‘HOME’ FOR 7
Premium Tarago Has its Own Style
Beautifully executed interior, supple ride, first-class quality
Too-light steering, expensive for the level of performance
Introduction
The 1980s was the decade of the people-mover. Mitsubishi’s L300 van with some extra seats bolted in was an early favourite as was the Toyota Tarago, that nameplate arriving here in February 1983. But that first Tarago, just like its Mitsubishi rival and other best forgotten devices such as the Nissan Urvan and Holden Shuttle, was nothing more than a thinly disguised commercial vehicle which had no hope of passing the safety standards mandated for passenger vehicles.
This world changed in 1990 with the introduction of the new generation, egg-shaped Tarago. It was the proverbial clean-sheet design, sharing nothing except the Toyota badge with any commercial van; the 1990 was a standout vehicle of great ingenuity.
In 1990 Toyota was ready to dominate the automotive world with the flagship Lexus LS400 taking the battle to the German luxury car industry and the Tarago proving that people-movers could be superbly engineered and good to drive.
The 2000 Tarago used the same mid-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration as the radical 1990 but the current model, which made its local debut in March 2006, has the engine up front driving those wheels.
Until February 2007 all Taragos had four-cylinder engines and performance was marginal with a full load. But in February 2007 Toyota’s classic people-mover was finally offered with a V6. This 3.5-litre unit delivers 202 kW of power and 340 Nm of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission.
Exterior and Interior Design
The Tarago is neatly styled and functional, but the sheer elegance of the 1990 car has disappeared forever. The first dedicated Tarago was a thing of beauty simply because it married form with function in the way very few non-stratospherically priced cars ever have – think Beetle and Mini-Minor. The Tarago seemed to be the future of family car transport. While the current model has a certain appeal, it has lost the radical cutting-edge feel which distinguished the 1990 car. But the DNA persists and the name ‘Tarago’ carries a certain cachet. Interestingly, this is an Aboriginal word for ‘place’, and also the name of a NSW town.
So, while it’s not quite van ordinaire, the 2011 Tarago is certainly not cool in the manner of its 1990 ancestor and the design is already more than half a decade old.
It does look like a premium product, however. The styling is well balanced and the deep glass areas help to lower the visual height. The 17-inch alloy wheels which are standard on the flagship ($73,290) V6 Ultima add a little flair.
The interior is a little more special, with a spacey, spacious feel and panoramic vision. You can see the designers have gone to considerable pains to make the cabin feel special, business class rather than economy. The ivory leather upholstery is most stylish, as is the two-tone ivory and taupe fascia.
Lexus-style ‘Optitron’ instrument lighting is literally a highlight. Even the fake wood looks quite classy, even though no-one is likely to imagine it once came from a living tree.
Accommodation
You feel welcome when you step into this upmarket people mover. If a vehicle that accommodates seven people in luxurious fashion is your primary requirement, then you could not do better than buy a Tarago V6 Ultima. The mid-row seats are two extremely comfortable captain’s chairs, each with an ottoman (a generous footrest like you find on some armchairs). They fold down through 72 degrees.
Arguably, the third row seating is even more clever because at the push of a button the entire arrangement electrically folds into a compartment beneath the floor; it must have been an expensive engineering exercise. Both side doors are electrically assisted.
Dual sunroofs are standard. The front seats are heated. The powerful headlights do their best to see around corners. An advanced electronic stability program will do its best to save you if you overcook things.
There is an outstanding satellite navigation system but no trip computer.
You would expect a people-mover to provide lots of storage areas and cupholders galore and the Tarago does precisely this.
Performance and Economy
While no-one buys a people-mover in the expectation it will double as a sports car, insufficient urge is a turn-off. Until the advent of the V6 engine, this was pretty much the deal with any Tarago, especially when asked to haul six or seven occupants and kit.
Really, the bigger engine provides reasonable (let’s say ‘effortless’) rather than brilliant performance. The smooth six-speed automatic is welcome, as is the ability to use as little as eight litres per 100 kilometres on the highway.
You can specify this engine/transmission in the GLI V6 for $56,290, which represents a huge saving.
Ride and Handling
The Tarago handles well for a vehicle with such a high centre of gravity. But it would be interesting to compare it back to back with the 1990 model. The improvement would not correspond to the passage of so many years.
Excessively light electric power steering might please those who don’t care about cars but enthusiastic drivers will wish for more weight. But it is easy to place accurately on the road.
Ride comfort is excellent, and this is important in a people mover. Driver’s rights? No, this is all about passengers’ rights.
Rivals
Much less expensive are such machines as the surprisingly competent Hyundai iMax (from$37,290) and the imposingly named Kia Grand Carnival Platinum (from $52,190). The Mercedes-Benz Viano is worth a look at $74,990. A left-field rival is the seven-seater Ford Territory Titanium (from $54,990).
Summary
People-movers may not be cool but the V6 Ultima does a great job of transporting seven people in high style.
Toyota
