Here’s how the Toyota Previa was the only mid-engined supercharged minivan

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In this episode I provide the history of the Toyota Previa, one of the most bizarre minivans ever made, not just because it was shaped like an egg, but because it was the only minivan that had its 4-cylinder engine laying on its side below the driver and behind the front wheels, making it a mid-engine platform, but it later also had a supercharger added to increase the horsepower, since the limited space under the driver prevented a larger V6. It launched in 1990, and the name Previa was meant to "preview" future minivan technology, but instead it proved to be too bizarre for the typical minivan buyer, who instead continued to mostly buy the more "normal" looking minivans from Chrysler. Its only lasted until 1997, where it was replaced by the Camry-based front-engined Toyota Sienna, a model which Toyota still sells today.

[@reedcrill9353]

1993 Previa, 436,000 miles. Changed the motor at 380,000 with a used one from japan with only 60,000 miles. Still a joy to drive

[@kevinsmith9899]

We loved our previa. So practical, yet fun. We never felt like it was underpowered.

[@honorb4glory606]

A hundred and thirty something horses is barely adequate for a minivan, but it IS adequate. I sure wouldn't call it underpowered either. Honda put a 135 horsepower 4-cylinder in the little 1987 Prelude, and that thing went 135 miles per hour. I know first hand. 😅

[@danielkamal5575]

Americans wont buy anything without at least a v8

[@jamesb9780]

I worked at a Toyota dealership around 1996-1999 and we had one Previa, brand new, usually in the showroom for a very very long time before it finally sold. I must have dusted that van so many times while it sat forever waiting for a buyer; ahh and cleaning those windows from the inside was quite a chore. It was also very expensive. I remember when the first Sienna arrived on the lot; All the sales people were super stoked to have a van they could actually sell, right at the height of the minivan market. It was substantially nicer. They sold quite a few but nothing compared to the Caravans, Ventures, or Windstar/FreeStars yet a 100 fold more compared to that lonely Previa.

[@toronado455]

The first generation Sienna was the best. All the ones after got too big.

[@toronado455]

@Russ Sabourin Chryslers were cheaper than the Toyota, but much better than the Chevy and Ford minivans.

[@mjwbulich]

And now all those US made minivans are scrap metal or worthless and the Previas are coveted. Nice ones will sell for $20k+ here in California.

[@Twowheeledchaos]

Change the oil and you easily get 300,000 miles

[@BrandonJXN2]

I still see these jellybeans rolling around on the road.

[@joeyrodriguez1290]

Especially in LA

[@thechannelofrandomvideos789]

Eggs you mean?

[@gregorymcavoy758]

Had two. 1990 and 1994. The 90 model was blue with a blue interior. The thing was indestructible. When it hit 300k miles in 2000 got a 1994 model. Sold the 90 van to a friend and last time I heard he had it up to 450k miles. The 94 van though got rear ended a couple of years later and that was that. Sold that van to the same friend who had the 90 model. I totally forgot about fold up seats that rested against the walls.

[@arevee9429]

Never happen on a Chrysler minivan. The transmissions on those wouldn't even last 100K miles.

[@Rembrandt18]

Whoa. That's crazy.

[@JaceD4V1S88]

@@arevee9429 chryslers have always had garbage transmissions. our neighbor has a new pacifica which is literally just a voyager. love the look but i hear nothing good about the transmissions. that is a deal breaker if its gonna go out

[@stevegallagher687]

A friend had one that was given free to him up to a few years ago Reliable as a hammer.

[@pdennis93]

I have seen a hammer head break off the handle 🤣🤣🤣

[@fredaydaybae8450]

@@pdennis93 me too

[@cedricmaximilianbrenner3934]

I actually just bought a Previa from 1990. Its an alltrak that was imported from the US to Germany in 1991. It hast 130k Miles on it and is still in good condition for its age

[@strongbad635]

Hoo boy I've been waiting for this one for a LONG time. The Previa is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating vehicles ever made!

[@elidisse5915]

I have a 93 awd previa with 260000 miles still runs like a champ 😎

[@bluefever02]

Own a 95 Supercharged all-trac. Have owned several previa's. The 5 speed all-trac and a dual sunroof one. I love them!!!

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Fascinating video. I remember when the Toyota Previa was on the market. I was disappointed when it was discontinued when it was. I'd prefer it any day over the later Sienna.

[@jerrycarter1928]

We rented one while stationed in the UK. It was an automatic with 4 cyl engine. That combination worked well over there and had plenty room for our family of 4. We ended up calling it the shuttlecraft because it reminded us of the 1st gen Star Tek shuttlecraft.

[@mrfixall]

We loved our previa awd. Drove it over 300k miles. We are loving our 2009 sienna awd now.

[@mathewmclean9128]

Thanks for doing an episode about the Toyota Previa. I was definitely one of the ones who requested it. I love oddly designed vehicles that stand out like the Toyota previa and GM dustbuster vans.

[@TheCRTman]

I've seen a couple Previas here in San Francisco in 2022 still running. 1 of them sounded like it wasn't healthy, but I'm always still amazed to see one driving around.

[@johannwilhelm1426]

❤ I had a top of the line ‘94 supercharged alltrak model with leather. They had awesome engineering. The egg shape and the supercharger made it super slippery at highway speeds. Seemed like Better mpg at 80 mph than 70! AND it wasn’t buffeted by cross winds like our previous Chrysler minivan. ❤️❤️❤️

[@answerman9933]

I owned a 1997 Supercharged Previa. Loved it. I love for a replacement often.

[@Sanpedranoazul]

How I enjoyed this chapter! To me these and the dust buster were THE Minivans of the 90s, still can see Previas on the road!!!

[@andrewkessinger5966]

It still cracks me up how many of these videos have clips of Hoovie’s Garage.

[@jasonwatson4018]

Did Hoovie have one?

[@JayEssArr]

Yay! Was waiting for the Previa to be covered. I still see them quite a bit on highways in the Los Angeles area.

[@5crassrocker]

pretty common sight in LA! always thought they looked goofy.

[@johncholmes643]

There's still a Previa parked behind a vacuum cleaner repair shop in Albuquerque New Mexico.

[@CaptainAnytime]

Hey, boys. I just bought a supercharged, mid engine, all wheel drive car! " What is it??'" A Toyota Previa....

[@vtrang721]

Had a lot of great family memories in a previa . Super spacious and comfortable and bullet proof. Ours had over 300k miles before we sold it

[@davinp]

The Sienna is known as the Camry of minivans and is the most reliable minivan on the market today

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

That's the Honda odesy

[@JaceD4V1S88]

@@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader honda odyssey's are garbage and they can thank their shitty flawed will fail transmissions for it

[@dr_mong3726]

The 2nd generation Sienna 3.5 V6 literally had a Toyota Crown engine

[@paradisopaul]

@@dr_mong3726 Many Toyota and Lexus models used that engine

[@dr_mong3726]

Ik

[@ENDTIMEsVideoLibrary]

Always wanted a Previa! Loved the design. I had a friend who had one and I loved all of the room inside.

[@beazkneez]

I have a 86' Toyota that I have converted to electric. There are 3 all trac supercharged Previas in the neighborhood... as well has many Vanagons.

[@MrLurchsThings]

The Toyota Tarago was absolutely *everywhere* here in Australia.

[@uhm175]

What's that?

[@gwinbeer]

@@uhm175 8:23

[@JaceD4V1S88]

@@uhm175 tarago is the name they sold the previa under in australia

[@brokenglass_au]

Aussie here, we called them the Tongan Taxi because of all the Pacific Islander families who drove them into the KFC drive thru and ordered 20 family boxes

[@botortamas]

You forgot to mention it’s most iconic appearance ever. Driven by the dissapearrer in Breaking bad.

[@Jermeister]

Worked at an automotive shop in Canada, and a customer used to bring theirs in for maintenance service. I was blown away at the idea and absolutely loved it! Donuts in a snowed out parking lot is easy-peasy fun, too!

[@davemakesnoises]

maybe they're rare on the east coast but here in los angeles there's basically a previa or two on every block!

[@Just_Guns]

Used to work in the service department at Toyota. When I seen one of these vans come in. I ran and hid 😂.

[@kingkatradio]

Oh yeah I bet, that's all I could think of when seeing how this thing was designed.

[@JTA1961]

Access most problematic. Things like even clutch issues could be a tipping point on a well used model

[@kingkatradio]

@@JTA1961 that would of scared me off, from buying one of these.

[@joshuac4772]

I got a mid engine, supercharged, 90s Toyota. *pulls up in Previa*

[@LowenKM]

"a mid-engine, supercharged, 90s Toyota"... w/4 wheel drive!

[@Velociraptor99100]

We had this when I was 4 or 5 in a light blue... i loved it

[@amenhotepavoskin1307]

It sure was an eye-catcher.

[@chrisb2844]

I always loved this van I actually forgot about them since I never see them anymore but I love all the glass that surrounds it.

[@OLDS98]

You did an excellent job again. It is informative. I liked how you explained and covered the transition of the van from 1970 until today. That is one thing you can say about Toyota they keep reworking things until they get it right. Thank you.

[@rjcolombe]

Agreed. Toyota and Honda were sticklers for continuous improvement on all their models ,(is: Civic, Camry, Odyssey, etc) so that even if they weren't the best at the start, they sure came a long way to become credible. That's one of the reasons names like Civic and Corolla have so much cachet to them. Consequently, if GM couldn't get a vehicle right on the first try, they either let it whither in the tree (Cavalier) or just kill it off and start with another name (Cobalt). Hence the lack of name cachet of the American vehicles.

[@OLDS98]

@@rjcolombe Exact and indeed correct. I agree as well. You said it so well.

[@KenanTurkiye]

Toyota Previa or Tarago in some markets was a gem of a vehicle. I would still love to drive this rather than many modern cars, if I could find one near new. Wonderfull design too. Love it.

[@Thejordanenthusiast]

I believe it was also called the Estima in the Asian markets

[@KenanTurkiye]

@@Thejordanenthusiast 👍

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@Thejordanenthusiast JDM Lucida ans Emina

[@mjwbulich]

A nice low mileage one in Los Angeles will run you about $15-20k. They're quite popular here .

[@larrylaffer3246]

Toyota definitely designed something neat with the Previa. Though I'm glad it got replaced by the Sienna. Those things are roomy and move oh so smoothly.

[@cormacbeats]

the previa is the coolest mini van ever made, but can you imagine a video on the VOLKSWAGEN FOX??

[@xraider927]

Forgot to mention the Previa in Japan is known as the Estima

[@tomhoward4905]

It was also narrower due to Japanese tax classes. We get a lot in the UK imported.

[@tikalthewhimsicott2736]

The Estima also had a hybrid model

[@alexeyv6238]

Had one of these, head gasket blew at ~350k kilometers and the car was junked. It was fun to drive and it fought for its life until the very end 🤣

[@TheDanno210]

Always loved the funky look of the previa over all of the others, as it looked much more advanced and ‘futuristic’ than the very quickly outdated designs from the other mfrs. Was disappointed when the ho-hum Sienna dropped to replace it.

[@19chucki74]

I always thought the Previa had a boxer engine instead of an online four turned on its side. And the accessories separate from the engine block truly have it a near even balance. Truly radical chassis indeed, would love to see a schematic of the setup.

[@6ettinold]

The front driveshaft has a rubber doughnut coupling that would inevitably wear and eventually fail and was a pig and a half to replace. You ought to hear a worn one. We had far more Previas on UK roads. You could hear a tired Previa a few streets away.

[@DUNEATV]

This channel is absolutely amazing!!!

[@jeremyanderson1139]

In Japan, the Previa was called the Toyota Estima, and some JDM versions have become legal for import in recent years

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

JDM versions converted to Left Hand Drive in the Philippines, Peru and Chile. They also changed parking brake at the middle between those front seats. Shifting gear on steering column still at the left side and only left sliding doors.

[@FlashTimberwolf]

9:15 - I was hoping you would include scenes from the movie "Carpool". That's where I remember seeing the Previa the most. It's a silly 90s movie, but it's a guilty pleasure for me.

[@celsovera91]

Part of the trifecta of bad Tom Arnold movies of 1996

[@mikeetee]

We had a Previa when I was a younger. It was such a fun van to drive, comfy and always got looks ;)

[@jscatt6123]

I’d love to see you do an episode on the Chevy LUV pickup. I had a 4x4 LUV in the mid 80’s and it was a good little truck

[@Sauceyjames]

The Previa and GM dustbuster vans were super cool looking... Really wish they went off, may we could of gotten that Renault Avantguarde or whatever it was.

[@cj92akl]

Avantime? Espace?

[@matthunter4826]

The Previa also got a poor rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s offset test because the steering column was almost up in the roof. The seatbelt also made the dummy to be submerged down almost into a reclining position. Brian O’Neil, the then president for the IIHS had one and then quickly sold it.

[@arri275555]

I have been into car safety ever since I watched a segment on Dateline about IIHS in 95. I also watched that interview as well.

[@DiamondKingStudios]

I have seen a lot of crash test videos from the IIHS on mid-to-late 1990s minivans, and few had good ratings. The 1997 Trans Sport (same platform as Chevy Venture and Oldsmobile Silhouette) test was especially jarring.

[@donaldwilson2620]

I remember seeing that episode on Dateline and only the Ford Windstar got a "Good" rating. Ironically, when the 1st generation Sienna, the Previa's replacement in the North American market was tested a year later, the Sienna shot to the top of the list and tested "Good". Then a year later, the redesigned 2nd generation Honda Odyssey also scored a "Good" rating. That was the time that the manufacturers started paying attention to the IIHS tests and started making their vehicles more safer in a crash.

[@realGeoff]

A video on a Mazda MPV would be great

[@wturner777]

It's already been made. Check it out if you haven't seen it already.

[@DTD110865]

I had a 1985 Toyota Van (TownAce). I didn't mind the overall styling, the truck-like ride, the higher seats, or the positions of the engine and battery. Unfortunately, the battery kept sliding out of place every time you went up or down hills, even with clamps. Also, mine didn't have the ice maker or refrigerator. If anything, it was intended as competition for the Volkswagen Station Wagon.

[@HenrySchecker]

Mid engined, supercharged, and all wheel drive. Truly the Sultan's minivan

[@hideokojima1914]

A band called Clown Core used one of these to film a visual album. They ended up selling it after they were done

[@pdennis93]

The Previa scored so poorly in the crash tests on Dateline, that one of the people performing the IIHS tests who owned one said he was going to sell it and buy a safer minivan.

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

Dateline lied often

[@pdennis93]

@@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader that wasn't dateline though. That test was run by the IIHS. This is different than the infamous dateline GM truck side saddle tank tests where dateline added incendiary devices to the trucks guaranteeing that they would catch fire if any gas leaked out of the truck.

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

BLK Bandit I am sure it wasn't great but I wouldn't trust people getting paid to sell fear

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Owned one for 11 years, fond memories. They're still plentiful in SoCal.

[@stevesideris8364]

All of these are strangely in Belize now.

[@csjames69]

I had one as a company car. It was called a Tarago in the Australian market. A radio personality had one with the Lexus V8 in place of the 4 cylinder engine.

[@donaldwilson2620]

Ironically, those original Toyota Vans are starting to become cult classics now, especially for Classic Japanese car fans and overlanders because some were offered with 4WD.

[@nickryan6787]

7:58 that placing of the word "Sienna" is quite similar to the latest 2022 Toyota Sienta's

[@JSFGuy]

I have 1991 Thunderbird super coupe, 1995 super coupe. Still going a few upgrades make them competitive with later models.

[@pdennis93]

I had a 1993 SC from 2000-2005. Ran 14.6 @ 93mph in the 1/4. Total sleeper.

[@rocketsmall4547]

wrong video.

[@dnlpark]

It was a pretty timeless design (esp for a mini van)

[@johnnymason2460]

The standard 4 cylinder engine made 138hp. The supercharged engine made 161hp. I want the supercharged Previa.

[@brentvance3958]

I had one of those in 1990 when I lived in Japan. It was a 5 speed manual on the tree.

[@donaldwilson2620]

I believe the Toyota Sienna and the 1999 Honda Odyssey were the first import branded minivans that truly gave the Chrysler minivans a run for their money. Nowadays, Chrysler, Toyota, and Honda seem to be changing titles for the best selling minivan in the U.S though I believe Toyota and Honda sell more to retail customers than Chrysler because unlike Chrysler and in some cases Toyota, Honda rarely sells vehicles to fleets(rental car places, government agencies, etc).

[@michaellandry788]

We own two Previas that are still working and we are driving. I just changed the heater core in my '95 Supercharged Previa with 314k miles. I was able to get the part at Advanced Auto but it wasn't easy to get it in the air box. My wife's is an All-Trac or AWD version but no supercharger. It is in pristine shape. My daughter has a '93 Previa with a manual transmission and crank windows. These are great van's and carry 7 people and with the middle seat removed and the rear seats flipped up van carry a sheet of plywood at a slight angle. They have solid rear axles like a truck and are RWD or All wheel in the All-Trac version.

[@nathancook1404]

I think there's a good point about the Toyota Previa that it was the first Modern Streamline Mini-Van that would inspire Chrysler and many other car makers to redesign their Mini Vans to keep up with the times inorder to keep up with Toyota to beat them in the Mini Van Market.

[@christopherkraft1327]

I always thought that the Previa looked like a snail 🐌!!!

[@fitnesswithsteve]

4:24 I wonder if you could make a hotrod using this platform. It has the perfect proportions and a low center of gravity.

[@LouieMeekin]

Put a Ford coupe body on it and keep the hub wheels 🤣

[@ladybird808s]

I just bought one and I love it

[@theflash402]

We had a 1986 van for a long time, been looking forward o this video for a while. It was very reliable and drove great but was underpowered obviously.

[@markrushtongallery]

I worked at a Toyota dealership over 30 years ago while at university. I didn't like driving the Previa. It had that huge windshield and enormous dash. I always felt like I was in the middle of the vehicle. That said, most of them turned out to be durable and reliable. I still occasionally see them on the road, although most are in decrepit condition. The dealership had an AWD version with a sticker near $30K in 1990, the same price as a Land Cruiser and also the Supra twin turbo that took forever to sell (what are those worth today?).

[@rocketsmall4547]

previa. 500 to 5k up to 20k in new condition supra. 10k to 60k

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

Supra is 100k

[@JaceD4V1S88]

mint previas ive seen people list em for 8k

[@rocketsmall4547]

@@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader i can get em for less

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

@@rocketsmall4547 good for you?

[@justinsmythe9372]

I’m from NewZealand and own 7 of them, all Jdm imports, called estimas either the Emina or Lucida.two are 5spd manuals and the rest are autos.Fantastic vans love them!.

[@johnzheng8510]

Years ago in a cozy morning, I was driving and at the same time, wondering where my coffee cup was... Half hour later, parked the van, then found the cup was sitting at the middle of her rear bumper 😮😅 since then I realized that there’s something special about this van, hence still driving he around nowadays

[@carexpertandy]

Former IIHS president Brian O’Neill had one of these, and got rid of it soon after they crash tested one, which resulted in a poor rating.

[@johntesh199]

You should do one on the chevy lumina/monte carlo

[@jonkrispeterson6678]

Owned 2 Previas. A 91, which was totaled in a head on collision at hiway speeds. Second one was A 92 with AWD, as the RWD was terrible snow. Drove 185k miles until we bought a 2004 Sienna with AWD. Sold the Previa to a friend for $3000. They drove it for another 5 years until it was totaled. I wish I would have kept it. I see,them occasionally. Usually used as a cargo wagon for a painter.

[@moonstoneidol3342]

I love the previa so much. literally dream car status. underrated imo

[@rjechols2059]

Surprised the Breaking Bad/El Camino Previa didn’t make it into the clips!! Great video as always

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

friends mom had a 1991 gutless wonder but handled the twisty roads , one the first mini vans I drove like to find clean garaged one owner grand parents previa awd s/c

[@JTA1961]

Same here...

[@JSFGuy]

I do remember these.

[@danielkamal5575]

Just bought a 2006 estima (asia's name for the previa) 3.5l v6. Good handling with good get up and go.Spacious and very comfortable on long trips for both driver n passanegers

[@BettycrockerConfettiCake]

iirc the previa was the only mid-engine, awd, manual, forced induction production car for many years

[@craigmurrant1976]

Been waiting for this video!

[@aengusjeffers868]

In case you want another video idea, what ever happened to the space age Toyota LE Van. They were everywhere as kid haulers, work vans, and modern day vw road trip vans. Then, they just disappeared

[@RomanJockMCO]

I think the Previa took its inspiration from the 1986 Pontiac Trans Sport van concept. Both are rounded jellybeans. It would have been seriously cool if Toyota would have incorporated the passenger gull wing door.

[@deeboy1957]

Heaps of these in New Zealand.. still a few floating around!

[@nicholasbabeaux2052]

I beat the living hell out of our 1994 Previa SC Alltrac, I got my license in 2002 when I was 16 and inherited my dad‘s 1995 Acura legend which I totaled promptly…🤦‍♂️ so I drove the Previa for about a year. The Previa handled so well, but the seat did get hot…. I got it going I think 113 miles an hour, Yep, I tolaled that too and after surviving that death trap, I got an A4 and never in my life will I even ride in a previa again. It was very comfortable, very spacious, I loved the double sunroof. The back one was huge, the JBL system sounded fantastic for its time.

[@hondofourfivetwo9347]

One thing I remember vividly towards the end of the Previa’s run in North America was the IIHS crash rating and how poorly if did I was certain that had a lot to do with it being replaced by the sienna as well

[@DarkpawTheWolf]

I was certain that when this launched (in Canada, at least), it was called the "Space Cruiser". Toyota had the Land Cruiser SUV (later renamed the TJ?), and their minivan was actually labeled the Space Cruiser (presumably for the space inside due to the mid-engine?). Or is this another case of "Yesterday", where I'm the only person that remembers this happening, because it absolutely did happen.

[@nac5605]

Do a video on the 90’s Mazda MX6 / Ford Probes next. I have a ‘96 MX6 M-Edition and have only ever seen one other MX6 on the road.

[@atdestreik702]

I own a 1998 Estima! Thank you for this video!

[@afmedia5752]

In Malaysia this Previa is popular minivan of grey import version but its called Toyota Estima

[@gregg9672]

Loved this van

[@billycalifornia1112]

Cool looking Minivan but sure as hell wouldn’t wanna get into an Accident in that thing though seeing how it horribly crumpled at the front causing both legs, head, and neck injuries!

[@floatpvnk]

I unapoligetically love the Previa and want one.

[@davinp]

They put part of the engine under the driver's seat.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

the Camry is still one of the best selling cars in the US so is the Corolla which has been around the top 10/15 cars sold each year since 1979

[@wturner777]

The Corolla has been around for a very long time, and is still in production! We never see American sedans last THAT long, besides the Ford Mustang.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

@@wturner777 that isn't true the Chevrolet Impala was produced for 58 years from 1958-2020 and the Chevrolet Malibu has been sold for 46 out of its 60 production years starting as a trim on the Chevelle in 1964 it became its own model for 1978 was replaced in 1984 by the Corsica and Baretta for 2 door models and Celebrity and Corsica for four door sedan models then the Malibu was reintroduced for 1997 model year and is still in production though it was supposed to be discontinued at the end of 2023 model year but ended up getting a reprieve and will live for a few more years

[@tommytron2000]

4:37 Hay it’s Hoovie. He gets around boy

[@zlinedavid]

I had a friend who had one of these for years as a work beater. We called it The Bean. When the muffler fell off, the name got changed to The Mean Bean.