Karin (GTA manufacturer)

Updated 2 November 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

Karin is a fictional Japanese car maker in the Grand Theft Auto series, first seen in GTA IV (2008). The GTA Wiki says it is based on Toyota, with some models drawn from Subaru. Its range runs from saloons and pickups to tuner cars, and its best-known models include the Sultan, the Futo, the Kuruma, the Dilettante hybrid and the Rebel pickup.

What is Karin in GTA?

Karin is the second of the big Japanese brands next to Dinka. It sells everyday saloons, SUVs and pickups, as well as rally-bred and tuner coupés. The name is the Japanese word for red sandalwood, according to the GTA Wiki. Other makers are covered in the GTA vehicles hub.

Which real car brand is Karin based on?

Toyota first, Subaru second. The GTA Wiki notes that Toyota owns a large stake in Subaru, which explains the Subaru-style Boor and Woodlander. Karin's logo looks more like the Lexus badge than Toyota's. Its tuning arm, Karin Racing Auto Performance, shortens to KRAP, a joke on Toyota Racing Development (TRD).

Even the pronunciation moves around. The GTA Wiki points out that a GTA IV advert says it one way and GTA V adverts and police radio say it another, possibly nodding to the Toyota Carina.

Karin first turns up in GTA IV, released on 29 April 2008 according to Wikipedia. The brand then carries on through the handheld Chinatown Wars, GTA V and GTA Online, which keeps adding new models with its updates. Wikipedia notes that the cars of GTA IV are not copies of any single real vehicle but mix elements of several with the developers' own ideas, and the brand system grew out of that approach.

What are the best-known Karin cars?

The Kuruma is the odd one out, since the GTA Wiki matches it to a Mitsubishi rather than a Toyota. GTA Online also offers an armoured version of it; our heists guide covers the jobs where getaway cars matter.