1986 Toyota Tercel 4WD review from North America

The rear axle bearing packs have gone bad; the transfer case seal was cracked; and the choke linkages tend to stick in cold whether.

I bought my Tercel due to advice from my brother who also owns a Tercel. He said it was a very reliable and well rounded vehicle, he was not kidding. The rack-and-pin steering makes handling the Tercel very easy. For a four cylinder, my Tercel can go surprisingly fast. The four wheel drive is essential for the mountain area I live in, and the extra low crawl gear is just frosting on top of the cake. The cargo room in it is extraordinary. I've packed up to 15 trash bags into my little Tercel and still had room to spare. Its fold down seats make it easy to use for camping. Though the seats aren't very comfortable, the room and overall layout of the cabin make up for it.

The only complaints I have about this vehicle is its harsh return from 4WD to 2WD. The locking differential is a nice option, but it requires a lot of harsh treatment on the transmission for me to get the vehicle back into 2WD mode (IE. shifting from reverse to first gear without the clutch.) Also, I may have to rebuild my carburetor if the linkages freeze on the choke. Lastly, the mechanical fuel pump on the Tercel tends to degrade performance during winter.

Overall though, this vehicle is an outstanding piece of automotive technology.