Toyota Premio

Why does Japan seem to get all the good things? Case in point: The Toyota Premio, a luxury compact sedan with great features, engine life and reliability.

The Toyota Premio is closely related to the Toyota Allion, another compact luxury sedan. Where the Premio differs is in the details. It’s a more upscale and mature offering compared to the Allion, which is more geared towards younger buyers and has an overall sportier feel and appearance. The Premio just looks great with a suit, and is often used by businesspeople as a formal car.

Thanks to the Japanese used vehicle export market, the Premio has steadily been making its way to far away shores like Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. It’s a hot item on the international market, and we’re guessing if you’re reading this you’re at least curious about it. Today’s AA Japan Blog post will give you a leisurely walkthrough of this very special car’s features.

Toyota Premio Model Years

Premio model years are divided into two generations.

The First Generation: 2001 – 2006

The Toyota Premio was first launched on Christmas Day, 2001. It replaced the Toyota Corona and Corona Premio that came before it.

In December 2004, LED taillights were added to the Premio. In 2006, a CVT transmission replaced the automatic transmission that previously came standard with all models.

The Second Generation: 2006 – Present

The second generation of the Premio includes smart-entry and smart-start features and a color rear-view monitor. 1.8L engine versions of the Premio from this year on can be purchased with a four-wheel drive (4WD) option.

In 2008, the 2.0 liter 3ZR-FAE DOHC engine using the Valvematic system was made available. The Valvematic system improves fuel efficiency and cuts emissions.

Understanding Toyota Premio features

Fuel

⁠The Toyota Premio is available with a Gasoline engine only.

Transmission

⁠There are just two transmission types in the Toyota Premio model range.

• Super CVT
  In 2006, the Toyota Premio received an upgrade to a Super CVT transmission. CVT stands for “continuously variable transmission”. In this transmission type, constant angular velocity makes the vehicle change through a continuous set of gear intervals while driving. This is different from a traditional automatic transmission where there are a fixed number of forward gear ratios. It is, however, still operated in the same way as an automatic transmission.
• 4AT
  On models from 2006 and earlier, you will find a four gear automatic transmission, normally listed as 4AT on car seller websites. For this transmission type, there are four forward gear ratios, and the car automatically switches between them while you drive.

Displacement

⁠Displacement refers to the amount of air that is moved by the engine’s pistons and is commonly measured in cubic centimeters, or “cc”. A higher number generally correlates with more power, while a lower number correlates with more fuel economy.

Displacement has to do with the amount of air displaced by an engine’s pistons. It’s most usually measured in cubic centimeters, abbreviated as “cc”. A lower cc indicates better fuel economy, and a higher number higher power.

For the Toyota Premio, there are three displacement levels, dependent on engine type:

• The 1.5L engine version of the Premio has a displacement of 1496.
• The 1.8L engine version of the Premio has a displacement of 1797.
• The 2.0L engine version of the Premio has a displacement of 1986.

Doors

⁠All Toyota Premio models come with 4 doors.

Features

⁠The Toyota Premio is available in 2WD (two wheel drive) and 4WD (four wheel drive) configurations. However, the 4WD configuration is available only on the 1.8L engine models.

Grade

⁠The Toyota Premio is available in several grades. We’ve listed them here in order of specification levels.

• STANDARD PACKAGE
  This is the standard configuration of the Premio without extras.
• L PACKAGE
  ⁠The L Package features leather-textured upholstery, as well as heated massaging power seats and improved soundproofing for a quieter ride.
• EX PACKAGE
  The EX Package has all the features of the L Package, along with wood grain interior paneling, enhanced interior and leather-textured upholstery.
• G PACKAGE
  ⁠The “G” level package offers the highest number of extras. Apart from the EX Package features, it includes traction control and Toyota Intelligent Parking assist. Depending on the dealer options selected by the previous owner, it can also include alloy wheels, front grill, and other garnishes. These features vary on a case-by-case basis.

⁠And there you have it, the Toyota Premio in all its glorious configurations. We hope this gets you pointed in the right direction on your quest for that just-right luxury sedan.