1997 Toyota Carina GS review from UK and Ireland

Nothing has gone wrong with the car, unless you include a slightly noisy electric sunroof.

Well the car has been a pleasure to own.

I realise people say it has a minicab image, well so what! I'm not shallow and so many taxi drivers can't be wrong and my experience reflects that.

Fantastic MPG, safe, surefooted handling, not go cart like, but great for what I want.

Mechanical and interior parts just don't seem to break, It still has the original exhaust (still with years left in it), brake shoes and I've only just changed the front pads, the only big cost I'm looking at at the moment is a cam belt change and that's only £120.

The seats are firm and comfy and hard wearing, the interior efficiently designed with lots of room for bits and pieces and if you have big feet like me, loads of room between the pedals and a big fat rest for your left foot.

The body is strong and mine only suffers from a few stone chips.

I think if I had one criticism it would be that the lean burn engine can be a little jerky when changing to economy mode, but I guess that's the price you pay for spectacular MPG, although the engine does have most of its torque lower in the rev range which I like, unlike VTEC engines.

So to sum up I would thoroughly recommend a Carina to anyone, it's a totally inoffensive and nice car, which is a doddle to own.