Toyota Corona
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Toyota Corona | |
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| Also called: | Toyota Corona Premio Toyota Carina II Toyota Carina E |
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| Manufacturer: | Toyota |
| Production: | 1957—2000 |
| Successor: | Toyota Allion Toyota Avensis (Europe) |
| Class: | Europe: Large family car United States: 1957—1983: Compact 1983—2000: Mid-size car |
| Body style: | 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 5-door liftback 2-door coupé |
| Related: | Toyota Caldina |
| Similar: | Mazda 626 Datsun 510 Honda Accord Mitsubishi Galant Nissan Primera Ford Mondeo |
The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2000. While in the United States it was classified until 1983 as a compact car and later on as a mid-size car, in Europe it was always regarded as a large family car.
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[edit] Early Days (1957-1969)
In its heyday, the Corona (Latin for crown) was Toyota's principal export entrant. The first to be exported in any quantity was the third-generation model, launched in 1964, characterized by a front end reminiscent of a razor. With each incarnation, the Corona — and an associated, plusher model called the Corona Mark II (later spun off on to a separate platform) grew larger.
[edit] T80 Sedan & Wagon, T90 Hardtop Coupe (1970-1974)
Engine choices were 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, and 2.0 liter gasoline.
In the United States, the 1970s were probably the Corona's high point, helped by the fuel crises of 1973 and 1979.
[edit] T100 - T120 Series (1974-1978)
The Corona T100-Series were built as 2 and 4 door Sedan, 2 door Hardtop Coupe, Wagon, and Van. Engine choice was either 1.6 or 2.0 liter. The high performance 2000 GT Sedan and Hardtop Coupe with 18R-G Twincam engine were only offered in Japan. The facelift models have revised hood, grille, and tail lights. The North American models were powered by 2.2 liter engine, and have longer bumpers than other region models. The Wagon featured wood panel body claddings.
[edit] T130 (1978-1982)
Introduced in Japan in 1978, the T130-Series Corona featured boxy design with elegant lines. Sedan, Wagon, Hardtop Coupe, and new Liftback were manufactured with 1.6 or 2.0 liter engine. Minor change and the 1.8 liter 3T engine were given in 1981. The North American Corona shared 2.2 liter 20R engine with the Celica. The T130 is the last Corona in the USA where Sedan and Liftback were offered in Base and LE models. The compact Corona was not renewed for the 1983 model year, replaced by the mid-size Camry. The Corolla (then a subcompact) soldiered as the company's "compact" model until crossing over to the compact class in 1993. Toyota Australia manufactured sedans and wagons using 1.9L Holden Starfire engines, badged in Toyota engine terminology 1X.
[edit] T140 (1981-1989) & T150 (1983-1987)
The longest-running model was the rear-wheel drive seventh-generation (T142) model, which began production in 1981 and was still manufactured locally by Toyota Australia in 1987, even though by that time a front-wheel drive version (originally called the Toyota Corona FF and marketed in some countries as the Toyota Carina) had already been released. The diesel version, CT141, was commonly used for taxi in Singapore.
The Corona was eventually dropped in Australia in favor of the larger Camry, but in New Zealand, Toyota continued to offer versions of the Corona, assembled locally at Toyota's plant in Thames, New Zealand. Later, Toyota New Zealand followed Australia's lead and dropped the Corona, instead marketing the Australian-built Camry as its offering in the midsize segment of the market and had unique sheetmetal. This was later succeeded by a four-door hardtop called the Corona EXIV.
Toyota's large family car lineup in Europe was quite confusing when looking over the past 25 years. The 1970 and 1981 Carina models were sold in most of Europe, but in 1984 they were replaced with the "Carina II" — which was really the 1983 model Corona as sold in Japan with alterations to the headlights, grille and trim — most notably it had a lot less chrome than the Corona.
[edit] T160 Coupe (1986-1989) & T170 (1987-1992)
It eventually faced competition from the smaller Toyota Carina as that model grew in size. Because of Japanese taxation laws, both models got to the maximum 1700 mm permitted for a lower tax bracket and in the 1980s and early 1990s, were the same size. A Corona coupé was spun off in the mid-1980s. It was based on the 4th Generation Celica notchback Coupe, but with fixed headlights instead of retractable.
The Corona T170 Series was launched in Japan in December 1987 which in 1988 became new Carina II in Europe.
[edit] T190 (1992-1998)
Introduced in March 1992 the new Corona made its European debut at Geneva Auto Show as Carina E, which replaced the Carina II. The Carina E was built at Toyota's factory in Burnaston, UK. The UK produced Carina E is notorious to have some parts of slightly lower quality than the one produced in Japan.
This generation of Corona was called Corona Absolute in Indonesia, or Corona Exsior in the Philippines, Thailand and Taiwan. Generally the Carina E was offered in XL and GL trim levels, but in UK they were marketed as S, GS, CD, and CDX. The high performance GT-i with 3S-GE engine was offered in small numbers in certain European countries.
The T190 is the last Corona for most export market, trim levels are XL, GX, and GLi with 1.6, 1.8, or 2.0 liter engine.
The five-door model was called the Corona SF in Japan, while the station wagon had become a separate line there, from 1993, called the Toyota Caldina.
Production in Japan ended in 1995, but in Europe and South East Asia lasted until 1997.
[edit] T210 Premio (1996-2001)
A final eleventh generation was built between 1996 and 2001 for the Japanese home market, with one particular model called the Toyota Corona Premio that was spun off into an independent model called the Premio, and a related model called the Allion after 2001. The Corona Premio was offered as Base Premio, Premio E, and Premio G. Engines choices are 1.6 liter 4A-FE, 1.8 liter lean burn 7A-FE, and 2.0 liter 3S-FE. This is the last model using Corona name in Japan.
[edit] T220 Avensis (1998-2002)
The T220 was built as Sedan, Liftback, and Wagon. Only the Wagon was sold in Japan as Caldina. The Sedan and Liftback were mainly sold in Europe as Avensis, and the lower grade model for taxi called Corona. Engine for Avensis is 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 gasoline, and diesel. The Corona Taxi has turbo diesel. In South America, the Avensis is renamed Corona and powered by 2.0 liter 3S-FE engine.
