Retro Review: 1991 Toyota Tercel

[@Acc0rd79]

The fact that 26 years later they are still all over the roads says a lot about Toyota quality!

[@samlung2724]

They are? Last one i saw was 14yrs ago. The yaris took over their mantel

[@mackcummy4976]

@@samlung2724 What? even here in Canada I see one near my work.

[@samlung2724]

@@mackcummy4976 Yup. And funny thing is that my dad bought a brand new Tercel back in the 90s lol. The oldest car I see more of is either a 95 civic and Accords and from toyora is a 03 camry and 99 corollas lol

[@HondAcura111]

I see them all the time still near ottawa

[@polentusmax6100]

Scotty kilmer said they are crap, only corolla and above are good

[@Sekushiwolf]

"Egg shaped design" God these guys probably shat themselves when the third gen Taurus came out.

[@mattg7271]

Or first gen Altima

[@Sekushiwolf]

@TCL The second gen Taurus was very similar in appearance to the first so it's likely you've seen one at some point and didn't realize.

[@orosurovi9077]

Ja rolam korolu

[@thewaragainstcars]

Now the Toyota Echo REALLY looked like an egg! Ran great, though!

[@tannerin]

hell, the previa was already out

[@redchris97]

20 something years later I still see these things rolling around and even it's predecessor from 1984 and the 1987, I love those old Toyota's because they simply work.

[@RallyLancer95]

I've never seen a Tercel

[@seeingeyegod]

Really I don't think I've ever seen a 4 door. Do see the 2 doors occasionally.

[@cpufreak101]

Chris Ramos up north anything 15 years or older is getting quite rare, heck I'm starting to see 2007-2013 silverado's with the cab corners and bed fenders all rotted out and rusty

[@redchris97]

Tim Beck I see them like flies dude, every day if it's not a 97, this one which is a 1991 or 87, or even the ugly ones the 84( but I gotta admit, it's getting a little hard to see the 84 model), or hell the Toyota paseo which is essentially a 2 door tercel, I see those pretty often too, those old Toyota's have no conception of the word death.

[@redchris97]

Justin Noker I'm aware that these economy cars are not the best for the snow, they don't like cold starting, I know someone with a 1992 Mitsubishi mirage and it's a reliable car until it gets cold, I don't think the tercel doesn't deserve to have credit taken credit away from it because of that, most cars of that person suffered the same flaw, it's a good car as long as it's not cold out. if it's below 40 degrees where you live at, just get a diesel.

[@elgringiototote]

I bought my first Toyota, a 97' tercel for $700. Drove it from 180k miles to 240k, sold it to my brother for a thousand bucks, he drove it to 290k miles and sold it for 1500 bucks. Best car money could buy! My 2011 Camry is now about to cross over 220k miles, and it runs just as good as the day I bought it! I love Toyotas to death, but they just don't die! ha

[@cpufreak101]

ElGringo how much do you drive to get a 2011 to 200K+

[@twoeightythreez]

Justin Noker assuming he drove every day since 2011, about 100 miles per day on average. Definitely not hard to do....especially if he lives in a suburban bedroom community and works in a big city

[@ChadFreeman757]

Everyone always claims "Toyotas don't die" but they do. So much so that I used to hate them. My cousin gave me his 97 Camry. I took good care of it (I'm a 👨🏾‍🔧) it spun a bearing. His brother, later, gave me his 95 sc300, I gave it back in 8 days, it had a deep squeak, a motor knock & a slipping tranny, my wife is on her 2nd '96 Camry. The first one sent the outer harmonic balancer ring through the timing cover. I've grown to love them but they're not invincible.

[@palebeachbum]

@@ChadFreeman757 My first and only Toyota was a 1988 Camry. Honestly one of the worst cars I've ever owned. Built like a tin can. Interior fell apart. So many mechanical problems. I sold it before it even hit 140k miles. Totally turned me off to the brand. I've owned a dozen cars and it's only 1 of 2 cars that ever left me stranded.

[@ChadFreeman757]

@@palebeachbum Yea. Overhyped. I like the styling of a lot of the newer ones tho. That TRD Camry seems too good to be true for the price.

[@InternetDude]

Bring back simple, reliable cars!

[@gary_beniford]

I'm sure many companies would like to. but due to high regulations on safety and regulations aimed at manufacturers constantly raising MPG cars are only going to get more complex and likely less reliable.

[@cpufreak101]

jump oricakle and here's one to add, in 2022 they're going to require all new cars to have autonomous emergency braking capabilities

[@anon457]

if we can get off of the "California standard for safety and emissions" bandwagon then we can go back to these kinds of cars, hell automanufactures and designers look back on the 90s as if they were the golden years compared too today considering ad least during that time you could still make a reliable not too complex best bang for your buck economy vehicle and the consumer would be happy and the companies would still turn profit. And to be honest I don't see how things can keep going the way they are because vehicles are getting more expensive and to work on them cost an arm and a leg, there's a cap ton of dealerships that around me and they are all packed to the brim with vehicles that Noone can afford. this has to eventually come too a head.

[@Mgoblagulkablong]

Why pretending there are none? There are lots to choose from, Toyota Yaris, Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, and many more... But all people do is complain about how they need more than 10 sec. to 60 and how hard the plastics are...

[@vossler360]

Well, there is the current Mitsubishi Mirage, which is very similar to this 1991 Tercel in many respects. Both are a little more than 2000 lbs, although the Mirage only has 78 hp. Alternatively, you could look at the base Fiat 500.

[@RedLikeWine]

My very first car that I bought with my own money was a 1991 Toyota Tercel. It was a dark red, 2 door. I loved that car so much. I get so sad watching this video because I ended up totaling that car a little over a year later. I ended up buying a 1992 Toyota Tercel 4 door in white. That car took me many places and I had it for years! But I still remember that little dark red car and how hard I worked to buy it. The interior was really ahead of its time. I loved the air vents and the seats! I own two Mercedes now and the interior of my Mercedes, like the air vents, reminds me a lot of my Tercel. Times have certainly changed but I'll always hold a soft spot for my beloved 1991 Toyota Tercel.

[@redwanrizvi]

In Bangladesh, a country in South Asia( where I come from), this car along with Corollas (EE90) were exported from Japan reconditioned. Believe it or not this car was a luxury for most of us then. Felt nostalgic after seeing this.

[@tmmurphy]

I get it. It is all a matter of perspective, what you are used to and your expectations. I miss simple cars that weren't loaded with things to break. I got so sick of repairing my power window switches on my 4 door (replaced each one twice) that always seemed to fail during or right before a rain storm or snow fall. When they failed the window always went down on it's own and wouldn't come back up. Then the rain would start....

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

tmmurphy let me guess: chevy cobalt? in mine, window open a crack when raining fried the pwr lock switches. i got so fed up replacing them i disconected them and used the manual locks. total junk.

[@the80386]

the car itself wasn't exactly luxury but personal cars in general were a luxury in 1990s south asia. these tercel cars are still seen rolling around in south asian countries today. I wish we could get the simple, efficient and reliable cars back.

[@kevinlee9079]

The middle and top trip level Japanese Market tercels are better equipped than the US model tested here, such as with automatic push button climate control, auto folding side mirrors and better seat materials

[@deanspanos8210]

Too few gauges? What else was missing, an inclinometer? A gauge for g-forces? Weapons Load out? Or just oil pressure?

[@aventarikevin121]

My 91 Tercel didn't even have a fucking tachometer and it was a 5 speed. So yes--too few gauges.

[@KenshinNX60]

There was a tach dipshit

[@blue_lancer_es]

Wonder what they think of the yaris and lack of a temp gauge.

[@PeterXChhanX]

The lack of a temp gauge is downright idiotic! My mother in law has a 2012 mini cooper and no temp gauge! Oh but it has 2 speedos though, the digital readout in front and the GINORMOUS one on the center dash!

[@blue_lancer_es]

@@PeterXChhanX hahahah yeah mini did that shit.

[@18ashfaqahsan2]

My dad owned a maroon one. Sold it 8 years back. Breaks a tear everytime i see one.

[@777jones]

Motorweek must have adored the late 80s Mitsubishis with altimeter, inclinometer, barometer, humidity gauge and so on!

[@nutz4gunz457]

90's Japanese cars are the best.

[@cyotacorolla1489]

Nutz4Gunz45 80s Japanese cars were better....

[@timhiltonsuperstar]

70's Japanese cars were even better....

[@skipper5951]

'60s Japanese cars were ever better than that.......No seriously, I ain't just playing along. The Honda N360 (N600 in North America), The Honda S600, the Subaru 360, the Toyota 2000GT, the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ, the Datsun 520, the Datsun Fairlady, the orginal '69 Skyline GT-R, they were pretty awesome.

[@cyotacorolla1489]

Skipper Don't forget the Datsun 510.

[@skipper5951]

Absolutely, and I also forgot about the Wankel powered Mazda Cosmo, but there's still many more to list.

[@scdevon]

An unstoppable econobox. These things almost never die. Probably the best commuter car ever. Super easy to work on and cheap parts, too.

[@maximusareilius2262]

you dont see any ford escorts from that year still rolling. thats for sure.

[@davidaubin3902]

Neither the 91Sentra either

[@maximusareilius2262]

the 91-94 se-r is considered a hard to find import classic. not the base model which is still out there.

[@buzman1985]

Maximus Areilius I sure dont see any Tracel's either.

[@mbaer5]

my buddy has a 91 Tracer wagon.. car is mint.. had to have been garaged cause the paint is like new and theres not a spec of rust and I live in the northeast

[@IspiraGaming]

Maximus Areilius yes you do, loads of all the cars mentioned in this video still rolling around where I live.

[@CosmicNewbie]

Bought mine with 7 miles on the odometer. Still driving it today after 25 years. Still drives smoothly like new (but I keep up with preventative maintenance)

[@rightlanehog3151]

Well done.

[@tpolarbeart]

This was my first car. In fact we owned 2 of these. We had the base models with no features. Both had nearly 300k miles when we sold them and they ran perfect other than the interior falling apart

[@diablomix]

A car that looks like a box apparently looked like an egg in 1991.

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

diablomix lol

[@lukerinderknecht2982]

diablomix They call this an egg??? If only they could see the current Yaris 😅😅

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

***** those 4dr yaris actually look more like a shoe

[@anon457]

diablomix And the they made the scion cube.. and it actually sold....

[@LearnAboutFlow]

You're confusing Scion with Nissan.

[@redlineraphael]

Their obsession with a "full" gauge cluster is like consumer reports obsession with forward collision warning

[@aayonce4]

Raphael Montes lmaooooooo yesss i cant stand consumer

[@SearchEast2069]

I personally hate cars that have incomplete gauge clusters. A tach, speedo, and fuel gauge ain't gonna cut it. Give me water temp, oil temp or pressure, and battery volts so I can see if the alternator is charging the battery properly. I need to know whats going on with the car at all times.

[@cyotacorolla1489]

Antwon Jenkins agreed

[@dot7107]

mipmipmipmipmip That is why there is warning lights is car is overheating, not charging etc. No need for stupid extra gauges

[@kgbeezr75]

Definitely, almost every road test where those gauges are missing, they mention it. The average driver wouldn't even know what a voltmeter or oil pressure gauge does. They would probably assume the red zone means it's working "extra good". A simple "pull over, your car is broken" light is far more effective in 99% of cases. Or better yet, just a 10 second verbal countdown to automated ignition cutoff.

[@modelmanjohn]

I got the 1992 version of this. 2 door coupe, manual 4 speed, no AC, no power anything. I loved it. That thing could out maneuver anything.

[@ChroniclesofKToyoda]

I had a 1990 model, you could practically add like 40 to any cornering sign & not brake a sweet. When they say this thing had serious high speed cornering they weren't playing!

[@adamtrombino106]

Back when 1 could buy basic transportation that lasted! The only thing that will kill these cars, is rust.

[@39Hundred]

Brings back memories. My parents had a 1994 Tercel in teal color. I learned how to drive in that car.

[@alexander1485]

your parents were cheap af

[@LynxStarAuto]

Seems like the majority of them came in red or teal 😆

[@chuck123412]

Leather driving gloves + Toyota Tercel = laughs

[@scott9050]

I saw a 1984 Tercel wagon that looked like it had been garaged all its life a few months ago. It caught my eye because it is such a rare sight now.

[@Kinesis17]

I've got a 94' Tercel sitting in my yard right now. 4 speed manual with no overdrive makes the highway painful but past that it does get groceries easily.

[@Trance88]

Wow. This car's fuel economy and performance is very similar to my 2013 Chevy Spark! For a '91 economy car, it definitely holds its own in the styling department.

[@myes344]

Tercel last about 5x longer. Handles better and more

[@toyotacorollaaltis8613]

@@myes34490% were dead in the first 10 years

[@bugsy791]

2035lbs!!! this would be a rocket ship with 200bhp

[@Darksyne]

It would be like the Lotus Elise lol

[@newwavetheo]

The Honda CR-X was 1800 pounds I think. Definitely lighter than 2000.

[@cadsux]

True, but they are not the same class cars, since the Tercel has rear seats and 2 extra doors.

[@hduncan2587]

And the much larger Echo was 2,020lbs. I think they measured a loaded Tercel, though, because I remember seeing them weighing less than the Echo, just like how I've seen loaded Echo sedans measured closer to 2,090 in magazines.

[@rodmunch69]

As a bonus you can take it on the highway and get it airborne for free! Just wait for a semi to pass you doing 75mph and feel the car take off into the air!

[@mcqueenfanman]

About 10 years ago my boss bought one of these with a blown motor, we were going to fix it up & resell it. A customer stopped by to ask if we had anything for sale around the same time I started working on it. He bought right then & there. Turned out to be a nice car with the used engine I put in it. I wish they were all that easy.

[@goobagel]

You could tell me that car came out in 2004 and I wouldn't question it at all. Bravo Toyota!

[@josephbingham1255]

You still see them around once in a while in 2021.

[@pj2519]

I love watching these retro reviews.

[@ScaryGhost1]

They were pretty good little cars, the previous gen AWD model was the best by far. The 7th gen Corolla was way more reliable but I often see these at 200000+ miles that are still rumbling along

[@frankburns8871]

A two-door with some snappy wheels or caps and more importantly a 5-speed manual, and these were surprisingly sporty and fun to drive. Add in a trillion mpg and rock-solid Toyota feel, and it was much more than a typical econobox.

[@Coonotafoo]

The 1994 Toyota Tercel is the car I grew up with. My mom abused the hell out of the car in it's early life often neglecting to change the oil in it. That car still ran strong until 2007 when the engine finally gave out. If my mom didn't neglect it in it's early life it might have still been rolling today!

[@christopherconard2831]

For the younger viewers. Up through the '80s, a white car usually meant it was a base or fleet/rental spec car. There were exceptions with some luxury vehicles. But even they were some sort of off white.

[@justinbig10]

Over here in Jersey, you'll periodically see one of those Tercel's still rolling around. Can't say the same for the Sentra or the Escort!

[@AndrewKaiserPhotographer]

I had a 1988 Tercel in High School. It sure as heck didn't win me any popularity rewards but it got me around no problem. I loved that stupid car!!

[@cmara3696]

Andrew Kaiser ok grandpa

[@09NXN06]

Toyota IMO shouldn't never axe the Tercel name plate.

[@IspiraGaming]

Should not never, so they should at some point?

[@kzayas6940]

Nick Parker they didn't, it's called the Yaris.

[@tinhinnh]

Tercel > Echo/Yaris

[@tinuthomas531]

tinhinnh too bad only the Yaris hatch is the actual Toyota, the sedan is a Mazda 2

[@crashbandi53]

@@kzayas6940 The Yaris was so cheap and awkward feeling compared to these.

[@tell302man]

I had a 1995. Best car ever. It was hit and killed with 149,000 miles and was in perfect condition. The 4 speed manual got over 40mpg. I loved it

[@davidaubin3902]

This Tercel started the golden eras of sedans for Toyota I hear other people saying. It was followed by the great 92 Camry, and 93 Corolla. The latter two looked like they adopted the back light with the model name in it from the Tercel

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

David Aubin the 92 corolla is possibly one of the best cars ever made

[@jbar_85]

That 1993-1997 Toyota Corollas was SO cute! I wanted one as a kid, lol!

[@rickreid81]

Loved my 82 Toyota puck up. It had the 22R engine with a 5spd Manuel trans. It looked great! I miss it.

[@threeer02]

My son just lost his 1997 Tercel to a semi truck. Well over 250k, original engine, original trans, original clutch. No issues. Ever. Absolutely the most reliable car the family has ever owned. Wanted that one back before the accident. Sad to see it go that way. What a great car.

[@matthewvanlenten6017]

Every Toyota and Honda that I've ever owned was the most reliable vehicle I've ever had. In fact, a friend of mine is still driving around my old 1991 Honda Accord 5spd manual to this day with only an oxygen sensor malfunction being it's biggest issue. I owned a couple of Nissan Maxima's, I loved their V6 engines, they're just so smooth, but they really did have a lot more issues and malfunctions than my Honda and Toyota cars. On a whim, I bought a 1989 Dodge Daytona for dirt cheap, just for the hell of it, and it was constantly plagued with fuel pump, radiator problems, and even had a cracked head gasket appear out of nowhere. My current car is a 2012 Honda Civic Si, it's not a rocket ship by any means, but it has a slick, fun 6spd stick that revs over 7,000 RPM and is just plain fun to drive. It's been my daily driver car for years now and I love it, haven't had a single problem except for a broken driver's side fog light due to a flying rock that flew off of a dump truck one early morning on the highway.

[@MetalTeamster]

I have owned three of these. These cars are AWESOME !

[@bufordblu3338]

These were just honest and reliable, !

[@theKevronHarris]

Buford Blu true. Why they compare it to the Sentra and Escort?

[@bvedant]

My uncle had one of this gen, I remember all the joyrides we took in this econobox. But it sure was special

[@justonemori]

People who think this was a terrible car have never owned a truly terrible car. In 1991 at least 1/3 of cars on the road still had a mechanical fuel pump and carburetor. They ran dirty, stalled out, ran like dick when cold, flooded, added additional stress on the starter and battery on a regular basis. Then we have to talk about distributors, yikes. Sure MSD can make a hell of a distributor but most cars had crappy setups in varying states of decay. Since catalytic converters were still a new-ish thing so they were big, cut a lot of power, clogged, they hated being ran rich, and would heat the hell out of your floorboards due to them being mounted way too far from the engine. If you were coming away from all of that then this car was an absolute dream.

[@JuanJimenez.]

Just bought one of these little guys for 1500. 127k miles on the clock, only needing the muffler replaced

[@JuanJimenez.]

UPDATE : Sold this heap of trash for 2.5k, 1k of my original price. It drove smooth and was in great condition considering it had 127k original miles, but i needed something safer with a bit more power. I'll miss this car, considering it was in baby blue color, it stood out a lot in traffic, but i couldn't keep it anymore.

[@bohan9957]

1.5L 90hp engine gets you 39mpg. Times have sure changed...

[@Darksyne]

Yeah problem is all this safety and emissions bullshit they have to cram into cars these days adding a crap load of weight and cost because too many retards have a license. If cars were made back in the glory days of the late 80s to early 2000s they would be lighter, quicker, cheaper, more fuel efficient, and far more reliable.

[@Darksyne]

wrong about what? Elaborate otherwise you'll sound like an ass...

[@christianguzman8228]

Not true at all.

[@ryushishiratori2312]

It's not really BS, given that far fewer individuals are dying in crashes then in previous decades.

[@seeingeyegod]

in what way do you mean? I mean yeah times have changed, but now we have 1.5L engines with more horsepower and similar or better mileage, in a car with much better safety, plus mileage back then was calculated differently and 39mph then is more like 35 now.

[@Jsn1180]

My Grandpa bought my Grandma a 1993 Tercel new - It was just like this one. The car was in our family for 20 years! I miss it. I can still see my Granny driving it. ❤

[@hduncan2587]

Almost to the Toyota Echo review. A 41mpg, 0-60 in 8.5 seconds (though not sure what Motor Week had), and a roomy interior. Just feels tippy, and sorta cheap/goofy looking-- underrated, at that. I love my Echo, and was thrilled to try a basic manual Tercel for work. The amazing thing is how Toyota had so many soft-touch materials in the Tercel, even for its price point. Sure it had cheapness in other ways compared to the Echo, but Toyota had taken steps to a different direction in the 2000's and they're still trying to make up for it.

[@84impalaguy]

my cousin has one of these, same year, 268,000 km with the 3 speed slushbox. Engine was clattering like mad when she came to visit us, a quick check confirmed no oil on the dipstick. When asked, she said it had been sounding like that for a few weeks now. Topped it up with gas station synthetic blend (on sale!) and dumped some seafoam in the tank for good measure, and 6 months later that thing's still putting around, happy as a clam. She's pissed it hasn't died yet, I told her to wait another 100,000 or so kilometers ;) For an econo-box, these things are pretty indestructible mechanically-wise.

[@pheanix69]

I a 1993 Toyota tercel 2dr 5spd white I really loved it and miss it !! from Orange county California to sun valley va I still had a full tank

[@tanyguch_kun1330]

the dash is suprisingly modern in that time

[@palebeachbum]

I look at the design of this car now and think it's actually a really clean, attractive design. So many cars nowadays have overwrought styling that's quite ugly.

[@Blakecryderman7244]

@palebeachbum exactly! For example the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander🤮

[@palebeachbum]

@@Blakecryderman7244 that thing has too much face!

[@smithraymond09029]

There are two of this gen here in the parking lot at work. 25 year old "daily drivers". Paint (clear coat) need help but whatever. It gets my co-workers around.

[@TurboProductions250]

Nice little car, I still see some rolling around.

[@fredford2274]

had a green 2 door, with the 4speed. absolutely the best little car I ever owned. it had 276,000 Miles on it before I sold it. that car never let me down

[@fredford2274]

A friend of mind really needed a car, so sold it for cheap for him, I had a few other vehicles at the time

[@Altavilla22Mike]

My buddy got a new 1996 Tercel (his dad had the on in the video), total bottom of the line with ice skate wide tires for $10k with 5 speed manual when I was in high school. The frigging thing only had 93HP and did 0-60 in 9 seconds all day cuz it was so light. Really fun car especially because it was faster then nearly all the sporty, heavy and boaty V8s that the other kids had back then like the monte carlos and cutlasses ..

[@tommydogsdad]

I was 12 years old when I went with my friend's Mom and Dad to the Toyota Dealer in San Jose to get a light green 4 door. They STILL have it. All of the kids have used it for college at one point or another.

[@majorcalvary6515]

These cars lasts forever. I had a 1989 Tercel EZ with 4sp manual. Nothing exciting. Lasted 240k Miles. It warranted $3k investment, clutch, timing belt, water pump, and new belts. I sold it for $900, and bought a Civic. I wish I still have it. Slow as she was, she never stranded me anywhere. What a car. Who could ask for anything more. Toyota! What a memory.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

I still see these things running

[@charlesjenkins1225]

love the retro!!!!!!!!!!!! keep it coming !!!!!!!!!!

[@DavidAndre657]

82 horsepower may not seem like much, but with a 5-speed manual this Tercel did 0-60 mph in 11.1 seconds, and it got 39 mpg. That's not bad for a price around $10,000.

[@doccyber]

My first brand new car was a 91 Tercel. 5999 with no options. Lol

[@domsgarage5802]

Now 5999 will get you a six year old Kia

[@mikethomas1901]

Just bought one of these today...DX model, white, same car but with black bumpers. Only 11000 kms (6200 miles)! Thing is near showroom, i might just have to post a video.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Mike Thomas, Just flush out ALL the fluids and make sure the brakes have not seized.

[@TheSenrab]

Said it last Tercel video but I love my Tercel even though it’s been a hassle to maintain for me

[@karoltakisobie6638]

I still see those Tercels around. Many more old Corollas though.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

The indestructible Nokia of sub compact of cars.

[@seeingeyegod]

Man if they thought this didn't have enough gauges, it's a good thing they didn't review the base model, which didn't even have a tachometer with the 4 speed manual.

[@Doobie1975]

Acceleration seems to be surprisingly decent for an early 90's subcompact car, I didn't expect much out of the 0-60mph and quarter mile times but I was quite surprised that it's not much slower than a V6 powered midsize car of the same vintage.

[@rfdsdf1]

The numbers of these still on the road, they're like the cockroach of cars.

[@dannyc8617]

Had an 84 Tercel, simple, reliable, and took a beating that would have killed many other cars at any price point. In 84 it had a 2v 1500 that made a whopping 62hp, by far the slowest car I ever had, dangerous even in a merge, but it would take too long to type what I liked about it. It would be nice if manufacturers today would stick money into the mechanicals and leave out the t infotainment and electronic nanny bullshit that make bad drivers worse.

[@currypac]

Bought a used 91 for my HS kid in 2005 in Chicago. She kept it 6 more yrs. I think it is still doing circles around Dallas

[@MartyM.]

Believe it or not, as I recall there was a kit to rebody this style of Tercel as a BMW M3.

[@blue_lancer_es]

more gauges?? how about the yaris lacking a temp gauge... in ten years no gauges

[@knifeyboy82]

my sisters honda fit and my 2016 mazda 6 don't have a temp gauge either

[@blue_lancer_es]

temp gauges are a necesity. even the yaris has space in the cluster and tadaaa it says yaris. thata bs.

[@Lambo6fo]

my 2016 yaris does not have a temp gauge. I will be installing one myself.

[@wx4newengland]

BrokeCarMods It seems like we are going backward. We won't be seeing any info soon.

[@cpufreak101]

wx4newengland I suppose as car's continue to go autonomous they'll take more and more away saying we won't need it

[@LOS41510]

The Tercel... a grey 1994 Tercel DX was my first car and was one of the greats that to this day I still see running around

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Still that loaded up Tercel they tested was oh so fancy compared to the cheapest thing on the Toyota dealer lot for 1991. Think base pickup truck, reg cab, short box 2wd. Things like non reclining vinyl clad bench seats were standard. Passenger side mirror, extra cost option. Rubber floors standard, carpet cost more, extra sound deadening with your carpet meant moving up a trim level to deluxe. Carburetor and 4 speed manual transmission standard. Fuel injection and 5 speed manual were options. And a lot of these stripper trucks had manual steering racks. In my area A/C was one of the few options always selected on base Toyota pickups in the 80's/90's

[@Oblithian]

For some reason I thought you guys had a 87-91 cutlass calais review up.

[@wtrdogg20]

I have a special place in my heart for the Tercel... I drove one during my time in the driving school, and that car was one of the best car I have ever driven... What a great car! Best part, I still can see some of them still running... Outlasting many of its competition back in the 90s.

[@oliverdelgado6952]

Still see these around on a daily basis.

[@TheMowgli420]

rock solid reliability

[@justsumguy2u]

I remember when they first came out---indeed, the styling was quite polarizing. You could get a really stripped-down one with 4 speed manual, no a/c, and wind-up windows. Am/fm radio without cassette was standard. I'm pretty sure even power steering was optional on the base model, but I could be wrong.

[@go86go]

justsomeguytoyou I had that model but with ac. no power steering, put in radio and speakers myself. the fit and finish was amazing

[@pickynicky2112]

Those driving gloves were on point

[@Schaefft]

Stop it Motorweek, I kinda want to own one now!

[@ndawg79]

Still waiting for the 91 escort GT review..

[@93sundance]

I miss this John Davis. Speaks like a normal human unlike the current version, sounds like he does a few lines before filming the show. Also like the hits and misses. Doesn't seem like any car they review these days there is ever a complaint.

[@B3Quattro]

I don't get their obsession with more gauges...well I mean I get it, but most cars by this time didn't come with oil pressure and voltage gauges. It seems redundant to keep repeating it over and over again in every review, and for a car in the Tercel's price range, you should consider yourself lucky to even have a tach lol. Other than that another cool Retro Review. LE's seem to be rarest of the 91-94 Tercels...I guess most people sprung for the more substantial Corolla at this price.

[@nlpnt]

Base Tercels didn't get a tach. I think base Yarises still don't.

[@B3Quattro]

I'm aware. The tach was an option even on the top line LE, IIRC

[@LynxStarAuto]

Yes they did. In the 90's, oil, temp, and volt gauges were lauded, because cars were known to consume oil, and voltage regulators would fail, and temp gauges would immediately alert to pending doom. Overheating a car in 1990 meant head gasket time in most cases.

[@ChroniclesofKToyoda]

My '90 Tercel had no tech' & by the sounds of it a questionably high redline..

[@Doobie1975]

I wish they can make simple design automobiles like this today.

[@AvenueD417]

had one of these in black, got rid of the puny motor and swapped in a Silver Top 20-Valve 4A-GE

[@phils.3178]

39 mpg?! Amazing

[@Myiata1979]

Please Toyota!You should never give up of making reliable small cars!

[@cmauchi29]

Great car and still looks good!

[@jlcii]

they are comparing the Tercel to the escort and Sentra, but that wasn't its competition. I believe those cars were a class higher than Tercel, rather competing with Corolla. this cars competition if anything was Geo Metro and Hyundai Excel, smaller subcompact cars like itself.

[@jonathancisneros7150]

This was the type of car your parents bought you instead of the camaro iroc z lmaoooo

[@TimJoseph08031990]

Looks better than the Toyota Corolla made in the same year.

[@ElectoneGuy]

These cars were impossible to kill.

[@noseefood1943]

these things were bullet proof.

[@SataniaMcDowel]

Noseefood yeah , my uncle beats his everyday (1991) still running strong still today

[@777jones]

But what about his car?

[@mehmeh826]

+777jones lol

[@lab1042]

Those armrests for the rear doors look identical to the ones I have in my '91 Toyota pickup, which is not a good thing because they are rock hard and the most uncomfortable armrests I've ever encountered. They're even the same pale blue color.

[@emenson83]

We bought out yourself brand new in 1994. Still got it till this day. We had a few problems far as two valves. Have to do a valve job at least twice since we had it but same transmission same engine. And when it was brand new the radio cassette player kept burning out! So we end up putting an after-market CD player. Not today it's at 593,000 miles and ice roller my 18 year old cousin is driving it it went through five of us already!

[@lab1042]

4:45 DC101 and 98Rock on the radio? Looks like my presets from the mid 90's. MotorWeek had good taste in music!

[@M09W41]

I'm thinking of buying a Tercel. Yeah, that's a Toyota.