Taiwan Car Brands

Taiwan Car Brands

The automobile industry in Taiwan is connected in several directions at once. This is the production of passenger cars, spare parts, and electronics for cars. Moreover, their assembly does not play a decisive role in the country’s economy, although about 3 thousand companies are associated with the automotive industry there. The rating is headed by Hotai Motor, followed by China Motor Corporation, Yulon Nissan Motor, and Honda Taiwan. In addition, local industrialists are actively investing in electric models. Not surprisingly, 75% of Tesla’s employees are Taiwanese residents.

What are the Taiwanese automobile brands?

The automotive industry in Taiwan is quite developed, although it is not the locomotive of the local economy. The major brands are Hotai Motor, Yulon Motors, Luxgen, Yulon GM, China Motor Corporation, Chin Chun Motors, Kuozui Motors, Ford Lio Ho, Honda Taiwan, Her Chee, SYM Motors, Formosa Automobile, Ta Ching Motor, and Prince Motors.

Hotai Motor

Hotai Motor Logo

It is a conglomerate founded in 1947. Its activities are related to the manufacturing, advertising, and sales of automobiles and automobile parts. It was founded by Lee Ho Huang and supplied small cars and cars under the Toyota and Lexus brands.

It also has a range of large vehicles, including trucks – Toyota and Hino brands. But unlike other similar structures, the company has two subsidiaries that deal with auto insurance, auto parts, and auto leasing. In other words, this manufacturer dominates all areas of the automotive industry.

Yulon Motors

Yulon Motors Logo

This is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in Taiwan. It is engaged in the assembly of passenger cars under Nissan’s license. Until 1992 (when the company was formed in 1953), this manufacturer had the name Yue Loong, after which it was shortened to Yulon. Today, the company is among the four leaders of the Taiwanese automobile market. It forms a holding company that includes several brands: Yulon Rental, Carnival Industrial Corporation, Yulon Financial, Yulon-Nissan Motor, and others.

In 2010, the organization created the Luxgen brand to sell its cars. It also sells several series of Nissan and Renault. The Nissan lineup is particularly wide, which includes the March, Verita, Sentra, Teana, Serena, and X-Trail models.

Luxgen

Luxgen Logo

This company produces cars under the brand launched by Yulon and is 100% owned by the parent company. Together with the Chinese automaker Dongfeng, it forms a single structure called Dongfeng Yulon. Luxgen supplies the PRC market with several modifications of passenger cars – S5, S3, U5, U6, 7 MPV, and 7 SUV. The company is headquartered in Miaoli district.

Yulon GM

Yulon GM Logo

The structural division of Yulon and General Motors no longer exists today. It dissolved in 2012, although it once successfully sold Cadillac, Buick, and Opel vehicles. The company also designed and assembled the Buick Excelle and Buick Lacrosse. After a poor rating that led to financial collapse, the partnership between the Taiwanese and American companies was terminated, and the joint venture was dissolved.

China Motor Corporation

China Motor Corporation Logo

Taiwan’s Taipei-based CMC produces well-equipped and modern Mitsubishi and Daimler Chrysler vehicles. It is also their main supplier overseas, offering modernized models for export. In 2021, its lineup included a wide range of Mitsubishi passenger cars: the Zinger (based on the Challenger platform), Space Gear, Savrin, Grunder (Asian modification of the Galant series), and Lancer. Since 2006, an extensive line of Chrysler cars has been produced. For this, the company has a lot of experience as it has been in the market since 1969.

Chin Chun Motors

Chin Chun Motors Logo

This automotive organization began its operations in 1991 in Taoyuan, where it is still located today. It is a partnership formed by Chinfon Huanyu and Volkswagen AG. Also, Chin Chun Motors is a subsidiary of the Chinfon Group. It currently manufactures Hyundai commercial vehicles in Taiwan.

Kuozui Motors

Kuozui Motors Logo

This Taiwanese automaker specializes in the production of Toyota vehicles. The list includes many series such as Yaris, Zace, Wish, Camry, Altis, and Vios. In addition to assembly, it also deals with passenger car sales and after-sales maintenance. The company began as a subsidiary of Hino Motors and Hotai Motor. In the 1980s, it spun out of them and became an independent entity. But in 2008, Hotai Motor and Toyota increased their stakes in Kuozui Motors, gaining a controlling interest.

Ford Lio Ho

Ford Lio Ho Logo

The automaker Ford Lio Ho was founded as a Ford passenger car assembly plant in Taiwan. From the mid-1980s through the 1990s, it handled cars based on the Mazda 626 and 323. These were intended by Ford Motor Company to be delivered to Asia-Pacific countries and were known as the Telstar, Ford Laser, and Explorer. The current lineup is much broader and includes adapted Mazda and Ford models. The company was founded in 1972. Only 70% of the shares are owned by Ford, with the rest held by Lio Ho investors.

Honda Taiwan

Honda Taiwan Logo

This plant is wholly owned by the Japanese conglomerate Honda Motor Co., Ltd. It was he who founded it in 2002, when local firms broke off cooperation with him. As a result, the foreign company built a personal enterprise, where it set up production of its CR-V and Accord series cars (in 2003), Civic (in 2006), and Fit (in 2008).

Her Chee

Her Chee Logo

This company focuses on the production of small SUVs – compact side-by-side all-terrain vehicles- in Taiwan. Also, among Taiwanese manufacturers, there are ATVs, scooters, and motorcycles. The full name of the company is Her Chee Industrial, which indicates its specialization in the industrial field without independent development.

SYM Motors

SYM Motors Logo

Sanyang Motor Co., Ltd. was established in 1954. It was founded in Taipei by entrepreneurs Chang Kuo An and Huang Chi-Chung. The company is currently headquartered in Hsinchu County, with three factories located in Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. Its main product range consists of ATVs, motorcycles, scooters (under the SYM brand), and mini trucks and cars (under the Hyundai brand).

Formosa Automobile

Formosa Automobile Logo

The automobile company, founded in 1996, came into being after the purchase of the factory of the bankrupt Sanfu Motor Co., Ltd. It was financed by Formosa Plastics Group, after which it began assembling Daewoo cars from 2003 to 2006. It had a range of other models that it produced under its own brand name, Formosa. In 2004, it abandoned it due to financial losses. To recover, the company tried to partner with Skoda but also failed. So now it only has a line to produce Dutch DAF trucks.

Ta Ching Motor

Ta Ching Motor Logo

This Taiwanese company, founded in 1989, was engaged in the assembly of Subaru cars. It was located in the city of Pingtung, where its main industrial sites were concentrated. The company also developed a unique sedan, Subaru Justy. In 2002, the manufacturer ceased its activities.

Prince Motors

The initiator of the creation of this firm was a politician and businessman, Hsu Sheng-fa. It was founded in 1965. Initially, it was engaged in the assembly of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, being a key supplier of Japanese trucks, Mitsubishi Kato and Komatsu. From 1971, Prince Motors Co. manufactured Nissan Homer vehicles. After the contract with that corporation ended, the company entered into a long-term agreement with Isuzu and Suzuki, locating the assembly line in New Taipei (Tucheng District). But in 2011, the Taiwanese company went bankrupt.

Thunder Power

Thunder Power Logo

A modern brand of electric cars, which are positioned as cars of the future. They are characterized by high speed, energy-consuming batteries, noise-absorbing interiors, and innovative design. The Thunder Power logo is large and unusually located in the place of the front grille. The badge is shaped like an oval diverging over water and consists of three elements stylized in shiny metal.

Tobe

Tobe Logo

This is a proprietary brand of the Taiwanese automaker Yulon Motor Company, which produces inexpensive superminis. Passenger cars have been produced since 2009 in Miaoli city. The Tobe logo has a circular shape with an orange center, on which the brand name is placed. It is made in lowercase font and arranged in two rows. The lettering, like the frame, has a metallic texture with a shiny surface.

CMC

CMC Logo

The abbreviation of this Taiwanese automaker and distributor stands for China Motor Corporation. The company has been around since 1969 and is based in Taipei City. The current CMC logo has been in use since 2015. It is made in the form of a horizontal rhombus, divided by a vertical stripe into two identical triangles, and supplemented with a blue name at the bottom.

Why are cars so expensive in Taiwan?

The cost of cars in Taiwan is rising due to high taxes and tariffs. Therefore, the same models are much more expensive than in the USA. The price is almost double.

What are car brands made in Asia?

The most prominent representatives of the Asian car industry are the following brands: Lexus, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, Kia, Infiniti, Hyundai, Genesis, Acura, Nissan. They belong to Japan and South Korea.

Where are Luxgen cars made?

Luxgen vehicles are now manufactured in Taiwan. Until 2020, they were produced in China at the factories of Dongfeng Yulon Motor Co., Ltd.