--- title: "Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Steps Down, To Be Replaced by Lexus Boss" date: "2023-01-26" modified: "2023-01-26" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/toyota-ceo-akio-toyoda-steps-down-to-be-replaced-by-lexus-boss" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Manufacturing" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Toyota News" --- # Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Steps Down, To Be Replaced by Lexus Boss ![]() *\Getty \* [Akio Toyoda](), the grandson of [Toyota]() founder Kiichiro Toyoda, will step down from his roles as president and CEO of Toyota Motor Company, the automaker confirmed Thursday. Toyoda has been at the helm of the company for 14 years and will become chairman of Toyota's board. Koji Sato, who has served in many roles at the automaker including Lexus International president, chief branding officer, [Gazoo Racing Company]() president, and Toyota operating officer, will replace him on April 1. Toyota did not make public any specific reasons for the major executive shakeup and likely never will. However, reports from *[Nikkei]()* and *[Reuters]()* attribute the decision to the automaker's slow response to a rapidly changing automotive industry, specifically the [adoption of electric vehicles](). ![]() **Getty** The industry has undergone a major change over the last five years, something that was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the many logistical changes it caused. Sixty-six-year-old Toyoda [praised]() his successor Sato, 53, for loving cars while reiterating the importance of promoting young talent. "Sato is a man who has worked hard to master Toyota's philosophy, techniques and manners in the field of car manufacturing," Toyoda said, according to *Nikkei*. "\[He\] loves cars." "In order to promote change in an age when the right answers are not known, it is necessary for the top management to continue to be on the frontlines themselves. To do so, physical strength, energy, and passion are essential. I think being young is a big attraction in itself." The automaker has previously [claimed]() that the automotive industry has undergone a "once-in-a-century" transformation, causing auto manufacturers to compete not only on product and the quality of said product, but also on emerging technologies, fuels, and even environmental and corporate policies. ![]() *Toyota Motors president Akio Toyoda (L) poses with Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC team driver Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland (R) after a demonstration run with a Yaris WRC car during a 2017 Toyota Gazoo Racing press conference in Tokyo on February 2, 2017. / AFP / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)* ![]() *FUJI, JAPAN - OCTOBER 06: (L to R): Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina and Toyota Gazoo Racing; Mike Conway of Great Britain and Toyota Gazoo Racing; Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Toyota Gazoo Racing; Akio Toyoda of Japan and President of the Toyota Motor Corporation; Sebastien Buemi of Switzerland and Toyota Gazoo Racing; Kazuki Nakajima of Japan and Toyota Gazoo Racing; and Mike Conway of Great Britain and Toyota Gazoo Racing, in the pit lane on October 6, 2019 at the World Endurance Chapionship at Fuji, Japan. (Photo by James Moy Photography/Getty Images)* Besides fulfilling his duties as the company's commander, Toyoda is also an avid fan of motor racing and he made this known throughout his rule. Toyoda was often deeply involved in the development of the company's performance vehicles, most recently the Toyota GR Yaris. This [video shows Toyoda]() personally testing every mule of the performance hatch. His passion for racing wasn't limited to spectating, as Toyoda competed several times in a wide variety of professional-level races. Most recently, he competed in the grueling [Nurburgring 24 endurance race in a Toyota Supra]()—doing so under a fake name to avoid causing any ruckus with the media or fellow racers. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()