Toyota Carina E - such cars are no longer produced
There are cars that can forgive some negligence in operation and maintenance of their owners. It is influenced by the quality of their manufacture, i.e. the quality of the materials used, the accuracy of assembly, the appropriate qualifications of the personnel responsible for the production process, or the standards governing production. The Toyota Carina E is definitely one of those cars, with above average durability and workmanship. Purchasing a well-maintained example from a trusted source should protect the new owner from unexpected expenses.
The products of the Japanese manufacturer have enjoyed an excellent reputation for many years. Almost all models are considered durable, reliable and trouble-free in operation. However, Toyota Carina E, compared to other developments of the Japanese concern, is distinguished by ... legendary durability and reliability.
The presented generation debuted in 1992. He replaced the generation produced since 1987 in the offer of the Japanese manufacturer. In 1993, Lean Burn engines appeared in the offer - for a lean mixture (discussed below). In 1996, the model underwent a subtle facelift. At the same time, the suspension design was finalized, the shape of the radiator grille was changed, and additional structural reinforcements were applied.
The new model faced a difficult task, it had to compete in the European market with such attractive models as the VW Passat or Opel Vectra. At the same time, the mentioned cars of European manufacturers were not burdened with an irrationally high duty, which made the attractiveness of an interesting car from the Land of the Rising Sun strongly suppressed by the exorbitant price. Therefore, the Japanese manufacturer decided to move production to Europe.
In 1993, Toyota's British plant was opened in Burnaston and Deeside. The first Carina, marked with the E for Europe, rolled off the assembly line in the second half of the year. The transfer of production to Europe turned out to be a bull's-eye. The price became so attractive that the car became very popular and could easily compete with European models. Especially in the UK market, where there are many resale offers of Carina E.
Quality concerns associated with moving car production from Japan to Europe proved to be unfounded. The positions of Carina E in the reliability ratings confirm that the Japanese manufacturer has managed to implement and implement Japanese quality standards in the car manufacturing process and in the European country.
Initially, the Carina E was offered in two body styles, as an executive four-door limousine and a practical five-door liftback. In early 1993, a station wagon version was added to the offered versions, called Sportswagon by the Japanese manufacturer. All three varieties were characterized by "numerous bends", thanks to which it was possible to achieve a very low air resistance coefficient Cx = 0,30. At the time, this was an enviable result. However, these roundings meant that the car did not stand out stylistically from its competitors. Many considered the silhouette ... colorless and dull.
Nowadays, the Carina E's body line looks as modern as the washer button on the Fiat 126P. Thanks to the numerous curves, the car is stylistically different from today's design trends. The line with which the car is drawn comes from the early 90s and, unfortunately, there is no way to hide it. However, there are those who argue that the colorless design of the car is more of an advantage than a disadvantage, because the car ages slowly. I think there is something in this.
You can feel comfortable while driving a car. The chairs are comfortable, although poorly profiled. When cornering dynamically, they do not guarantee proper lateral support. The range of seat adjustment is sufficient. Additionally, the driver's seat is adjustable in the lumbar region. Thanks to this, even a long journey is not so tiring.
The steering wheel is adjustable only in the vertical plane. However, a sufficiently large range of seat adjustment allows you to choose the right position behind the wheel. The cabin of the car is outdated and represents a typical Japanese design school. That is …. lack of design. The dashboard is painfully simple and readable. It would not hurt a little more imagination and panache, characteristic of French cars. All indicators and buttons are where they should be. Driving is intuitive and hassle-free. The gear lever is short and fits well in the hand. The gears, although they work smoothly, have too long a stroke. This is especially noticeable during dynamic acceleration, when shifting individual gears takes too long.
In the luggage compartment category, the Carina E will satisfy even the most demanding dissatisfied. The trunk, depending on the type, holds from 470 liters (liftback) to 545 liters (sedan). It's true that the wheel arches are penetrating and the boot isn't a perfect cuboid, but with that much room, it can be put to good use. Its spaciousness guarantees a carefree and carefree vacation package for a family of four or even five. It is possible to fold the asymmetrically divided sofa and increase the cargo space to more than 1 dm200. The resulting smooth floor is an advantage that makes packing even long and heavy items no problem. The downside is the high loading threshold, which means that when packing heavy items, they need to be lifted to a considerable height.
The car is relatively neutral. Yes, in fast corners it shows a slight tendency to roll out the front of the corner, but this is common with all front-wheel drive cars. In addition, it can behave unpredictably (throw back) with a sharp separation of gas on a rapidly passed arc. However, this only happens when a corner is taken too quickly.
Almost all cars are equipped with ABS. The braking distance from 100 km / h is about 44 m, which by today's standards is not the best result.
As for powertrains, the Japanese manufacturer has provided several options, including diesel units. The base engine fitted to the Carina E has a working volume of 1.6 dm3 and several power options (depending on the date of production and the technology used): from 99 to 115 hp.
A large group of models presented on the secondary market is equipped with 2.0 dm3 engines. Also in the case of these engines, there are differences in the power output, which ranges from 126 to 175 hp. However, the most popular is the 133 horse variety.
A compromise between units 1.6 and 2.0 is a 1.8 dm3 engine, released in 1995.
Carina E with this engine has a power of 107 hp. and maximum torque of 150 Nm. The engine is made according to the 16-valve technique. The described unit is an interesting alternative for people looking for a dynamic, agile and at the same time economical car. Unlike the 2.0 unit, it burns significantly less fuel, which is becoming more and more expensive. However, compared to the 1.6 unit, it has better maneuverability and comparable fuel consumption.
Unit 1.8 has a favorable torque curve. The maximum value is reached at the level of 2,8 thousand. rpm, which is an excellent value considering
16-valve engine technology. Thanks to this, the car accelerates efficiently from 2,5 thousand rpm
The 1.8 unit accelerates from 100 to 11 km/h in just over 190 seconds and has a top speed of XNUMX km/h.
In the unit, marked with the symbol 7A-FE, the Japanese manufacturer applied an innovative solution called Lean Burn. An elementary advantage of the implementation of this technology is the use of a lean fuel-air mixture in the engine. Under normal conditions, the ratio of the dose of air to the dose of fuel in the cylinders is 14,7:1. However, in Lean Burn technology, the proportion of air in the mixture is greater than in a traditional engine (22:1 ratio). This results in significant savings on the dispenser.
To take full advantage of the technology used by Toyota, look out for the economizer LED located among the indicators on the dashboard. It lights up green when the engine is running lean. However, with full use of the engine's capabilities, the control computer switches the unit to normal operation. Then the dynamics of the car is significantly
increases - along with fuel consumption.
However, even with dynamic driving, the average fuel consumption is about 7,5 liters for every 100 kilometers traveled. Given the power, dimensions and weight of the car, this is an acceptable value. What's more, competitors in the class burn much more, like the Honda Accord or the Ford Mondeo.
The problem of engines made using Lean Burn technology is the durability of the lambda probe. A lean fuel/air mixture means that this component needs to be replaced more frequently. And the price is not the lowest. Moreover, it is difficult to find a good and suitable replacement, which forces the Carina E owner to buy an original part for a price exceeding 1 PLN. With the cost of the car at the level of 500 thousand PLN, the price is definitely too high.
However, this is the biggest and only drawback of the engine. The rest of the device deserves praise. It provides good dynamics, is economical, and does not cause problems in operation. Basically, engine maintenance comes down to replacing fluids, filters, and timing belts (every 90 km). A properly treated engine covers the distance without problems
400 - 500 thousand km.
In instances with a mileage of more than 200 thousand km, check the condition of the oil.
In the case of Carina E, it is difficult to talk about the most common malfunctions. The quality of the individual elements of the car is at the highest level and, in principle, the operating conditions have a decisive influence on the durability of individual elements.
The most common (which does not mean often!) Recorded malfunctions include the aforementioned lambda probe in Lean Burn engines, sometimes the ABS sensor fails, locks and power windows fail, headlight bulbs burn out. There are problems with the cooling system (leaks), play in the steering mechanism and wear on the brake hoses. Stabilizer links are suspension elements that also need to be replaced quite often. However, this element is significantly influenced by the quality of Polish roads.
The best indicator of a car's quality is its users. The Carina generation, marked with the E symbol from 1992 to 1998, is very well regarded. This is evidenced not only by reliability statistics, but also by the prices for used cars in the secondary market. People who have Karina rarely want to get rid of her. This is a car that does not cause operational problems, which makes it possible to forget about the opening hours of local workshops.
It is valued by users primarily for its reliability and spaciousness. The spacious trunk makes it easy to pack for your trip. Economical 1.6 and 1.8 engines allow you to enjoy relatively cheap operation and provide good performance. Option 2.0 guarantees very good performance, but is no longer as economical.
Phot. www.autotypes.com
