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Used car Review 1998 Toyota Tercel

Introduction

The fifth generation of Toyotas entry-level car was introduced in 1995, descended from a 1980 model called the Corolla Tercel. While it once offered a range of body styles that included hatchbacks and station wagons, Tercels today are available only as a 2-door sedan. For 1998 the Tercel features updated styling with new headlights and a freshened front and rear. Women make up the majority of Tercel buyers.


An excellent car for the family. Remote trunk release. Split rear seats that lock. Seats four adults comfortably. Or three children and two adults. Lots of trunk space that provides room to carry camping equipment for three people. The 5 speed standard offers lots of pep and can pass most any automatic Detroit Iron off the line up until about 60 km. After that? Well greater power does win until they gotta stop at the gas station.



Interior

The seats can be a bit stiff and I find the triangle-patterned fabric very tacky! However, there is ample room in the front but not recommended for a tall person. The back is slightly cramped and should only be intended for 2 people. The controls and instruments are fairly straightforward and user-friendly.

Exterior

For an economy car, the Tercel has its own unique style that marks its own character but yet is functionable for a variety of needs. I had the silver color which changes depending on the lighting at that time of day. During the day it looked sky blue and at night it looked grey. However, I regret the fact that the styling has not changed considerably from much older models. Ive had people mistake my Tercel for a 91 Tercel. I see the resemblance. And I dont mind the plastic unpainted trim on the side and bumper. It adds character. Also, parking this car is a sinch!



Driving Experience

The Tercel tops off at 130-140 km/h. I pressed the accelerator all the way down and could not push it any further. Also, this aint no off-terrain car. Im surprised it last through my backyard gravel alley. Braking is also horrible. You have to hit the brake pedals fairly deep to get any reaction. Often times, I do not feel safe in this vehicle. I feel like it will fall apart at times. As for safety, Ive been in a car crash and it took the hit well. No injuries or major damage to the car. (Whereas my new Infiniti gave me major damage and whiplash) The Tercel is also fairly noisy and not a smoothy ride on highways. Not to bash the Toyota Tercel with what Ive said so-far, but looking on the bright side of things, its a point A-B car that gets the job done satisfactorily.

For a car that price I definitely dont expect much out of it which is why I love it! Acceleration is great. There is not much hesitation when you press the gas and I think it accelerates better than my slow Infiniti. I love the steering as well. It isnt stiff at all. If youre a Tercel driver youd understand when I say Its an easy car to drive. There is no speed-sensitive steering, nor ABS, nor electronically-controlled engine getting in the way. Sometimes all that stuff gets annoying which makes the Tercel hassle-free.


Pros

Good looks , peppy subcompact,great great fuel economy

Cons

at 140 with cross winds you require to concentrate on the car handling but U dont have to go that fast

1995-98 Toyota Tercel: Highlights

Though touted as "all-new," the latest Tercel appeared to be a heavy makeover of the previous model. The 93.7-inch wheelbase and 161.8-inch overall length were unchanged. Tercel sold in three notchback models--a Standard 2-door and better-equipped DX 2-door and 4-door. Safety additions included dual airbags, height-adjustable manual seatbelts, and side door beams. Antilock brakes were optional, on all models. Under the hood was a dual-cam 1.5-liter 4-cylinder with 93 horsepower. The Standard 2-door came with a 4-speed manual transmission and was available with 3-speed automatic. DX models could have a standard 5-speed manual or optional 4-speed automatic.

Year-to-Year Changes

1996 Toyota Tercel: Cloth seat trim was a new option for the price-leader 2-door model (vinyl was standard).

1997 Toyota Tercel: Tercel dropped to a single series, called CE, for 97. The CE blended features of the prior Standard series and the better- equipped DX. Four-speed manual shift was gone, and larger (175/65R14) tires replaced the original 155/80SR13 rubber.

1998 Toyota Tercel: Initially, the 4-door body style was dropped, leaving only the 2-door CE. Grille, front fascia, taillamps, rear bumper, and bodyside moldings are new, and the rear seats gain headrests. Later, Toyota would drop the entire line in preparation for the introduction of the new Echo subcompact.