USED CAR: 1st Gen Toyota Estima

It is not often that a car can be described as being ahead of its time. This, the first-generation Toyota Estima (also known as Previa in some countries) is one of those rare cars. Long before owning large MPVs became fashionable and somewhat of a status symbol here in Malaysia, the original egg-shaped Estima ruled the world of luxurious full size multi-purpose vehicles. Mind you, back then, seeing one of these was like spotting a Mercedes-Benz R-Class on our roads now - rare and weird looking, yet commanding a certain level of respect from other road-users.

 

Sold between 1990 and 20000, it was the predecessor of the even more popular second-generation Estima (which undoubtedly boomed the local interest in such vehicles), it is a spacious 7-seater minivan with a walk-through cabin and swivel-capable captain chairs in the middle row. Think of today’s Honda Freed, and imagine having all that and more almost 20 years ago. Like mentioned above, it was ahead of its time.

 

Even after all these years, the cabin is still an impressive place to be in. Apart from the once-futuristic dashboard that looks plain ancient now, the rest of the interior is ageless. Big, comfortable, if not exactly supportive, seats fill up the cabin nicely and kids will not be left wanting for space, even if pushed to the back row.

Amenities like dedicated aircon vents for the rear seats (still missing in a few modern MPVs) will keep the kids and folks at the back cool, while a full set of seatbelts will keep them safe.

 

Most Estimas here (virtually all being gray imports) are well-equipped, with the highlight being a massive sunroof at the back and a moonroof up front. Electrically-adjustable and foldable side mirrors, all-round parking sensors, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, dual front airbags and ABS round off the technological front.

 

As always with vehicles that can be assumed to have carried kids on a regular basis, check for signs of abuse in the interior. Broken panels will be expensive to replace (if even possible), as are permanent scratches and major tears. The heavy sliding door (no automatic door here, unfortunately) must also be looked at, as rusty sliding mechanisms will be a nightmare to fix.

 

One of the most common criticisms of the vehicle is its lack of power, especially the early models that did not have a supercharger to help the 2.5-litre mid-mounted engine. The later versions were much better, but obviously are also more expensive. Its inherent thirst for petrol is also well known (more so for the 4WD variant… avoid), and along with its high roadtax, running costs will not be cheap.

 

But with used prices having dipped, it still possesses outstanding value for money if you want such a vehicle. For as low as RM30,000, you get a large MPV that can ferry seven in total comfort, with space leftover for luggage. It might not be as good a car to wow your neighbours with as compared to newer Estimas, but at these prices, it’s a steal.                                                                                                                                            [Hafriz Shah]

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