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The Mysterious Disappearance of Toyota’s “Original Luxury Minivan” – The Story of the Estima
Toyota, a renowned automaker known for its innovation, has seen numerous successes in the automobile industry. However, amidst its triumphs, there lies a tale of a beloved minivan that eventually faded into oblivion – the Toyota Estima. The Estima, considered the original luxury minivan, once captured the hearts of drivers with its unique design and spacious interior. So, what led to the disappearance of this pioneering vehicle from the market?

In 1990, Toyota unleashed the first-generation Estima, a bold departure from traditional minivans. Instead, it presented itself as a “new luxury car” with its strikingly smooth and rounded egg-shaped body. Nicknamed the “genius egg,” the Estima stood out due to its rare underfloor midship layout. This innovative design placed the engine sideways at a 75-degree angle, while the front tires were positioned in front of the driver’s seat. As a result, the midship layout achieved an impressively spacious interior, a comfortable ride, and remarkable quietness, elevating the minivan experience to unprecedented heights.

Despite its higher price point, around 3 million yen at the time, the first-generation Estima garnered immense popularity and quickly became one of Japan’s representative minivans. Building on its success, Toyota introduced the Estima Lucida/Emina in 1992. These models, smaller in size, became known as the “child Estima” due to their affordability, priced approximately 1 million yen cheaper than the original Estima. The Lucida and Emina achieved significant success, further solidifying the Estima’s position as a standard minivan model.

With the turn of the millennium, Toyota embarked on a full model change for the Estima, giving rise to the second-generation Estima in 2000. The company also introduced the “Estima Hybrid,” equipped with a cutting-edge hybrid system, offering both powerful acceleration and improved fuel consumption. The future looked bright for the Estima, and its popularity seemed destined to soar.

However, dark clouds began to gather over the Estima’s fate when Toyota introduced another upscale minivan under the same brand in 2002 – the “Alphard.” Based on the second-generation Estima’s framework, the Alphard boasted a larger body and a luxurious, spacious interior. It featured a more “powerful” design, clearly distinguishing it from the Estima’s gentle-looking front mask. Despite the competition, many loyal Estima fans persisted, but a crucial turning point was approaching for both models.

In 2006, Toyota launched the third-generation Estima and followed up with the second-generation Alphard in 2008. The Alphard’s “stiff” front mask appealed to a broad audience, leading to an increase in sales. On the other hand, the Estima’s reasonable pricing made it challenging to compete with the Alphard and Vellfire, and the number of Estima sales began to decline significantly. By the first half of 2019, the monthly average of registered Estima units plummeted to a mere 791, representing less than 10% of the combined Alphard and Vellfire sales.

As the shadows grew darker, the Estima’s role came to an end in October 2019, and the vehicle disappeared from the market without undergoing a model change. Though the Estima had once carved its name in automotive history, the shifting landscape of the automobile industry played a significant role in its fate.

Fast forward to 2023, Toyota continues to innovate, releasing the new luxury minivans “Alphard” and “Vellfire,” along with the upcoming “LM” under the Lexus brand. These new offerings are replete with luxurious exteriors, powerful engines, and opulent interiors, capturing the attention of automotive enthusiasts.

While the Estima may have vanished from the scene, the automotive landscape has changed dramatically, providing potential opportunities for new and improved models. As the market evolves, who knows if a modern, high-tech reincarnation of the “original luxury minivan” may find its way back into the hearts of drivers once more, solidifying its place as an upper-class minivan for the ages. Only time will tell what Toyota has in store for its minivan lineup.

Toyota, the renowned Japanese automotive manufacturer, has introduced its latest addition to the battery electric vehicle (BEV) series, the “bZ3” sedan. This model marks the second installment in the “bZ” series, following the “bZ4X” released in Japan. However, the bZ3 carries a unique distinction as it was exclusively developed for the Chinese market. Let’s delve into the exciting features that make this collaboration between Toyota and BYD a noteworthy venture.

The bZ3 is the fruit of an extraordinary collaboration between Toyota and BYD, a major electric vehicle manufacturer in China. Notably, the joint venture between the two companies, known as BYD TOYOTA EV TECHNOLOGY (BTET), takes the lead in the creation of this sedan-type BEV. The model’s battery, a lithium-ion iron phosphate battery, is produced by Fudi Battery, a part of the BYD Group. However, it is crucial to clarify that BYD is solely responsible for the battery peripherals, while Toyota handles the essential aspects of basic body design and driving performance. Moreover, the manufacturing is carried out by FAW Toyota, a joint venture between Toyota and FAW, further cementing the collaborative effort behind this innovative BEV.

The bZ3 boasts a body size of 4725mm in length, 1835mm in width, and 1475mm in height, with a wheelbase measuring 2880mm. This puts the model’s dimensions between the popular Toyota models “Prius” and “Camry.” The vehicle is available in two battery capacities: a 49.92 kWh version with a range of 517 km (CLTC method) and a larger 65.28 kWh variant offering a cruising range of 616 km. The front-wheel-drive system powers the bZ3, with two motor options depending on the grade – 181 horsepower for the former and 241 horsepower for the latter.

Toyota has embraced a trendy coupe-style design for the bZ3, with aerodynamic elements infused throughout its exterior, contributing to an impressive Cd value of 0.218. Moving inside, the interior exudes a sense of specialness rarely seen in Japanese cars. Centered around an 8-inch vertical display, the interior design surrounds the selector and storage tray. The dashboard is elegantly simple, adorned with rose gold accents, emanating an aura of sophistication. The bZ3’s operation layout may differ from traditional vehicles, with a button-based turn signal on the handle and paddle shifts serving functions other than regeneration adjustments, yet it remains intuitive and easy to use after a brief acclimation period.

In the Chinese market, the bZ3 is available in three grades, with the entry-level 49.92 kWh model priced at 169,800 yuan (approximately 3,282,000 yen), the intermediate 65.28 kWh model at 189,800 yuan (approximately 3,668,000 yen), and the higher-grade 65.28 kWh model at 199,800 yuan (approximately 3,862,000 yen). Notably, considering the content, the pricing is highly competitive, and Toyota’s presence in China’s burgeoning electric vehicle market is evident as the bZ3 secured a respectable 12th position in new car sales rankings in June 2023, encompassing both gasoline and electric vehicles.

With the success of the bZ3, Toyota is committed to further expanding its BEV lineup exclusively tailored for the Chinese market. The company unveiled exciting concept cars at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2023, such as the “bZ Sport Crossover Concept” and “bZ FlexSpace Concept,” with the former developed in collaboration with BYD. With China at the forefront of electrification, Toyota’s active development of various types of electric vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell electric vehicles, is poised to solidify the company’s presence and impact in this dynamic market.

In conclusion, Toyota’s “bZ3” sedan marks a remarkable achievement as a product of collaboration with BYD, showcasing a blend of cutting-edge technology, sleek design, and futuristic features. As Toyota continues to expand its BEV lineup in China, the company’s contribution to the advancement of electric mobility in the region is set to grow even further.

Fortuna,” the SUV that made a splash at the recent “Gunma Parts Show 2023,” has become the talk of the town in Japan. The three-day event, held from July 7th to 9th, showcased a range of exclusive automotive innovations, including the coveted Fortuner, a model that has not been officially available in the Japanese market until now.

In recent times, automakers have been catering to the diverse demands of the global market by producing models exclusively for overseas markets. Japanese automakers are no exception to this trend. Although these foreign-market cars boast unique features that would undoubtedly captivate Japanese consumers, they have seldom made their way to the shores of Japan. However, car enthusiasts have found ways to get their hands on these appealing models, resorting to purchasing them through Japanese parallel import car specialty stores.

The Fortuner has been primarily deployed in regions such as Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, Africa, and Oceania since its inception in 2004 as part of the Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) project. The first-generation Fortuner, born in 2005, shares its platform with the seventh-generation Hilux, while the second-generation, introduced in 2015, also shares its platform with the current Hilux produced in Thailand.

One of the Fortuner’s distinguishing features is its practicality, designed to accommodate the needs of regions where multi-passenger transport is standard. With three rows of seats, it offers ample space for passengers and cargo alike. The robust ladder frame, suitable for less developed road infrastructures in countries like Thailand and Australia, supports the vehicle’s sturdiness, along with its front double wishbone and rear leaf rigid suspension, setting it apart from the contemporary SUVs in the Japanese lineup.

The Fortuner’s exterior boasts Toyota’s classic “Keen look,” but the side body lines exude a sense of high space utility, offering a distinctive appearance not commonly seen in the Japanese model lineup. Measuring approximately 4795mm in length, 1855mm in width, and 1835mm in height (Thai specification), with a wheelbase of 2750mm, the Fortuner strikes a balance between size and maneuverability.

Under the hood, the Fortuner houses either a 2.4-liter in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine producing around 150 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, or a 2.8-liter in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine churning out approximately 200 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. The powertrain options include a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission for the 2.4-liter model, while the 2.8-liter model is available solely with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Some regions also offer the sporty “GR Sports” variant, featuring design enhancements like a black grille with the GR emblem, 20-inch aluminum wheels, and sporty interior touches such as exclusive seats with red stitching and GR emblems.

Enthusiasts who caught a glimpse of the Fortuner at the Gunma Parts Show 2023 were thoroughly impressed, expressing their desire for it to be officially available in Japan. Comparisons were drawn to the Land Cruiser Prado, but the Fortuner’s unique features and affordable size and price have sparked interest among potential Japanese buyers. Many believe that the Fortuner could be considered the long-awaited successor to the Hilux Surf, which was last sold in Japan in 2009. If the Fortuner were to come equipped with features like downhill assist control and an easy-to-use 4×4 switch as standard, it is likely to garner even more attention and interest.

As the exhibition was stated to be for “Japanese market research purposes,” it seems that Toyota is testing the waters to gauge the potential demand for the Fortuner in Japan. If introduced, this ladder frame SUV with its practicality and appeal is expected to resonate with Japanese consumers, and its pricing strategy will be critical in determining its success in the market. As anticipation grows, Japanese car enthusiasts are hopeful that the Fortuner will soon become a permanent fixture on Japanese roads, providing a breath of fresh air to the SUV segment and meeting the needs of adventure-seeking drivers.