For every car enthusiast, the birth of the first child spells doom. It severely limits the choices for a new car, and with every new addition, the circle keeps on getting smaller. If you’re just two, you can opt for a Mercedes SLR McLaren. Three? A Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. Now, how about if you’re 7 or 8? Unless Aston Martin comes out with a 7-seater SUV, you’re stuck with a people carrier. Called minivans or MPVs, for most people it means upright styling, terrible road manners and poor performance. Well, not anymore. These days, people are getting pickier, and everyone’s expecting their cars (or MPVs) to do a lot of things. And the Toyota Previa’s leading the charge.
Locally, Toyota’s in a pretty interesting predicament. With 12 vehicles in its line, is there still any space for the Previa to squeeze in? All doubts are laid to rest when you stumble upon this car. It seems that Toyota has discovered something in this luxury people carrier market.
From the outside, the Previa generally carries the look of the previous model down to the proportions. But that’s where the similarity ends. A careful scrutiny reveals a much more modern, more welcoming and cohesively designed car. The kinked headlamps for example, are nicely echoed in the rear LED lamps. The rising belt line gives a dynamic profile too. Designers tried hiding the Previa’s girth by adding more lines and slapping in 17-inch alloys as standard, but there’s no denying that this is one big car. And that’s not a bad thing; remember, you’re buying a MPV for its spacious interior—looks are just a bonus.
Inside, the Previa dons a much more conventional suit with its beige/tan interior. Toyota kept things futuristic with its sci-fi cues such as the center-mounted instrumentation (now with much better legibility and lightning), center-mounted shifter and a rather confusing climate control system. Overall, the execution’s hard to fault: everything’s precise, tactile and pretty much indestructible. There’s an expansive highlight of light wood, but don’t get too concerned as it’s nicely done and matches well with the cabin.
This car can easily accommodate 7 adults comfortably, with two in the middle row captain’s chairs and three in the third row. All seats are finished in high-quality soft leather—something not out of place in a Lexus. All rows offer excellent comfort and support, even for the longest journeys. The captain’s chairs are not just adjustable fore and aft, but are individually movable in every direction including side-to-side. There’s even a built-in foot rest, for those keen on reliving a First Class jet cabin experience. Unfortunately, all this movement needs rails and the Previa’s got a whole bunch of them. It looks ungainly and out of place in such an expensive car.
Flexibility isn’t a Previa strong suit, as there’s no trick seat folding system here. The Previa can only fold and tumble its 50/50 third row for a not-so-flat loading bay (the second row cannot fold into the floor). A week’s worth of groceries is still a cinch, but you’ll have to think twice before buying a new corner table from Ortigas Home Depot in this car.
Driving the Previa is a very different experience thanks to the new keyless ignition system. Also found on the Camry, it doesn’t require slotting a key into the ignition. Simply put the smart key into your pocket, push the starter button and off you go. It’s hard not to love this cool feature. In addition, the Previa also has other geek gadgetry up its sleeve from a telescopic steering wheel with audio controls, tri-zone climate control with pollen filter, power driver’s seat, power sliding doors with retractable windows and a power tailgate.
On the road, the Previa behaves much like a typical people carrier, albeit ten times better. Despite running on 45-series rubber, the suspension system has a firm but comfortable ride. Noise insulation is quite good, cuddling its occupants to sleep. Overall, it feels solid and plated, but the steering effort’s still on the lifeless side. That said, the car’s behavior is predictable, obediently turning into corners with little fuss. Likewise, the brakes offer Rexona-like confidence thanks to four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist.
A touch of wind noise above 80 km/h is the only sound you’ll hear from the otherwise refined mechanicals. The 2.4-liter inline-4 is bordering on eerily silent even at full throttle. This is a good thing since the 170 horsepower engine needs a bit of revs to push the Previa’s 1,845 kilogram weight. The transmission still has 4 forward gears, but it provides smooth and almost imperceptible shifts. A manual override is new, and is surprisingly responsive.
The Previa is quite manageable in traffic thanks to its ultra-large windows and excellent overall visibility. The all-around proximity sensors are very handy too, aiding in tight parking maneuvers. It can also help alleviate boredom as you watch pedestrians and vendors pass by the car (though you can shut it off from the control panel).
But it’s a feature you’re most likely to keep on since there’s little to do inside the Previa. Family entertainment is severely lacking in here. Whereas some of its rivals are offering DVD entertainment systems and even A/V inputs, there’s not even one LCD screen inside; just the standard Toyota stereo/CD/MP3. Parents or kids above 10 will surely not miss watching Spongebob Squarepants, but tots need a bit of maturing to fully appreciate the Toyota’s good road manners and hush-hush cabin.
When it comes to carrying people, the Toyota Previa is an excellent all-rounder. Though it’s not the perfect MPV, it does come quite close. Though it’s a bit of a one-trick pony, offering expansive space without cargo flexibility, it does add a rewarding experience for both those who drive and those who are being driven. Mixing the traditional with the avant-garde is by all means no easy feat, but this car does it quite well.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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