Toyota Caldina

The Toyota Caldina (Japanese: トヨタ・カルディナ, Toyota Karudina) is an automobile manufactured by Toyota for the Japanese market from 1992 to 2007. It replaced the Corona and Carina wagons, and was sold at Toyota Store and Toyopet Store locations in Japan. While the Caldina has never been officially exported by Toyota, its All-Trac 4WD capability and large capacity have made it a popular grey import in Australia, New Zealand, Russia and many South American countries. When it was discontinued in 2007, the T270 series Avensis wagon/estate assumed its market position.

According to Toyota, the name "Caldina" is inspired by the Italian (and English) adjective "cardinal", meaning "essential" or "fundamental".^[1]

First generation (T190; 1992)

First generation
Caldina 2.0 TZ (pre-facelift)
Overview
Model code	T190
Also called	Toyota Corona/Carina E (T190)
Production	November 1992 – August 1997 (wagon) November 1992 – July 2002 (van)
Body and chassis
Body style	5-door station wagon/van
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol: 1.5 L 5E-FE I4 (ET196V) 1.6 L 4A-FE I4 (AT190) 1.8 L 7A-FE I4 (AT191) 1.8 L 4S-FE I4 (ST190) 2.0 L 3S-FE I4 (ST191/195/198V) 2.0 L 3S-GE I4 (ST195) Diesel: 2.0 L 2C I4 (CT190/196V/198V) 2.0 L 2C-T turbo I4 (CT190) 2.2 L 3C-E I4 (CT197V/199V)
Transmission	5-speed manual 3-speed automatic (5E-FE) 4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,580 mm (101.6 in)
Length	4,545 mm (178.9 in)
Width	1,695 mm (66.7 in)
Height	1,450–1,555 mm (57.1–61.2 in)
Chronology
Successor	Toyota Succeed (van)

The first-generation Caldina is a 5-door wagon and commercial van version (1992–2002) of the Corona/Carina sedan in Japan. It became treated as a separate line, with a new emphasis on the passenger-oriented station wagon model as a response to the runaway success of the Subaru Legacy wagon in Japan. The wagon has independent strut rear suspension while the commercial wagon has semi-independent leaf springs. Van models' chassis numbers are in the 196-199 range and receive a "V" suffix, while the wagons are 190-195 and carry a "G" suffix. In January 1996, the Caldina underwent a very gentle facelift, including a new dashboard and a new grille. The new dashboard was the same design as installed in the simultaneously introduced Corona Premio (T210), enabling the fitment of a passenger airbag. At this time, the 1.8-litre engine was also changed over from the 4S to the lean-burn 7A engine. The 2-liter 3S-FE engine produces 140 PS (103 kW), 135 PS (99 kW) when coupled with four-wheel drive. The more powerful, wide-angle 3S-GE in the TZ-G was only available with 4WD and produces 175 PS (129 kW), ten horsepower less when fitted with the automatic transmission.

Special versions of the Caldina Wagon included the Aerial, which has a taller roof to accommodate a 60 cm (24 in) long sunroof, and the Field Hunter, which cashed in on Japan's so-called "RV boom" - versions of station wagons and small vans with offroad pretensions. The Field Hunter received an externally mounted spare wheel, which increased the overall length to the point that it was no longer classified as a "compact car", placing it in a much higher tax category. The popularity of light, passenger-based commercial vehicles was waning at this time in Japan and the Mark II van (X70) being discontinued without a direct successor in 1997, leaving only the Crown and Caldina Vans. While sales of the Caldina Wagon ended in September 1997, the Van continued to be sold until July 2002.

The Caldina Van received another light facelift in August 1999, which is also when the naturally aspirated diesel was upgraded to a 2.2-liter version (the turbo-diesel was only ever available in the Caldina Wagon).^[2] ABS brakes were made standard, while crash protection was improved. The 2-liter 3S-FE gasoline engine also became available in the Caldina Van, only in combination with the electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission (ECT) and four-wheel drive.^[3]

In Europe, the wagon was part of the Carina E family, while in New Zealand it was sold as the Corona. The vans were generally not exported. The 1.6-litre 4A engine (AT190) was only installed in export versions.

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  Caldina Van
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  Caldina Van
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  Caldina 2.0 TZ 4WD (ST195G; facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina 2.0 TZ 4WD (ST195G; facelift, Japan)
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  1994 Carina E wagon (AT190; pre-facelift, UK)
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  1994 Carina E wagon (AT190; pre-facelift, UK)

Second generation (T210; 1997)

Second generation
1997 Caldina 2.0 G (ST215G; pre-facelift)
Overview
Model code	T210
Also called	Toyota Avensis (T220)
Production	September 1997 – September 2002
Body and chassis
Body style	5-door station wagon
Related	Toyota Avensis Picnic/Ipsum/Picnic/SportsVan (XM10) Toyota Carina (T210) Toyota Celica (T200) Toyota Corona (T210)
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol: 1.8 L 7A-FE I4 (AT211) 2.0 L 3S-FE I4 (ST210/215) 2.0 L 3S-GE I4 (ST210/215) 2.0 L 3S-GTE I4-T (ST215) Diesel: 2.2 L 3C-TE I4-T (CT216)
Power output	85 kW (114 hp; 116 PS) (7A-FE) 99–103 kW (133–138 hp; 135–140 PS) (3S-FE) 140 kW (188 hp; 190 PS) (3S-GE) 191 kW (256 hp; 260 PS) (3S-GTE) 69 kW (93 hp; 94 PS) (3C-TE)
Transmission	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,580 mm (101.6 in)
Length	4,520 mm (178.0 in)
Width	1,695–1,720 mm (66.7–67.7 in)
Height	1,475–1,570 mm (58.1–61.8 in)
Kerb weight	1,280 kg (2,822 lb)

The second-generation Caldina is the Japanese version of the European Avensis wagon with door handles taken from the E110 series Corolla and the T210 series Corona Premio, launched in Japan in September 1997.

Engines include a 1.8 L 7A-FE petrol, the 2.0 L 3S-FE petrol and the 2.2 L 3C-TE turbo-diesel. The All-Trac four-wheel drive models are coded ST215, and were also offered as Active Sports GT models with the 3S-GE engine. The top-of-the-line GT-T came with the turbocharged 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) fourth-generation 3S-GTE engine, and included a viscous-coupling all-wheel drive system similar to the Celica GT-Four.^[4] The GT-T also came with optional VSC (standard on Active Sports versions). Other options available on the GT and GT-T models included replacing the dashboard storage compartment with either Toyota's voice navigation system, or a multi-function display.^[5] Aerial versions of the Caldina feature a large sunroof and contoured roof racks as standard. Weighing 1,440 kg (3,175 lb), the manual Caldina GT-T has a 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) time of 6.4 seconds, with the automatic version only 0.1 seconds slower.^[6]

A refresh was given in 2000 with new plastic bumpers, plastic headlights, and updated taillights. The mostly-plastic interior was also updated with notable additions including a new white gauge cluster, as well as minor chrome and faux-wood touches to the 2.0G model, amongst other changes across the model range.

In 2001, an extra lug was added to the turbo manifold to prevent the manifold from warping which had been a common issue on GT-T models.^[7] Reliability of the GT-T engines proved to be a concern throughout the lifespan of the 3S powered GT-Ts, with spun main bearings and shattered oil pump gears being common issues amongst owners.^{[citation needed]}

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  2000 Caldina 2.0 E (ST215G; facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina 2.0 G 4WD (ST215G; facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina GT-T (ST215W; pre-facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina GT-T (ST215W; pre-facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina GT-T (ST215W; facelift, Japan)

Third generation (T240; 2002)

Third generation
2003 Caldina 1.8 X (ZZT241W; pre-facelift)
Overview
Model code	T240
Production	September 2002 – June 2007
Assembly	Japan: Toyota, Aichi (Tsutsumi plant)[8]
Designer	Shogo Tokutake and Tetsu Endo[9]
Body and chassis
Body style	5-door station wagon
Platform	Toyota MC platform
Related	Toyota Premio (T240) Toyota Allion (T240) Toyota Avensis (T250)
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol: 1.8 L 1ZZ-FE I4 (ZZT241) 2.0 L 1AZ-FSE I4 (AZT241/246) 2.0 L 3S-GTE turbo I4 (ST246)
Power output	97 kW (130 hp; 132 PS) (1ZZ-FE) 114 kW (153 hp; 155 PS) (1AZ-FSE) 191 kW (256 hp; 260 PS) (3S-GTE)
Transmission	4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,700 mm (106.3 in)
Length	4,510 mm (177.6 in)
Width	1,740 mm (68.5 in)
Height	1,445 mm (56.9 in)
Kerb weight	1,240–1,490 kg (2,734–3,285 lb)

The third-generation Caldina launched in September 2002 was marketed as a pure sports wagon and does not share body panels with Allion, Premio and Avensis.

Engines for the Caldina are 1.8 L 1ZZ-FE, 2.0 L 1AZ-FSE and 2.0 L turbocharged 3S-GTE. Trim levels are 1.8 X, 1.8 Z, 2.0 Z, 2.0 ZT and GT-Four (the latter is coded ST246). All models have an automatic transmission and the GT-Four model only comes in a tiptronic transmission.

As a tribute to Toyota's motorsports development guru and the creator of the first GT-Four, Hiromu Naruse, a special edition Caldina GT-Four was produced, the Caldina GT-Four N Edition (N for Naruse).^{[citation needed]} This model was equipped with several performance enhancements specified by Naruse:^[10]

• Sports ABS
• Improved shocks and altered spring ratings
• Front upper strut bar
• Torsen rear LSD
• Recaro front seats and interior trim

Production of the third-generation Caldina ended in mid-2007 without a direct successor, but is indirectly replaced with the T270 series Avensis wagon/estate imported from the UK.

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  Rear view
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  2002–2004 Caldina GT-Four (ST246W; pre-facelift, Japan)
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  Rear view (GT-Four)
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  Caldina ZT 4WD (AZT246W; facelift, Japan)
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  Caldina ZT 4WD (AZT246W; facelift, Japan)

References

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