1990 Toyota Carina XL review from UK and Ireland
"A cheap, versatile and reliable car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Healthy appetite for sidelight bulbs.
Cam box oil seals started to leak at about 78000 miles.
General comments?
For the age of the design the car has lasted very well considering it has had quite a hard life.
The engine on the whole is very pleasant and being a 16 valve it has enough go to overtake slower moving traffic and be mildly entertaining in a straight line.
The car's ride and handling are however pretty disappointing, bordering on infuriating at times; very often the car does not feel at all safe at speed or under emergency steering and braking.
Other than this, and the often heavy fuel consumption, the car is very good; it is plentifully spacious and the power steering, whilst a little inaccurate at speed, is fantastic for parking.
The seats are comfortable for long periods of time and the cabin is user-friendly, if a little bland.
Although very much yesterday's technology, the Carina II is nontheless a good used buy if you need something cheap, versatile and extremely reliable. I believe my car will carry on well past 100,000 miles without a hint of trouble.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1991 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 16v Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 8 miles |
| Most recent distance | 79600 miles |
| Previous car | Vauxhall Astra |
| Date of Entry | 14th March, 2001 |