Toyota Tercel

Toyota Tercel
Production period:	1978-2000
Class :	Compact class
Body versions :	Sedan , hatchback , station wagon , coupe , Combi Coupé
Successor:	Toyota Echo (sedan) Toyota Vitz (station wagon)

The Toyota Tercel was a compact car from Toyota , which was located between the Toyota Starlet and the Toyota Corolla . At the start of production, it was the first Toyota model with front-wheel drive and Toyota's competitor to the Nissan Pulsar . In Asia it was partly offered as a Toyota Corolla II or Toyota Corsa . In North America , where the Starlet was not offered, it was Toyota's entry-level model until it was replaced and was first marketed there as the Toyota Corolla Tercel. In addition to the two- or four-door sedan, there was also a three-door hatchback for some markets , which was not offered in Germany . The second generation in 1982, in turn, was now called Toyota Tercel everywhere and should be the three or five-door hatchback model for the Corolla, as a competitor to the Nissan Cherry . Due to the success of the Nissan Prairie , Toyota developed the Toyota Sprinter Carib based on the Tercel and Corolla ( Tercel 4WD in Europe , Tercel Wagon in North America ) and based on this again a sedan, which was only offered in Asia . The third and following generations were no longer offered in Europe, as the Starlet was the entry-level model and the Corolla was now built as a hatchback model itself in order to be more competitive in the compact class. From now on, the Tercel was specially designed for North America and was somewhere between the small car and the compact class. In addition to the hatchback and four-door sedan, a two-door sedan was also only offered in North America. From 1998 the Tercel was first replaced by the Toyota Echo and later the Toyota Vitz in the United States .

1st generation L10 (1978–1982)

L10
Tercel limousine four-door
Production period:	1978-1982
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon coupé
Engines:	Petrol engines : 1.3–1.5 liters (45–61 kW)
Length:	3960-3990 mm
Width:	1555 mm
Height:	1355-1375 mm
Wheelbase :	2500 mm
Empty weight :

Tercel combi coupé

In August 1978 the Tercel started selling as the Toyota Corolla II. Since Toyota had different dealer networks, as was common in Japan , such as the Corolla Store or Toyopet Store, it was necessary to distinguish it from the Corolla. In the Corolla Store, slightly higher-quality models were offered, in the Toyopet Store, which was usually represented in the country, commercial vehicles and simply equipped cars. The models sold in the Toyopet Store were called Toyota Corsa. With the Corolla II, Toyota presented its first front-wheel drive car, which was higher in price and positioning than the Corolla. In addition to the front-wheel drive, the two- or four-door sedan had the completely newly developed 1452 cm³ SOHC 4-cylinder 1A U-Otto engine with 59 kW (80 PS) and 5-speed manual transmission , which compared to the regular Corolla had lower fuel consumption, offered more power and lower emissions. Shortly after the start of sales, a three-door coupe was also available.

• In January 1979, the export of the sedan versions to Europe started with the newly designed 1295 cm³ SOHC 4-cylinder 2A U gasoline engine with 48 kW (65 hp) and a 4- or optionally 5-speed manual transmission. This engine was only introduced in Japan in June, but with 54 kW (74 hp). At the same time, the 1.5-liter was built into the 3A-U with now 61 kW (83 PS) and also in the Corolla. A 3- speed automatic transmission was also available for this engine . The motors were each mounted lengthways.
• At the beginning of 1980 there was a slight facelift with a sloping front and minor changes to the rear and interior, parallel to the introduction of the sedans and the coupé as the Toyota Corolla Tercel in North America. The revised version was only offered on the domestic market from August, as was the case in Europe. In North America only the 1.5-liter was available, in a version with 45 kW (61 hp).
• The series was less successful on the home market than on the export markets, so that future developments were geared towards their requirements.

2nd generation L20 (1982–1986)

L20
Tercel three-door hatchback
Production period:	1982-1986
Body versions :	Sedan , hatchback , station wagon
Engines:	Petrol engines : 1.3–1.5 liters (55–66 kW)
Length:	4310 mm
Width:	1615 mm
Height:	1450 mm
Wheelbase :	2430 mm
Empty weight :

The Tercel L20 was specially designed for North America and Europe and the five-door hatchback model should be a competitor to Nissan Cherry in the home market . In North America it was still the entry-level model and in Europe it was Toyota's direct competitor to the VW Golf , Opel Kadett and Ford Escort and other competitors. Sales began in May 1982 and it was now being offered everywhere as Tercel. In the home market, the Tercel was offered through the Toyota Vista dealer network. The same engines were available, 2A-U 1.3 L with 55 kW (75 PS) and 1.5 L 3A-U with 61 kW (83 PS) and an additional 3A-HU with 63 kW (86 PS). The latter was only offered for export in the Toyota Sprinter Carib , Toyota's first sport utility vehicle . Toyota hastily developed the Sprinter Carib from the established plans for the Tercel L20, combined with the rear-wheel drive of the Toyota Corolla / Sprinter. Toyota was able to implement a cost-effective, switchable four- wheel drive using a transfer case . The Nissan Prairie , which was successfully launched in 1981, gave the impetus for this model . Unlike this, the Sprinter Carib was not a minivan , but a station wagon with a raised roof at the rear for a lot of cargo space. The Sprinter Carib was first offered in Japan in August 1982, and a four-door sedan that was only offered in Asia was based on it.

Power was generally transmitted via a 5-speed manual gearbox or optionally a 3-speed automatic gearbox. Only in North America did the base model only have a manual 4-speed gearbox.

• From 1983 the Sprinter Carib was also exported as Tercel 4WD to Europe and Oceania and as Tercel Wagon to North America. In a few markets it was only available with front-wheel drive.
• In August 1983 Toyota added a three-door hatchback variant to the range.
• From August 1984, Toyota also built a 4WD version of the sedan. At the same time, the 1.5 L-3A-SU with 66 kW (90 PS) replaced the 3A-HU in both the sedan, which is only available in Asia, and the Sprinter Carib / Tercel 4WD / Tercel Wagon.
• In January 1985, a special model of the hatchback with air conditioning appeared , which was often bought especially in North America and later appeared there as a separate equipment line. In September there was the special model sedan 4WD VL in Asia with numerous extras such as electronic chassis, two-tone paintwork, electric sunroof and air conditioning.
• The sedan and the Sprinter Carib received a slight facelift in May 1986, while production of the Tercel hatchback models was discontinued and replaced on the home market by the Tercel L30. The L20 series was still on offer for export until October.

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  Dashboard of the European version

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  Five-door hatchback US version

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  Tercel Wagon Europe

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  Rear view

3rd generation L30 (1986–1990)

L30
Tercel five-door hatchback
Production period:	1986-1990
Body versions :	Station wagon , coupe
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.3-1.5 liters (55-66 kW) Diesel engines : 1.5 liters (49 kW)
Length:	3995-4232 mm
Width:	1626 mm
Height:	1336-1316 mm
Wheelbase :	2380 mm
Empty weight :

Tercel Coupe

In May 1986 the 3rd generation started as a three- and five-door hatchback on the home market. In Japan it was partly offered again as Tercel Corsa. Basically the chassis remained the same, but the wheelbase was now 50 mm shorter. The rack and pinion steering was thoroughly revised in favor of a smaller turning circle and there was a newly designed independent wheel suspension. The engines were now mounted transversely. The body was completely redesigned and the new EFI-3E-EU-SOHC-1.5-liter-12-valve gasoline engine with variable Venturi carburettor and 58 kW (78 hp) was taken over from the Toyota Starlet , as was the 1 , 5-liter 1N-T diesel engine but with a turbocharger . In addition, there was also the slightly revised 1.5-liter gasoline engine with 66 kW (90 PS), now as the 3E-U of the sedans and the station wagon version of the predecessor. These two continued to be produced and, as before, the sedan was only available in Asia. The 4WD station wagon Sprinter Carib was still available as Tercel Wagon or Tercel 4WD with the 3E-U engine and 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission. An electronic chassis or two-tone paintwork was now available as an option; special equipment versions were available with an electric sunroof, air conditioning and other equipment depending on the market. Another new possible option was a 6-speed manual transmission, which was available with a low-ride starting gear for slippery ground in combination with a differential lock.

In contrast to North America, only the Tercel 4WD was offered in Europe because the new Starlet was the entry-level model and the Tercel L30 would have made it unnecessarily competitive.

On the home market there was now a special basic model with the 1.3 liter petrol engine of the predecessor and a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission as Tercel VD. There were no power steering and air conditioning in the VD models, nor were electric windows and central locking, some of which the other versions were equipped with as standard. These also had a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic transmission.

• In early 1987, the Tercel L30 hatchback models were launched in North America. It was only available here with the 1.5-liter EFI engine with 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic transmission. Shortly after its market launch, the basic Tercel EZ model was introduced with defined standard equipment such as vinyl upholstery, 4-speed manual transmission, rubber mats instead of carpeting and without a sun visor on the passenger side.

Only in North America was there a two-door coupe.

• In January 1988, the Sprinter Carib was replaced by a new generation on the home market. In May 1988 this was also followed by a sedan version. Both were based on the Toyota Corolla. With the Tercel L30, minor changes were made to the details together with the introduction of the GP turbo with all-round spoiler package and the VS-i, each with a 1.5 liter engine and turbocharger on the home market. The VD version including the 1.3-liter gasoline engine was omitted without replacement, but a slimmed-down version was introduced as a VR. This generation of the Sprinter Carib was offered in Europe as the Toyota Corolla Tercel 4WD .
• In 1989 production of the Sprinter Carib I was stopped. In North America the Tercel Wagon was offered until the end of 1989, in Europe the Tercel 4WD until spring 1990.
• In early 1990, the Tercel L30 received two-point seat belts for the driver and front passenger. The production of this series ended in August 1990.

4th generation L40 (1990–1994)

L40
Tercel limousine
Production period:	1990-1994
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , coupé
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.3–1.5 liters (58–82 kW) Diesel engines : 1.5 liters (49 kW)
Length:	4110 mm
Width:	1646-1661 mm
Height:	1351 mm
Wheelbase :	2380 mm
Empty weight :	from 914 kg

In September 1990, the L40 generation started on the home market as the Corolla II at the beginning of the model series. The basis for this series was the new Toyota Starlet, with which the only three-door hatchback was externally pretty much the same. This was again marketed as Tercel Corsa. The four-door sedan largely carried the front of the Starlet and was otherwise an independent development. The 1.3-liter gasoline engine and the 1.5-liter 1N-T diesel engine with 49 kW (67 hp) were also taken over from the Starlet. There was also a new 1.5-liter 16-valve twin-cam 3E-E petrol engine with 70 kW (95 PS) and 82 kW (112 PS). In addition, the Tercel L40 was exclusively available in Asia in both body versions with all-wheel drive. Compared to its predecessor, the interior look and feel was of a significantly higher quality. The SOHC 4E-FE 1.3 liter with 58 kW (79 PS) was only available in the basic VE model with a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission. An anti-lock braking system for the 1.5 liter engines was optionally available in the VS / VX versions and was standard in the highest equipment version, the VZ. The power transmission in these engines took place with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The model no longer existed in Europe, but the name Tercel was used in the Toyota Sprinter Carib II introduced here in 1990 , which was called the Toyota Corolla Tercel 4WD. In North America this was marketed as Corolla AllTrac. The Tercel L40 series started there in January 1990. However, only the sedan and again an exclusive coupé was available here, parallel to the Toyota Paseo sports coupé based on the Tercel L40 . The Tercel L40 was only available in North America with the 1.5-liter gasoline engine; unlike the Japanese sedan, there were different taillights and the look and feel of the interior was simpler. Bumpers painted in the vehicle color, wheel trims and rear seats that could be folded down 2/3 were standard equipment in the DX versions and optionally available for the basic LE model. This only had to make do with a 4-speed manual transmission as standard, or the buyer opted for the 5-speed manual transmission or the 4-speed automatic transmission.

• In Chile , the Tercel sedan was introduced in 1991 with the SOHC 2E-FE 1.3-liter gasoline engine with 58 kW (79 hp) as the Corolla Tercel with a rev counter and four-spoke steering wheel. The success was only moderate due to the name Corolla and the excessively high base price.
• In September 1992 there was a slight facelift with new front and rear bumpers and the introduction of a driver airbag . The 1.5-liter gasoline engine now had electronically controlled gasoline injection. In Canada , this version was introduced at the same time with high-quality equipment due to the more stringent emissions standard and as a replacement for the Crolla E90, which was discontinued there. The Tercel was then a great sales success there. In the USA , the changes were included along with the introduction of ABS as standard from 1993.
• The Tercel L40 was produced until August 1994 without any major changes; only the air conditioning system received a CFC-free refrigerant in early 1994.

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  Tercel Corsa

5th generation L50 (1994-2000)

L50
Tercel limousine
Production period:	1994-2000
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , coupé
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.3–1.5 liters (58–70 kW) Diesel engines : 1.5 liters (49 kW)
Length:	4120-4133 mm
Width:	1646-1661 mm
Height:	1351 mm
Wheelbase :	2380 mm
Empty weight :

In September 1994 the Tercel L50 was introduced worldwide. The chassis corresponded to that of the predecessor, but the bodies were redesigned and more torsion-resistant. In Japan the sedan was again called the Toyota Corolla II and the hatchback model was now only called the Toyota Corsa. The dashboard was also installed in the Toyota Starlet and Toyota Paseo. Once again, exclusively in North America, there was a coupé version, while the hatchback was not available there. There the Tercel was also one of the few cars that had an OBD-II connector for fault detection. On the home market, the basic model was now called Joinus, followed by Avenue and VX, and all-wheel drive was again optionally available there. In addition to ABS and a driver airbag, a passenger airbag was standard equipment everywhere, only in Canada this was only available as an option in the basic model. Three-point seat belts have now been installed as further improved safety equipment. For Central and South America, the Tercel has now been installed in Zhongli (Taiwan) with the 1.3-liter 2E-FE carburettor engine with 58 kW (79 hp), and the equally powerful 4E-FE with petrol injection in the other markets. The 1453 cc 1N-T turbodiesel with 49 kW (67 PS) was only available again in Japan, while the 1.5-liter gasoline engine 5E-FE was a revised version of its predecessor and now with 69 kW (94 PS) ) had 13% more torque and consumed 15% less fuel. In some markets and in the home market it was also available with 70 kW (95 PS). As before, the 1.3-liter engines were not available in North America and only came with a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission, and the 1.5-liter engines with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed gearbox -Automatic.

• In Chile, the 5th generation was introduced in September 1995 with a 70 kW (95 PS) version of the 1.5-liter gasoline engine 5E-FE and was voted Car of the Year in Chile. Until the end of production, it was the second best-selling car there.
• A facelift took place in December 1997 with rotary controls instead of slide controls for the ventilation, revised seat covers and door panels, automatic instead of manual air conditioning and improved ignition systems for all gasoline engines.

Externally, the front was redesigned with new headlights, a new radiator grille and front apron. In addition, there were now clear light indicators at the front and rear. The rear also received new taillights and bumpers. As a result, the series was now longer and wider.

• In mid-1998 the Tercel models were replaced by the Toyota Echo in the USA .
• At the end of 1998, the Echo, known there as Toyota Platz, replaced the Tercel sedan Corolla II.
• In 1999, sales of the Tercel hatchback Toyota Corsa were discontinued in Japan, which had received a successor model with the Toyota Vitz since the end of 1998. Until 2000, the Tercel was still offered in Canada, Puerto Rico and other countries. After production in Japan was stopped in 1999, the models last came from Taiwan, where production continued until the beginning of 2000.

Everywhere the Toyota Echo and / or Toyota Vitz was the successor.

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  Tercel Coupe

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  Tercel hatchback / Toyota Corsa

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  Limousine facelift

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  Toyota Corsa facelift

Toyota Soluna 1995-2002

Toyota Soluna

The Tercel L50 sedan with a different front was marketed as Soluna in Asia outside of Japan. It was built in Thailand and Indonesia . The 1.5 liter 5A FE petrol engine was used as the drive. The Soluna was particularly popular as a taxi in these two countries. In 2002 the Soluna was replaced by the Toyota Vios .

Web links

Commons : Toyota Tercel  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Private Tercel homepage
• Website for the Tercel Wagon 4WD