Toyota Previa (1990 - 2000) 2.4i GS 4d Auto (1995/N) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Family man.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Bland people carrier. People are often surprised how much room there is in it, and how good the acceleration is.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No. I n longer need a people carrier and have moved on to something more exciting.

What are you likely to buy next?

I replaced it with a Jaguar Sovereign LWB XJ8.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£6,200

When did you buy the car?

June 2001

Did you get a good deal and why?

The dealer would nt come down much in price and only allowed me to haggle him down a little if I agreed not to pass my old car (1987 Granada) onto him.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Needed eight seats plus a reasonable size boot with all eight seats in use.

What was the dealer like?

Friendly enough, but not very flexible.

What's it like to drive?

Good driving position. You are up high and can see over hedges and other cars. There is plenty of room in the driver's seat and the gap between the two front seats is really useful if you put down some grippy mesh to stop things moving about. The 2.4 litre engine is quite perky, despite the weight of the car, and gives excellent acceleration away from the lights or when overtaking n the motorway. Handling is OK as long as you remember it is a people carrier and don't get too carried away. The seats are firm but comfortable, even ovr long distances. Fuel economy is not very good. 18-20mpg around town, 26-28mpg on a long trip. That is about as good as it gets.

What's it like to park?

The high driving position helps, but you cannot see the back of the car so have to guess how much space is behind you. It really could do with parking sensors.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Battery. Spend £500 getting it through its last MOT due to emissions failures. Needed both lambda sensors and the catalytic converter replaced.

What's most practical about your car?

The fact that you get eight full, forward-facing seats, AND you get a decent size boot even with all eight seats in use. With the rear seats folded up, there is an incredible amount of space inside. There is (just) enough room for DIY types to get 8' x 4' sheets of chipboard in the back!

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

This is a fairly basic car. There are not really any "frills" or "toys" to get excited about.