admin
Lovert Mafukure
They say simplicity is the ultimate sophistication! Kiichiro Toyoda was a simple family man who made simple cars.
Out of simplicity, his company Toyota is now the 6th biggest car manufacturer in the world. They did it by keeping their cars simple, reliable and durable. The Toyota Allion is just that, it’s a simple car but it does exactly what it’s supposed to do and that is take you where you need to be when you need to.
If you ever fancied a Toyota Corolla for its simplicity and for it durability you will love the Allion. World over the Corolla has earned itself a reputation for never breaking down. Everyone knows that if anybody waves you down with a broken down Corolla they are probably trying to rob you. The Toyota Allion is similar to the Corolla Bubble in the sense that they share a lot of parts from the engine to the drive train although the Allion is the more luxurious of the two.
The Allion has about 3 engine variants, the good, the better and the ugly. First on the line up is the good, a 1,5l 1nz fe engine. This is a very popular engine across a lot of small to medium Toyota Sedans and Hatchbacks. It’s a durable engine that won’t hurt your pocket with hefty fuel bills. Parts are plenty and when the day comes for repairs it won’t sit on bricks because of parts unavailability. A lot of people in the taxi industry find them very reliable as they are the same engines you will find in cars like the Fun Cargo.
Second on the line up as the better is the 1,8l 1zz fe engine which is quite popular as well. It is found in other Toyota models like the Corolla Bubble and the Toyota wish just to mention a few. The Zz engine has been tried and tested even in the South African market. Parts for these are no longer a problem as there are many of these on the market now.
Last on the line up as the ugly is the 2l 1AZ fse model Allion. This is the model that gives a lot of people problems. It has a 2 L engine with Toyota D4 direct Injection. This system seems to give a lot of nightmares when injectors or the pump start acting up. You might wanna stay away from this model because of that. By design the D4 system saves a lot on fuel but only when it’s working well. Once it starts giving problems, you can grow grey hair very fast.
Most modern Toyotas however, are coming with the D4 direct Injection as the war against emissions is being intensified so you will find that most Toyotas from mid 2000s now use D4 and can’t exactly run away from it.
The Allion is by design a front-wheel drive car with front wheels being driven a 4-speed automatic gearbox. Both the 1,5l and the 1,8l are configured this way with 4-speed automatic transmissions. A four-wheel drive model is available and you will find it in the 1,8l model. The 2l model however, has a continuously variable transmission and only available in front wheel drive.
The Allion has a neat interior with fake wood panelling running across the dashboard and the centre consol. Most cars in its league do not have that much leg room at the back but the Allion can accommodate people with long legs at the back with ease. There’s also something unique about the Allion, the rear seats can recline! This is something you’d find in an S-Class Mercedes or a 7 series BMW. It also comes with keyless entry and keyless start though earlier models may not have these smart additions.
Overall, this is a good car to look out for as it is a stylish and sporty car that isn’t very heavy on fuel and parts are very much available now unlike yesteryear. As they are relatively new cars you may find that it may be hard to find parts but most of them are compatible with other Toyotas like the Corolla Bubble. I should tell you that this car doesn’t come too cheap though. Till next time. Happy motoring!
@lovert116 – Automart Used Spares Centre – Quality Used Japanese Spares -+263 772 33 99 38 – [email protected] – Facebook: @automartusc
Online Reporter