1997 Toyota Previa Consumer Reviews

Still running strong after nearly 240,000 miles the transmission shifts smooth as butter, I've owned mine for 3 years, I enjoy doing the work that many car owners put off or pay no attention to, aside from normal wear and tear, I have had few if any unusual problems that cannot be prevented with attention. Very strong engines, Sad to hear many of these are going to the junk yard I would buy them all if I could, the dash and field of view is unmatched. With a little patience and passion I believe I'll make it to a million miles.

If Enzo Ferrari ever dreamed of building a mini-van, he would have designed it in America, built it in Japan, and called it Previa. I gave my wife a new Previa 20 years ago and it has been the lowest cost, most reliable, fun vehicle we have ever owned. Its serviceability has been virtually bullet- proof. The most expensive single item we have had was to use an expert to replace our vehicles paint, and restore its original eye-appeal. With its 50% front x 50% rear weight distribution, laid-flat mid-engine design platform, and lowest center of gravity of any van ever built, the Previa remains far ahead of its time. The horizontally mounted 2.4L power plant has double overhead camshafts, Roots style supercharger, and carefully designed aluminum tuned exhaust system come together to make the Previas handling characteristics and driving experiences the envy of many a sports cars. The interior space is huge. It has a flat floor and 4 rotating captains chairs, which allow for easy access from the front to back. Theres enough room to travel with the whole family including our pets, and turn road trips a real joy.

I am a humble fan of the Previa. I took out all but the front two seats and use it as my dog show vehicle. I drive it from WA up and down from CA to Canada for shows. I can fit a ton of stuff in it and me and my dogs are really comfortable, warm or cool. The captain seats fit me like a glove. It drives great and I've had no major mechanical problems. Yes, it's older and has some cosmetic issues and maybe a new Sprinter would get better gas mileage but it's paid for and so comfortable I image I will be driving it until is dies. When will that be? Maybe never. If I could change anything I would have the rear windows roll down.

Original owner. Great vision from all angles, smooth ride, responsive, low maintenance cost over years (Starter replaced, master cylinder recently), has more storage capacity than a big GMC van, back seats fold down or to the side, center seats fold or come out completely! Hard on tires, difficult cooling inside because of massive window area, but hardly uses heat! Most Previa models get streaking on fenders, but can be detailed out. Not the most aggressive in acceleration as only 4 cylinders. We love our Previas!

This car has providedme with excellent mileage and excellent reliability for twenty years. It still runs well. I have maintained basic maintenance on the motor with no major repairs.

Van is 24 years old, been in the family since new.Everybody, including the kids enjoyed driving it. A well designed van/people carrier. Still runs well. Have spent very little on repairs over it's lifetime. Only letting it go because offered a friends s.u.v. Too good to pass up. I suspect Toyota stopped making that model because they lasted too long. I've spoken to other Previa owners who feel the same.

This vehicle has been reliable and enjoyable. Great visability, adjustable interior, incredible interior space. Drives with smoothness of a car. It is a little difficult to get serviced due to the engine location.

What can I say? Any vehicle that goes over 350k miles without ANY incident is something special. We got our first Previa in 1996 and were amazed with its handling - these suckers simply corner as good as an Audi Quattro. We Loved that its footprint is roughly the same size as a Subaru Legacy SW of the same era and its volume is virtually the same as a Grand Caravan's. Engineering of these gems went So very far beyond convention and Not just in looks. Previa owners seem to appreciate each other and I have met a guy who had 436k on his and was still using it as his work truck. Reliable enough to trust his family income with. We were selling another one we used to have and a fellow who had 511k on his considered our quarter million mile Previa to be 'low miles'. You can't believe everything you read online but when I read a discussion between two Previa owners who each had over 700k (razzing each other - boasting who would get to 800k fist) I trusted that. All that while making the Most comfortable road vehicle ever (and I compare that to Lexus LS400, Infiniti Q45, Toyota Sequoia, etc that we have also owned). You see, we have not been Previa owners simply because they were old and we needed a cheap vehicle. We have done so by choice. The couple who bought our 350k unit for $1,300 were ecstatic. We will be once again when we locate that elusive 2 sunroof S/C model. The passion we have for Previa's must be catching because we have made the recommendation for numerous others to buy one. Many have and are just as pleased. Heck, even our son at college was digging driving his out of state friends around in his while off at school. As goofy as it may sound, I have met several people who owned more than one. we have not even been very diligent with the maintenance on our Previas - not neglectful - just not proactive. Although Not recommended, this offers further example of how reliable these SUV's (Sport Utility Van) are. Enjoy!