1996 Toyota Tercel consumer reviews

Best car ever, mine is at 324000 kilometers and is still going strong! Just keep up with maintenance and everything is going to be alright :)

I purchased my Tercel in 1997 with 27K mileage. I have it now for 27 years and my mileage is only 165K. Other than the usual up keep maintenance, I haven't had any problems. I would highly recommend this car!!

This car has met all my needs and it's still going strong, love it...like all cars maintenance is the key..If you treat your car good it will treat you good.

Is a good gas saver could be a better car if it didn't have so many problems and it could be a little bigger than what it d Is

My mom gave me this car w/ 276,000 miles on it and it is still going strong. Of course, she drove it very gingerly and always kept up with the maintenance. The number one reason I love this car: it is simply very fun to drive! This car is a tiny featherweight compared to today's bloated "econo" cars, so 93 hp is plenty and acceleration feels immediate and strong (it's a 4-speed manual), not to mention that you can peg the speedometer to 110 with little drama. It's crazy how quick this little junker is, actually. It also has non-power, mechanical rack-and-pinion steering, which gives it a go-kart feel (it'll work out your forearms too!). Add to that about 40 mpg on 87 octane and it just makes sense. It's not the coolest looking car on the road, but it's got an old-school vibe. I actually still see quite a few these cars (as well as mid-90s Honda Civics) on the road during my commute, so people out there are still lovin' these things. I hate their replacements for these (the Echo and Yaris) -- they are ugly and slow in comparison. Old-school Toyota rules!

I bought 1996 w/ 10 miles (new). It ran to 218,000 and still sounds strong (had to sell becuse was total loss in accident). NEVER had trouble with anything!!: but I always did oil change, fluids, timing belt and tires upkeep. Original everything (powertrain, interiior fine except carpet by pedals was worn), was a manual 2 door, and this was my FAVORITE VEHICLE IN 25 YEARS!!! Now I'm looking for another!!!

First of all, I've owned Japenese imports for over 15 years (long before the hype). I didn't realize what an over-priced (resale wise) piece of garbage my Tercel was until years later. I purchased this vehicle with 50,000 miles on it. At 65,000 I began to burn a small amount of oil...no biggy. By 90,000, I had a plume of blue/gray smoke whenever I started up the car. Needless to say, this "eco-saver" did not pass emissions and I spent about $700 at a Toyota dealership only to have them finally tell me I would need a new engine. I purchased this vehicle at an upscale Toyota dealership and had it inspected at another certified Toyota dealership prior to purchase. I spent a small fortune keeping up with regular maintenance, (oil changes, fluid flushings, timing belt, new tires, new alternator, etc. All to no avail!!! What a waste! These cars are probably even worse now...all these years later! Import reliability is a lot of hype! After owning many reliable American vehicles, you can get a newer, lower milage, more reliable American vehicle for the price! Save your money and keep on looking!

i like the toyota tercel its the best ever with 0%financing it is awesome the cloth seats the price everythings amazing this is a tercel