Toyota’s Tercel wagon is collecting fans year by year, so if you’ve ever had a yen to own a usable 80s icon, better put this one on your shopping list. It’s not even an expensive proposition – yet. This 1985 Tercel 4×4 wagon is listed here on eBay with the high bid at $3800, no reserve. It’s a deluxe, which means not deluxe – you get no tach, no clock, and only limited seat adjustability. The better trimmed SR5 dished out instrumentation upgrades including the rare Land Cruiser-sourced “inclinometer” in early cars, and fancier seats. Our subject car is also an automatic, putting it at the bottom of the Tercel wagon price pyramid. But on the bright side, these wagons all came with 4WD; they sip fuel; and they’re cool as heck.
Toyota stacked the drivetrain components in a pile, mounting the robust 63 hp 1.5 liter in-line four longitudinally, with the gearbox underneath it and slightly to the rear driving the front wheels. The 4WD system is incorporated into the transmission – pushing a button on the gear lever splits the power between the front and rear axles. Don’t drive with 4WD engaged on dry pavement – there’s no center differential. The engine bay isn’t perfect, but a couple of weekends’ worth of work – replacing fasteners, cleaning up that radiator and the plastic parts, waxing the paint – could put it into near-show-shape. Yours might be the only Toyota Tercel wagon on the grounds!
It’s pretty square in here, which is weirdly appealing. The proportions are just right without the wild dishevelment of, say, the Lotus Esprit dash. Even the gearshift knob has that 80s vibe. No fading, no cracks, seats front and rear are in great shape. This example shows only 84k miles on the odometer, verified by the AutoCheck report, so by Toyota standards, it’s barely broken in. The seller notes that it starts readily, runs and drives well, and that all features work: the air conditioning blows cold, the heat comes up quickly, and all the lights and gauges are functioning.
The mechanical stacking in the engine bay informed the whole car’s design. The Tercel has a tall hood, so the stylist went with the flow and gave it generously upright windows, a high waistline, and even vertical tail lights, softened by a steeply raked windshield and canted rear. Not so much in this photo, but perusing the rest of the photos in the listing, it looks to me like the driver’s side rear door is a shade lighter than the rest of the body. But that could be the light. Certainly the paint is nice enough and the trim is in terrific condition. Very nice six-speed Tercels have broken into five figures at auctions, though automatics are much less desirable. Still, for a kitschy wagon in such nice condition, I think the current bid is a bargain.
Always liked these. It was the most logical Asian car, in that, at the time, US 4x4s were usually truck knockoffs, this was a usable car for all seasons, and dependable as a washing machine. They rarely needed fuel. It wasn’t a vehicle to go rock climbing, just an assist to get you home when things got slick. The most apparent downside, was rust. Ironically, the only place you’ll find them is where there is no snow. There’s a person here in “dry” Colorado that has one. Not one panel is without rust, but still chugging along. In northern states, they broke in half.
I see the “automatic” thing is purely subjective. The author claims the automatic is a deterrent, I say a major plus today. Since from Cal. I bet they never even used the 4×4, and many a mile awaits the new owner, just don’t take it in the salt, not even once! Great find, priced right for once and only 13 bids tells me interest is limited.
Howard the Toyota autoboxes are sturdy units. As they say..you never need 4wd, until you need it.
Like some long uphill on a snowy, slippery night. Click the button, and w decent tires, you’re making it home to lite the fireplace 🪵 🔥
I once tried to make a cash withdrawal from the rear hatch on one of these after drinking too much…
That is hilarious John. It is a really really square automobile, so eighties. That longitudinal engine makes me wonder why more automakers didn’t follow. it’s got to be better for weight distribution.
Good gas mileage but these engines were gutless.
I also like these, although I see them more as transportation appliances, than vehicles. It’s probably utterly dependable, for any season, and gets decent fuel economy. I wonder if the current Toyota Corolla Cross will prove to be the same?
Great dependable transportation but welcome to the 0 to 60 in 60 seconds generation. And yes rust was a major issue on these as it was on all vehicles coming from Japan during those years. Bet you couldn’t find one of these on the road here in the north east.
I had an SR5, the inclinometer was the coolest. Dependable and comfortable, would haul anything I needed it to. It had a hole behind each front wheel that let water in if you drove through a big puddle, due to rust. As rusty as it was all over, the seatbelt held firm when I crashed it and I walked away without a scratch. The car was junk, but I always wear my seatbelt after that.
A completely forgettable car. Someone mentioned “appliance transportation”, best description I’ve seen. I thought these were re-cycled into LS motors and clown wheels long ago. As they say, there’s a butt for every seat, so good luck with it.
CT Dave
I have an identical 1986 with verified milage just over 16,000. Showroom perfect but alas, it has to be stored in the winter up here in the northeast. It spent its life in Georgia. I love it but I wouldn’t dream of passing another car on a 2 lane road unless there was nothing in sire for a mile.
My wife had one of these in the early 90s. We once drove it for about 100 miles through a blizzard with foot-deep wet snow and it never missed a beat! Great car!
My sister had one in Boston, a great city car, 4 wd when needed, rusted badly, gave it to gardner who shipped it to Guatamala where they were prized, mud, not snow, no inspections.
Always thought these cars looked like they had an ATM on the back tailgate…
I bought an SR5 new in 1984 and it was a great car, especially in the snow. although the lack of anti-lock brakes in those days meant that you were just like everyone else the moment you stepped on the brakes. The only complaint I had with the car (other than the rust) was the defroster. The system wasn’t up to the amount of glass in the car and we would get ice on the inside windows when the family of four were all in the car on a winter day.
nother one for the masses (and masses, and…) of midlevel driver. They were ubiquitous round here (not far from David CT). Dependable, durable, inexpensive (run, own, maintain) and the kick? the utility of wagon, traction assist. No wonder they were all around !
Typical merican private transportation: ‘set it’n forget it” (appliance). Unbelievable price for my location. I’d pay-in nother 3rd if local, be on it today/tomorrow…
Michelle, I like that you find the shape weirdly appealing. What I like more than the purposeful shape is the almost complete lack of features. Air and radio for comfort and entertainment is plenty. The automatic has preserved its existence for us to admire today.
Great comment Nelson C! 👍🏻🙂
There was a 2wd Tercel wagon, in Deluxe trim only, from 1984-87 and as far as I’ve can tell for the USA/Canada market only since Toyota’s American branch didn’t want to continue selling the RWD prior generation Corolla wagon which was what Japan’s Plan A was.
And “Deluxe” was a step up. There was a “Standard” Tercel, in 3-door hatchback form only, which included all-vinyl seats, a 4-speed manual transmission (Deluxe manuals were 5-speed), rubber-mat floor, no radio and no rear wipe or defrost. A “Prices Starting At $_ _ _ _” special.
Sold on 12/06/2024 for a high bid of $4,050.
Steve R