Car logos are some of the most recognizable logos in the world. Recently we ran across a top of the most popular car brands in the USA, so we took the top 10 and looked into the stories of how those logos were created. We don’t comment on the accuracy of the top (you can find it here), but the history of the brands is extremely interesting. This list contains narrowed-down versions of the histories behind the logos.

Toyota

The Toyota logo has a long and rich history that dates back to the late 1800s. The iconic car logo was designed by the founder of Toyota, Kiichiro Toyoda, in 1936. The logo was designed to represent the three overlapping circles that symbolize the heart of the customer, the heart of the product, and the heart of progress in the world. The logo was slightly modified in 1989 to feature two overlapping ellipses, which were meant to represent the world embracing Toyota’s products and technological advancements. Today, the Toyota logo is a symbol of quality and innovation in the automotive industry.

Honda

The Honda logo has been used since the company was founded in 1948. It features a stylized “H” representing the company’s initials and has remained largely unchanged for the last 70 years. The original logo was created by the founder Soichiro Honda and symbolized his dream of producing reliable, inexpensive motor vehicles. Over the years, the car logo has become an iconic representation of Honda’s commitment to quality and innovation, and it has become synonymous with the company’s products.

Chevrolet

The Chevrolet logo has been around since 1913, when William C. Durant, the founder of Chevrolet, decided to use the Swiss cross as the symbol for the brand. The logo was later modified in 1915 and again in 1959 when the bowtie was introduced and it has been used ever since. The bowtie logo was inspired by the wallpaper design in the hotel Durant was staying in at the time. He thought the design was so striking that he decided to use it for his car brand.

Ford

The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford and the iconic “Blue Oval” car logo was introduced in 1912. The Ford logo was designed to represent the reliability and quality of their vehicles. The blue oval has gone through a few changes over the years, but the core design remains the same. It is said that the oval was inspired by the shape of the Ford Model T, which was the first mass-produced car by the company.

Mercedes-Benz

The iconic Mercedes-Benz logo has a long and interesting history. It dates back to 1909 when it was created by the company’s co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler. The car logo is composed of a three-pointed star, which is meant to represent the company’s ambition of “dominating the land, the sea, and the air” with their vehicles. Over the years, the logo has been modified and refined, with the most recent redesign taking place in 2009. The 2009 redesign was intended to modernize the logo and make it more recognizable and appealing to a global audience.

Jeep

The Jeep logo has been around since the 1940s and has gone through several iterations over the years. The original logo, which featured a slanted ‘J’ within a rectangular shape, was designed by American industrial designer, Brooks Stevens. This car logo was used until the 1980s when the company opted for a more modern, simplified logo which featured a boxy ‘J’ within a rectangle.

In 2010, the logo was updated again with a more stylized look and a more rounded shape. The latest version of the logo was released in 2013 and features a more abstract design with a stylized, three-dimensional ‘J’ inside a box. No matter the design, the Jeep car logo has been an iconic symbol of adventure and exploration for decades.

BMW

The BMW logo has a long and interesting history. The first logo was designed in 1917 as a black-and-white image of a spinning propeller against a blue sky. It was created to represent the company’s involvement in the aviation industry during World War I. In the 1920s, the logo was updated to include a white circle with the company’s initials “BMW” in the middle. This logo was used until the late 1950s when the iconic blue and white car logo we know today was introduced. This logo is meant to represent the colors of the Bavarian flag, and it has become a symbol of the company’s dedication to quality and innovation.

Porsche

The Porsche car logo has a fascinating history, going all the way back to 1932 when Ferdinand Porsche designed the iconic crest. The logo consists of three elements: a black-and-white crest, the Porsche name, and a shield shape. The crest is inspired by the coat of arms of Stuttgart, the city where Porsche was founded, and it includes a horse, antlers, and a red and black stripe. The Porsche name was added to the logo in 1952, and the shield shape was added in 1972.

Subaru

The famous six-star Subaru logo was first introduced in 1989 and is based on the constellation of Pleiades, which is also known as the Seven Sisters (with one of them not visible). This constellation is a symbol of unity and harmony among the Subaru family, as well as a sign of the company’s commitment to producing high-quality vehicles. The Subaru logo has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 1989, although the company has made subtle alterations over the years to keep its look modern.

Nissan

The Nissan logo has evolved throughout the years, from its origins in the 1930s. The first car logo was a simple red circle with the “Nissan” lettering inside. In the 1950s, a blue circle was added to the logo, representing the company’s commitment to quality and innovation. In the 1990s, the logo was changed to a chrome-plated three-dimensional design. This design was updated in the 2000s with a more modern look and the addition of a silver background. Today, the logo is a chrome-plated silver design with the “Nissan” lettering inside.