Toyota has a new key partner: it sells 3.31 million cars and is already in Spain

29/09/2026 13:30

Updated to

29/09/2026 15:27

Toyota has a new key partner… in China and around the world. That partner is GAC, the Chinese manufacturer that has recently entered Spain—read our review of its electric SUV starting at 28,195 €. This is a complex deal, but it will place 17% of total sales in China’s market, the world’s largest, in the hands of GAC and Toyota.

It should be noted that even before this partnership, GAC—China’s fifth-largest car manufacturer that sold 3.31 million vehicles in 2025—was already a key partner for Toyota. After all, it produces the Wildlander SUV in China, which is a clone of the Toyota RAV4 (read our review), as well as an electric sedan with a range of 710 km available for just 22,000 €.

The key partnership with Toyota gives this Chinese manufacturer 17% of the Chinese market share.

It should also be noted that Toyota maintains a successful alliance with the FAW group as well, with FAW-Toyota producing best-selling electric SUVs such as the Toyota bZX3.

As of September 14th, GAC’s shares in China—where it sells 3.31 million cars per year—were suspended after the company announced its acquisition of a joint venture involving FAW. It has now been revealed that the company in question is FAW Toyota, and GAC will acquire 50% of it, thereby replacing FAW.

The total amount of this key deal in the Chinese market is still unknown, as previous audits have not yet been completed. To proceed with it, GAC will need to conduct a capital increase by issuing thousands of shares at 0.85 € per share. Additionally, following the acquisition of FAW Toyota, FAW will become the second-largest shareholder in this Chinese brand already present in Spain.

Nevertheless, this key acquisition will enable China’s fifth automaker and existing Toyota partner to combine the sales of both joint ventures with the world’s top automaker in China. According to local media, this will allow them to control 17.03% of total automobile sales in the world’s largest market—sales currently generated by FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota together.

In addition, as the Chinese manufacturer, which recently entered Spain where it also sells an electric compact car competing with the Volkswagen ID.3, has already acknowledged, this crucial acquisition will help it coordinate R&D, supply chains, and production in order to reduce investment costs and share expenses related to technological innovation.