It was originally sold as the "Toyopet Light Truck", a not very inspired name which was changed for "ToyoAce" after a public contest in 1956.

The "K" in the model code was shared, as was the chassis, with the Toyopet SK/RK Truck, a line which was later to become the Toyota Stout.

The first Toyoace initially sold slowly, due to a price much higher than the three-wheeled trucks with which it was competing.

After a large drop in price, however, the ToyoAce went on to change the Japanese market for light trucks in favor of four-wheeled vehicles.

[6] It was introduced in March 1959, but already by October that year it underwent a facelift and received a new engine, the 1.0-liter 45 PS (33 kW) P type.

[7][8] Unlike the front-engined SKB, the engine in the second-generation ToyoAce was moved, to underneath and behind the seats.

[9] In August 1977 a special "just low" version appeared, with small twin rear wheels for a lower cargo surface.

While the overall size and cargo area was similar to those of the Y10-series, the wheelbase was 345 mm (13.6 in) shorter to allow for a narrower turning circle.

In 1982, a delivery van that allowed passengers to walk upright within the vehicle was introduced, called the Toyota QuickDelivery which is popular with delivery services and industries where working from inside the vehicle and mobility are an asset.

The ToyoAce models were generally for lighter duty and are offered with smaller engines, down to the 1,626 cc 1Y petrol unit.

The sixth-generation (introduced in May 1995) was merged fully with the Dyna, still with Y-series chassis numbers for the lighter models and U-series for the heavier versions.

[13] The lighter portion of the range remained on the market until 2001, two years after the heavier versions had been replaced.

In June 2011 the eighth-generation ToyoAce appeared, now featuring hybrid drive systems in several models.