Several weeks ago we were treated to a great post by Brendan on the Gen 1 Toyota Previa (JDM Estima) Van – today we’ll take a look at the second generation model built from 2000-05 – the one North America didn’t get…
1997 Toyota Sienna
Brendan highlighted the many reasons the first generation Previa failed to sell in significant numbers during its tenure in the US; high price, lack of a V6 engine, and its somewhat quirky looks. Toyota executives, probably most vocally the ones in the US, wanted a more conventional minivan. They certainly got that in 1997 with the Sienna – styling that could at best be described as nondescript, at worst as drab; an option of an 3.0 liter V6; and a lower price as the Sienna would be assembled in Princeton Indiana instead of Aichi Japan. It was a hit.
But the Gen 1 Estima/Previa sold in respectful numbers in its home market and in those other than the US, so Toyota decided to stay somewhat with the previous gameplan for the second generation in 2000. The oval-like exterior styling gave way to one a little more upright – yet still distinctly Previa-like, with a dominant character line going from the front quarter panel, along the side, then arching over the back wheel well.
The chassis under that bodywork however was much more conventional – no more unique and costly mid-engined, lay-down motor with rear wheel drive. Similar to the Sienna, the chassis/engine was now front drive, transverse mounted and based on the Camry (JDM version).
1MZ-FE 3.0 Liter V6
2AZ-FE 2.4 Liter 4 Cylinder
The FWD chassis allowed a V6 engine option the previous one couldn’t, that V6 being the smooth MZ series 3.0 liter spinning out 200 hp. Base models had the 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE four cylinder with 156 hp – a 2.0-liter 1CD-FTV diesel with 116 hp was also an option in some markets.
Inside, things stayed oval. I have to admit while a big Estima fan, I’m not taken with this dash. Similar to the third gen Taurus, in my view it took the oval theme a little too far. Seating was standard seven or eight, based on whether you wanted a three row second bench or captain’s chairs. Toyota was still working on its magic stow-away back seats, so the rears folded up flush against the second row for max storage. Not the best solution but workable.
In 2001, a gas-electric hybrid was released, with two electric motors – a 17 hp in the front and a 35 hp in the rear. This was a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, where the 2.4 liter four generated electricity to batteries that powered the wheels for short trips. The gas engine would kick in after that. Toyota marketing claimed this was the first AWD hybrid van.
The second gen Estima sold well – I still see quite a few here on the streets of Tokyo. My sense from talking to folks who’ve owned them, is that they are typical Toyota – good for 150 to 200K miles without any trouble. Though they’re easier to live with, they aren’t quite as unbreakable as the first gen, which Toyota overbuilt and could go as long as the doors shut and the wheels kept turning.
2006 Gen 3 Estima
2018 Gen 3+ Estima
Toyota hit a major home run with the third gen Estima – it was introduced in 2006 and with a slight facelift in 2016, is still being produced – we’ll take a look at it in a future post.
More Previa/Estima Posts:
Toyota Estima – Not Quite a Previa
Taxis of Eugene – The Last Previa?
Taxis of Eugene – Toyota Previa
I’ll give it one thing: IMhO each gen’s skin has gotten WORSE!! 🙁 However, I did rather like the originals’ looks…:) My in-laws had one, and liked it. Visually the 1st gen had the most concinnity; latest looks as bad as a current US market Prius. DFO
Mr Brophy, your buses have shrunk some.
These came to Australia, as fours and later sixes, all very expensive because, well, Toyota could and people did. Even now with very large miles onboard, they still get undeserving prices.
They bug me as a lazy effort after the first gen, which was disliked most for it’s appearance, (which I personally liked), though respected for the unique and bomb-proof engineering (which I love). But this one is no mid-engined 8-seater. It’s just bits of Camry in drag.
The problem with my view and what I say, is that this gen works just as well as the first for most, and in having a six, works a lot better for many.
Kudos to Toyota for trying the first time. And proof of their unrelenting cleverness that, in response to world sales, they started anew the second.
Yes, I guess you could call this a smaller bus 🙂
I agree with you – I’m also a big fan of the Gen 1 model for its over-engineered construction and looks. We’ve had two and they were just great vans. And I can understand the loyalty these generate from owners – there’s something about a vehicle that exceeds your expectations in terms of reliability and durability – it just goes and goes without complaint – that engenders a sense if devotion. Jim.
I seem to see more JDM Estimas in Jucy camper van livery around than I do our Taragos, but that might just be where I live.
Our family owned a Gen1 Torago which was a rare 5 speed manual. I had it for a while when I first started a proper job before I bought my car.
We had it for 10+ years and added 300,000km to the existing 90,000km that was on it when we bought it.
We certainly though it was luxury when we were kids, dual zone AC was a huge step up from our old Ford XF wagon!
The Sienna (first gen) is looking more attractive to me now that they have aged for some reason. It’s a clean, elegant shape without much extra mass or gingerbread, as opposed to the current generation.
Where Toyota diverged the design from the Previa and into the Estima vs Sienna is very evident in the width. The Estimas (and other Japanese vans) seem MUCH narrower than the modern US minivans. This was clearly evidenced when Nissan brought the ElGrand over here as the most recent Quest, they widened it significantly while reusing many other aspects of it.
That 2006 model Estima is very attractive, excellent minimalist exterior style to my eye. Thanks for this great overview!
The big takeaway here should be understood that the Previa was intended to be sold in the USA, the old TownAce wasn’t. JDM Toyota waited two years to bring the Lucidia and Estima into production for Japan after the Previa because Toyota knew JDM regulations would push ownership price into the “can’t afford” realm, and they still to this day are easily spotted.
Because of laws that tax vehicles in some countries are based on their physical dimensions (or at least the laws take size into consideration) you wind up with things like the slightly narrow looking Estima.
As this write-up points out, the 1st generation of the Sienna was pretty bland, I have never really cared for it or cared enough to hate it. Pretty much the only thing that I felt it had going for it was the fact that it was much more reliable than the concurrent Honda Odyssey. I remember 10 years ago sitting in an independent Honda repair shop an hearing customers moan about being on their 3 Odyssey transmission in under 120,000 miles.
I do, however, like the Estima’s styling and find it a shame that it could not have been used for the U. S. market. Don’t care for the mid-mounted instrument cluster, though.
I like these. More so than any of the minivans on the US market now.
I have seen a few of the second Gen showing up here as JDM imports on Vancouver Island lately. They do seem narrow. I didn’t realize they went to a FWD layout. Prices seem around $10 000 for a low miles example. The Mitsubishi Delica seems to be more popular probably due to having 4 wheel drive. With the right hand drive and cheap prices on used Siennas and other mini vans originally sold here I don’t think they will be on my shopping list when my previa eventually needs replacement.
It is interesting to see how minivans developed in the US v. in Japan. The Honda Odyssey followed a similar divergence. Although they shared the same name the vehicles were totally different. The Estima is new to me. I like it.
Used import van of choice for large families here for many years though in recent times Nissans luxury El Grand in either diesel or V6 gas has usurped that position,
The gen 2 Toyota Previa/Estima people mover managed to shrug of the Steamer nick name the first gen model aquired, the almost bulletproof Camry power train was a great move after the let downs clever engineering on the first model proved not durable enough,
From memory, we didn’t get these with the V6 in Australia but finally got a V6 with the third gen.
The minivan market here has always paled in comparison to the same market in, say, Japan, the US, Canada, or Western Europe. Mini-MPVs like the Renault Scenic and Mazda Premacy have sputtered out quickly and disappeared, while the larger minivan segment has been dominated for years by Toyota, Honda and Kia.
Funnily enough, I’m not even sure what people call these things here. I feel like “minivan” is commonly understood, even if it isn’t used for marketing purposes like “SUV” is for crossovers and 4WDs. That’s the American cultural influence at play. I think VFACTS officially calls them People Movers but nobody really says that, and MPV was the marketing-speak that didn’t really catch on.
With the Tarago (1G Previa), Toyota dominated this small segment for years and could charge outrageous prices (not helped by the currency exchange at the time) for something that was pretty underpowered if otherwise an exemplary vehicle. But then Honda made the Odyssey bigger and gave it a V6 with the second-gen, then sleek and sporty styling (I’m not kidding) for the following generation. That ate into Toyota’s market share, as did Kia arriving with the Carnival (Sedona) that massively undercut the Tarago on price.
Toyota belatedly added a V6 but they really sat on their hands with this segment and I think the Kia is the best-selling minivan, and deservedly so.
The facelifted 3G Estima looks like it’s trying to visually call back to the 1G Previa! It has that puffy look.
I like how far it is from the 90’s vibe of happy faces in cars. Unfortunately we also had only the first gen in Brazil, pretty expensive though. The second gen Estima has the well balanced style that the 2nd Lumina APV should ever have.