The Toyota Tercel was a subcompact car produced by Toyota from 1978 until 1999 in five generations. Positioned between the Corolla and the Starlet, this vehicle was manufactured at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan. The Tercel shared its platform with the Cynos (Paseo) and Starlet. In Japan, it was marketed as the Toyota Corolla II, Toyota Corsa, and eventually replaced by the Platz in 1999.
Key Points:
1. Generations and Body Configurations: The Toyota Tercel was manufactured in five generations with five body configurations, fitting between the Corolla and Starlet in size.
2. Platform and Manufacturing: The Tercel was produced at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, sharing its platform with the Cynos and Starlet.
3. Market Names: In Japan, the Tercel was marketed as the Toyota Corolla II and Toyota Corsa, sold at different Toyota dealerships.
4. Transition of Dealerships: From the second generation onwards, the Tercel was sold through Vista Store dealerships while the Corolla II was exclusive to Corolla Store locations.
5. Front-Wheel Drive Innovation: The Tercel was Toyota's first front-wheel-drive vehicle, featuring a longitudinally mounted engine — a unique design among Toyota's front-wheel-drive models.
Overall, the Toyota Tercel played a significant role as a subcompact car in Toyota's lineup