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Launched in 1980, the Toyota Cresta was one of the many cars released by the company that shared a chassis, in this case the Mark II/Cressida and Chaser frame.  It was designed and manufactured to be the high end version of Toyota’s Mark II and it was released with a two-tone paint job and additional options inside for the driver and passenger to enjoy.  This actually made the Cresta similar to the Toyota Cressida, which was being sold in the export markets overseas.  If you are looking for a cheap Cresta there are plenty to be had overseas, since the vehicle was produced for a good 20 years before being assimilated into the Chaser model to produce the Toyota Verossa, a luxury sports car that had a limited production run.

When the Cresta was released in 1980 it was only available through the Toyota Vista showrooms throughout Japan.  It was the next step down from Toyotaﾕs Crown model, its longest running full size sedan.  It was filled with high end amenities and included halogen headlights and with two engine options, both with automatic transmission.  Its closest competitor was the Nissan Laurel, and the Cresta was aimed for the younger demographic.  The second generation of the Cresta was not introduced until 1984, and it includes some style changes that shared the Mark II platform.  The Cresta remained a hardtop body with the side mirrors mounted on the door.  A diesel engine option was offered and fog lights in the front bumper became standard equipment on the Cresta by 1986.

The third generation of the Cresta was released in 1988. It was in line with Toyota’s move towards rounded edges and away from the square lines the company was known for in the 1970s and early 1980s.  The Cresta’s top model was the Super Lucent G that had a supercharger engine similar to the one used in the Chaser but not used Toyota Sprinter.  Anti-lock brakes with traction control were added to the Cresta and for the 10 year anniversary edition for the 1990 model year a special trim package was offered.  Additional changes on the Cresta occurred throughout the rest of the production life and in 2001 the Cresta and the Chaser merged to form the Verossa.  The Verossa only lasted to the 2004 model year and it was discontinued due to poor sales at the same time the Toyota Netz stores were all closed for buying Corona Premio.

You can get a cheap Cresta by purchasing one from a Japanese car exporter overseas.  Right now most of the models that are available are in the 1995 to 2000 model year range and can cost you $1,300 to $2,500 as quoted by PicknBuy24.com. Some Japanese used car exporters like PicknBuy24.com roll the shipping fee and a warranty into their listed price while others will not.  It is a good idea to verify exactly what that list price includes.  The vehicle you will get will be clean, a newer model year than what you will find on the used car lots, and may still include some of the original warranty because of the low to medium mileage on the car.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 at 1:56 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.