2000 Toyota Altezza AS200 review from Australia and New Zealand

STEREO: 6 changer CD player froze with CDs still inside. This is a very common problem, generally known as the ERR-3 issue (as this is the error message the stereo displays when it has this issue). Fixing it is fairly simple, but it costs money and may return again, so many people simply replace the stereo completely.

FUEL Gauge: Fuel gauge sticks when getting low, so it still shows low fuel even after filling it up again. This is another common problem, often traced to dirt build-up in the fuel gauge mechanism in the tank.

Overall we are happy with this car, it is often described as a Japanese 3-series, and I can see where they are coming from. It is the Japanese domestic version of the Lexus is200, so basically you are getting an is200 with a few less bells and whistles.

It's not a big car, it's Corolla sized, so internal room and boot space is not huge. Our version does not have a center armrest, but I have seen other versions with it, so I think it may be an option. Personally I wish we had it, as I have it on my other car, and I miss it.

The good bits =====

It is very well put together, the internal fit & finish and materials are great.

The seats are nice and comfortable, with 3 proper seat belts in the rear. However you can only use the middle squab in the rear for short trips, it wouldn't be that comfortable for an adult on a long trip.

The handling is very very good, with rear wheel drive helping. Tyre choice can make a difference in this car, but if you are going to play around with performance and/or low profile tyres you might need to make adjustments to the camber and toe etc setup to get the best out of it (and to stop your tyres wearing away). There are lots of websites around which discuss this if interested, but the point is you may need to spend $ on top of the tyres themselves if you are going to seriously play with tyre choices.

The stereo is good, crisp and clear sound, very happy with this.

The disappointing bits ====

The major letdown for me was the performance (but this is my wife's car so not a huge issue). We got an auto, which could affect it somewhat, but the performance from the 6cyl 2.0L engine is at best average. You really have to get the revs up past the 5k range before it does anything interesting. I was expecting much much more based on the reviews we had read prior to getting this car. It is very nice to drive, but it is not going to set you on fire. If you want a speedster, best look elsewhere. I have subsequently driven other Altezza's and the performance is the same, so it is not our car being a lemon or anything.

It has climate air-con, but it's a bit weak. It takes a while to cool the car down. It eventually gets there, but is no way as good as our Honda Accord.

Items to note if you are considering buying one ===

- You cannot fold the rear seat down to access the boot, it only has a small "ski" hole if you had something long and thin you wanted to carry. You can get a station-wagon (estate) version of this car if that would be an issue.

- The factory stereo is famous for the Err-3 issue (see above). Always try putting all 6 CDs into the changer (old or the seller's as you might not get them back!) and removing them, and doing it a few times. Even if it doesn't do it now, it may happen in the future, so expect to fix/replace the stereo at some stage.

- One man's performance is another mans dog, make sure you take it for a good test drive to establish if the performance is up to your expectations. This is by no means any sort of rocket ship.

WOULD I BUY ANOTHER (the real acid test)

For the wife: YES, without hesitation (although probably the station wagon version next time)

For me: no, I would want a bit more performance.