What is Mater's full name in Pixar's Cars franchise?

Mater's full name in Pixar's Cars franchise is Tow Mater.

Mater is a rusty tow truck who lives in Radiator Springs and becomes Lightning McQueen's closest friend. In the first Cars film, characters mainly call him Mater, a name that also functions as a playful shortening of “tow mater,” a pronunciation of “tomato.” His appearance and speech reflect a humorous rural tow-truck character rather than a sleek racing machine.

Mater's role expands across the franchise. He helps Lightning understand the town, becomes central to the spy adventure in Cars 2, and remains an important friend in Cars 3 and the Cars Toons shorts. His honesty, enthusiasm, and confidence often create trouble, but they also help solve problems.

The name is sometimes mistaken for a surname or for a model designation. “Tow Mater” is the character's established full name, while “Mater” is the common form used in dialogue.