TOKYO — Toyota's third-generation Estima is now on sale in its home market. Known as the Previa or Tarago outside Japan, this luxurious minivan is out to change the image of Toyotas in this category.

Visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show were electrified by the prototype of the new Previa. You might have called previous generations dull, but not this one — and it's nice to see that its edgy design was kept intact on the final version. Luxury minivans are hugely popular in Japan, and Toyota hopes to lure even more customers with this first redesign in six years.

The Estima/Previa accommodates up to eight people in its three rows of seats, and it has highly foldable rear seats in line with the latest minivan practice. Other interesting features include an intelligent parking assist system, steering assistance to keep the vehicle automatically in a lane, and an advanced stereo system that uses the roof panel as a diaphragm.

In addition to the (improved) 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine, there's a new 3.5-liter V6 combined with sequential transmission. A hybrid engine will be available later this year, Toyota says.

The Previa will be exported to Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania starting this spring and to other markets soon thereafter.

What this means to you: Any changes to the Toyota of minivans are worth watching.





Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=108965#4

Toyota ups the ante on the minivan segment.

 

didnt the sienna replace the previa in our local soils?

 

Yes that's true, but it may hint at things to come for us.

 

Previa also has self parking, as well as front, back and side parking and intersection monitors (front is featured on Corolla Verso in Europe). Maybe something for the LS?

 

I still remember this thread, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ghlight=estima

There were a couple of old references online to a Lexus Estima.

 

That looks like the concept Lexus van thing they made back in the 90s.

Weird.

 

I still wish there was some way to get the Estima at the local Toyota dealership. I know it's not economically wise to flood the U.S. market with minivans (cuz the raised station wagon is sooo much cooler ), but I'm comfortable enough in my masculinitiy to buy one. Sure the Sienna is still a very nice vehicle, but the Estima is just such undeniable JDM hotness!

 

Does anyone think Lexus should make a "luxury minivan"? I'm not a big fan of SUVs, but when I rented the new Previa last year, I liked how accommodating it was. I think there isn't that big of a market, but I'd get a luxury minivan before I get a luxury SUV...

 

Now that I have read through my Harrier Hyper Rev Magazine and seen some of the Harrier Club pictures from Japan, I noticed a lot of people take off the Toyota emblems and add the Lexus emblems in their place.

 

Sweet! I wish they'd bring that back in lieu of the Sienna. Until then, I'll just roll in my '95.

 

I hope they do bring back the previa.
The 4 cylinder is amazingly strong
We have one in our family stable and that thing gets beaten to death and still drives smooth

Wasn't the previa the first minivan to have 2 sunroofs?

Here's a previa with LS400 grill+headlights---lexus hybrid

 

The back looks good on the new estima but the front is too extreme.