Who Makes Toyota Oil? (And Is It Really Any Different?)
When it comes to motor oil, there's no shortage of brands from which to choose. Anyone who's ever been to an auto parts store or even passed the automotive section in Walmart knows how confusing it can be to pick a jug of oil off a shelf that features dozens of options. From high-end performance oils to cheaper alternatives for daily drivers, selecting the right engine oil can be stressful, to say the least. To make things even more complex, car manufacturers tend to produce their own lines of automotive fluids, including motor oil. Toyota is no different.
If you're a Toyota owner, you may wonder whether you should fill your engine with genuine Toyota oil and if it's worth the trouble to hunt down the manufacturer's brand. It's true that you can't go wrong using the manufacturer's preferred fluids, but that doesn't automatically mean that off-brand fluids are harmful to your car. In fact, in many cases, purchasing a generic brand might just be the best choice for your vehicle and your wallet.
Who makes Toyota oil?
Toyota Genuine Motor Oil (TGMO) is produced by industry giant ExxonMobil. The fossil fuel titan, known for its gas stations, also produces other popular automotive products, like Mobil 1 motor oil. ExxonMobil has a long relationship with Toyota. The company sponsors the Toyota Gazoo Racing team and functions as its oil supplier.
As the official manufacturer of Toyota motor oil, ExxonMobil also produces the number-one recommended oil for Toyota vehicles — apart from TGMO, that is. If you can't get your hands on TGMO, Toyota recommends filling your car with Mobil 1. Because of this and the fact that ExxonMobil produces Toyota Genuine Motor Oil, many Toyota owners and enthusiasts have speculated that both TGMO and Mobil 1 are, in fact, the same product. Toyota, on the other hand, claims that its oil is slightly different and contains special, Toyota-specific additives. That said, the company concedes that any oil — provided it matches the car's specifications — can be used in its vehicles.
Should you use Toyota oil in your car?
So, do you really need to fill your car with Toyota Genuine Motor Oil? While there is no 100% correct answer, your safest bet when it comes to any automotive fluid is to use the manufacturer's product or partner company. Doing so can help you take advantage of any warranties or guarantees your automaker provides. Furthermore, if you take your car to the dealership for maintenance, the technicians will almost always use manufacturer-specific fluids. However, that does not mean that generic-brand fluids are bad for your car — in fact, most automakers provide a secondary brand recommendation for when you can't get your hands on the manufacturer's product. In the case of Toyota, it's Mobil 1.
Ultimately, the most important factor to consider when choosing an engine oil is not the manufacturer's label — it's your car itself. Each engine requires a specific type of motor oil. Popular types of motor oil include 5W-30, 10W-30, and 0W-20. Those numbers and letters refer to the oil's viscosity or thickness. As long as you choose an oil with the correct viscosity — you can learn your car's oil type by consulting your owner's manual or looking at the oil fill cap — you shouldn't have any problems.