufacturing and a growing dealer network. Toyota Motor Sales remained the company’s U.S. sales organization even after Toyota consolidated North American corporate operations under Toyota Motor North America in 2017.