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MODEL BACKGROUND
The Toyota Previa is an up to 8-seater "MPV"
(multi-purpose vehicle) / "People-carrier" marketed
under three different model names across the World:
The "First Generation"
The
"first generation" or "Mark 1"
Previa was introduced
in 1990 and was powered by the 2TZ-FE
2.4-litre 4-cylinder fuel-injected petrol (gasoline)
engine.
Early Previa sales in
the US Domestic Market proved to be disappointing
for Toyota, due mainly to the fact that American Car
Makers were already selling more powerful V6-engined
MPVs to meet US drivers' demands for greater engine
power. Therefore, in
1994, Toyota supercharged their
2TZ-FE petrol engine - creating the 2.4-litre
2TZ-FZE engine and increasing power from 135hp up to
160hp. By 1996, Toyota has ceased marketing the
normally aspirated 2.4-litre engine to the US Market
- only the Super-charged Previa was available from
this point in time. In 1997, the Previa was
discontinued completely in the USA, replaced with
the US-designed and built Toyota Sienna.
All
engine variants were available in rear-wheel drive
and all-wheel (four-wheel) drive versions. Despite
its sister Emina & Lucida models receiving facelifts in 1995 and 1997, the
Previa's design remained consistent
until its Second Generation replacement in 2000
"First Generation"
Previa Statistics:
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ENGINE: |
(2TZ-FE)
4-cylinder fuel-injected petrol
(2TZ-FZE)
4-cylinder fuel-injected super-charged petrol
|
|
DISPLACEMENT: |
2438 litres
|
|
TRANSMISSION: |
5-speed manual /
4-speed automatic ECT (with overdrive)
|
|
MAX
TORQUE: |
151 lb / ft @
4,000 RPM
201 lb / ft @
3,600 RPM
|
|
BHP: |
138bhp @
5,000 RPM
160bhp
@ 5,0000 RPM |
|
0-60mph: |
11.7
seconds
11.0
seconds |
|
TOP
SPEED: |
108 mph
112
mph3 |
|
WEIGHT: |
1,800 kg |
|
LENGTH: |
4,750 mm
(external) |
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WIDTH: |
1,800 mm
(external) |
|
HEIGHT: |
1,810 mm
(external) |
The "Second Generation"
In 2000 Toyota introduced a new model of Estima with
sliding doors on both sides. Again, this model was marketed to
the Japanese market as the Estima, the Tarago to the
Australians and as the Previa to the Rest of the
World - however, for the first time in the UK since
its launch in 1990, the Previa was now available
with Toyota's 4D4 diesel engine (see our
Estima - Emina/Lucida Guide
for more information on the diesel variant). Toyota
developed only the one "second generation"
body-style for the Estima; therefore the Emina and
Lucida models were dropped from the Second
Generation.
As well as a complete
redesign of the exterior and interior, Toyota also
replaced the Previa's 2TZ-FE & FZE engines with its
2ZA-FE "variable valve timing with intelligence" (VVT-i)
engines and moved the power from the rear wheels and
made the second generation model with front wheel
drive. In 2000, a 3.0l V6 model was introduced for
the Japanese-only Market.
A 'hybrid version' was
also introduced in Japan which used a
single-electric motor coupled to a mechanical
continuously
variable transmission (CVT)
Toyota
had discontinued the First Generation Estima in the
USA in 1996 and replaced it with the US designed and
built Toyota Sienna, Therefore the Second
Generation Estima was not available in the United
States.
For
more information on the diesel variant of this
Second Generation model, please see our
Estima - Emina/Lucida Guide.
"Second Generation"
Previa Statistics:
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ENGINE: |
(2AZ-FE)
4-cylinder VVTi petrol
(1MZ-FE)
V6-cylinder VVTi petrol
|
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DISPLACEMENT: |
2362 litres
2994 litres
|
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TRANSMISSION: |
5-speed manual /
4-speed Automatic
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|
MAX
TORQUE: |
162 lb / ft
220 Nm @ 4,000 RPM
193 lb / ft @
4400 RPM
|
|
BHP: |
157bhp @
5600 RPM
190bhp
@ 5400 RPM |
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0-60mph: |
11.3
seconds
??? |
|
TOP
SPEED: |
111 mph
??? |
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WEIGHT: |
1,730 kg |
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LENGTH: |
4,750 mm
(external) |
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WIDTH: |
1,790 mm
(external) |
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HEIGHT: |
1,770 mm
(external) |
The "Third Generation"
The Third
Generation Estima was introduced in January 2006 -
keeping the branding consistent; Toyota maintained
it's Estima and Tarago names.
However, the third
generation Previa was not made available for the UK
market and still remains unavailable to the US
Market.
Although no longer
using the name "Previa", Toyota chose to forsake the
use of diesel engines in the Estima, preferring
petrol and hybrid designs. For more information on
the development of the "Third generation", please
see our
Estima - Emina/Lucida Guide
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