© Price us tested

NAN

© Buse price

$4,300

© fspe

4 pas. 2 4 doer sedi

® Layout

Tramsyverse trent oengiie front.
edie

4 oeslinder, SOHO. 12
sepower

200 rpm
© Transmission
4/Sspd oiantak 3 spd auto
¢ Tires
PI5S/80 RI3 ASR
© Curb weight
950 ke/2095 ths,
* Wheelbase
2380 mm 93.7 in.
© Length
AUG mar’ 161.8 in.
© Width
1660 inm/65.3 in.
© Heipit
1350 mm 753.) in.
¢ Trunk space
303 1/10.7 cu.ft.
© Fuel economy
7.31/100 km. 39 mpg
© Warranty
3 yes/60,000 km
$ yrs/ 100.000 kin

RESTYLED for the
first time in five years,
the economical
Toyota Tercel offers
improved perfor-
mance, ride and han-
dling in a two or four
door sedan body
style. The hatchback
is gone.

NEWS photos Neil Lucente

TOYOTA’S ENTRY-
LEVEL,  front-wheel-drive
economy car, the Tercel,
has undergone some signifi-
cant changes for the 1991
model year.

A new sedan body style replaces
both the hatchback and coupe
body styles of previous Tercels.

A spokesperson at Toyota says
the change is in response to cus.
tomers requesting an entry fevel
vehicle ‘wrapped ino a otslish
package.” The kev word here is
“stylish.”

Toyota's researeh atm has
determined that today’s simall oct
buyers donb want an fecenobos”
Instead. thes want a classs,
good-looking coonoms cat

Hatchbacks jist don’: anake the
grade, according to basetie.

Until now. almost 2. ot all
Percels sold) were hutehbacks. sof
will be interesting tesco how well
COTISHATCTS embrace the Hew
sedan.

Available wath owe oor teu
doors, the tes + ostagdiths
wider, Iaedier and shertos chan last
sears model fis new ares aecores
eMEerOn FS mob partcuhiniy diistine
tive. bur its proportions are pleas
ing and practical,

The LereePs dered. pre
file ineludes ao tromt bumper that

houses a cadiator erille and acts is
The overall ‘weds’
highbehted
windscreen
Tneh rear devk.
sind: cheating
Shape bas less wind resistance Une
the previous imedel, thereby help
ine roomprove tuel coomans and
Teabticc TECEIOn Witt Morse.
Potloswinse tig exterian’s rented:

predestined

Pristeuimerits

TOYOTA TERCEL

New sedan replaces old hatchback

2

44 Sporting an all-new-style body,
the new Toyota Tercel moves up
in prestige without getting any
bigger or less fuel-efficient. 99

convemenily dowetea and oulward
Visibility ps good,

been though this is a surall car.
there ts adequate reant for tour ar
Nive passengers. A split tear seat is
available for aceess to the trunk
ata.

Phe lereel’s powertrain tas
heen otelimed fo provide tore
horsepower. Tess vibratien and
better driveability. Phe bd hare,
Simtle overhead cam F2 valve.
Fout-evlinder cneme now fas S82
hhassepower, up) tram 7S) and oa
new oelectromte fuch  inyecnion
System for better cald-weuther

Greg

TEST DRIVE

diveahibins,

CEAYIADIEESSTOTES
able. a four speed nitnaal Gan the
base modeb. a five speed: niamiaal,

News - 29

and a three-speed automatic.

Driving the new Fereel reveals
some important differences — be-
tween this and the previous
model. The new Tercel has a more
comfortable, stable ride. improved
roadholding and fess tendency to
pitch in the corners.

The available power steering
now has a fighter feel, too. The
overall driving impression is one
of greater) control and safety,
especially at highway speeds.

The automatic transmission is
geared too high for highwiy cruis-
ing though, and ay a result, the
hard-working engine is a bit neisy.
A) four-speed automatic night
solve this problem. Both manual
Transmissions have better-spiced
gear radios and shifting ty cass.

Three trim desels are asaiable,
S. DN. and El. The entry-level S
model, starting ab abaut SY. 300, is
pretty  hate-banes with con
stdcrabhy dess equipment than the
DN and bb ontodebs.

Te oatlers ao fea speed tunel
UL DESEETDS Spon tiistead al al Twe
speed}, osmtafler tires. samaltes
headlimps, a vans otaterton. and
miata UPBNED CETTE aD OD GOMty

Towoudd recomapenmd: cofier the
DN oon Db riedebs Nt the tire ot
punting. na orebah prices were
avatlible or these Pd oexpecr them
tobe slisbely mote thin Lest sears
comparably equipped tiodels,