Toyota Tarago
Toyota Tarago
Toyota Tarago
Toyota Tarago

July 18, 2012 – Sydney, Australia  (Techreleased) –Toyota has upgraded the Tarago range, repositioning prices by up to $3,500* and improving four-cylinder fuel economy with a new automatic transmission.

The price of the most affordable Tarago GLi is again under $50,000 – reduced by 6.7 per cent or $3,500 to $48,990* – the same level as in March 2006.

However, today’s Tarago has substantially more standard features including five extra airbags (seven in total), vehicle stability control, traction control and brake assist.

Pricing has been reduced by $2,000 on four-cylinder Tarago GLX, $2,300 on V6 GLi and $1,300 on V6 Ultima. The V6 GLX variant has had a spec-related price increase of $1,390.

Four-cylinder models (GLi and GLX) are now fitted with a continuously variable transmission, which can be used as an automatic transmission or as a seven-speed sequential-shift transmission.

Integration of the new transmission with Tarago’s 2.4-litre petrol engine lowers fuel consumption by more than six per cent to 8.9 litres/100km**, based on the official combined cycle.

The biggest fuel saving is in urban driving where consumption falls 7.1 per cent to 11.7 litres/100km**. Combined CO2 emissions are down 6.75 per cent to 207 grams/km**.

The new transmission, which replaces a conventional four-speed automatic transmission, is responsive and quiet while offering seamless gear changes.

Monitoring the driver’s use of the accelerator pedal, the system controls the pulley ratio, speed and shift pattern to achieve the optimum balance of fuel economy and acceleration.

In hilly terrain, it counters excessive gear hunting and, on downhill runs, initiates down-shifts to increase engine braking.

In D (Drive) mode, the transmission control activates torque-converter lock-up at low vehicle speeds and widens the pulley ratio to keep engine revolutions low and save fuel.

With the gear lever in the M (Manual) position, the new CVT provides seven-speed gear-shifting.

A highly responsive sequential-shift control system matches engine torque to transmission ratio and vehicle speed.

Transmission software will prevent over-revving or engine lugging. First gear is selected automatically when the vehicle comes to a stop.

As part of the latest Tarago upgrade, all models gain revised interiors with new colours and ornamentation as well as new seat upholstery patterns.

The four-cylinder models, as well as V6 GLi, gain Optitron instruments, making this feature standard across the range. All models now have push-button Smart Start; V6 GLX and Ultima also have keyless Smart Entry.

Tarago V6 GLX gains the power sliding passenger-side door already standard on Ultima. It can be operated from a switch on the dash, a button on the key fob or by moving the door handle.

Also new to V6 GLX are high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps with an advanced front-lighting system (AFS) that provides better night vision by swivelling the lights in response to steering angle and vehicle speed.

The HID headlights also come with automatic levelling and washers. Rear privacy glass is another addition to GLX models (4-cylinder and V6).

Top-grade Ultima is fitted with new 15-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels while mid-grade GLX picks up the 10-spoke, 17-inch design that was previously on Ultima. GLi retains its 16-inch full wheel caps.

Ultima’s instrument panel, steering wheel, shift knob, centre-console and door-switch surrounds now have new-pattern woodgrain-look highlights.

Ultima’s rear-seat entertainment system has been upgraded to a high-resolution 9-inch VGA LCD display and is compatible with blue-ray discs and DVDs.

The system also includes a single CD player, AM-FM radio, 3.5mm AUX jack and USB input, and Bluetooth hands-free telephone and audio streaming^.

Both GLi variants (4-cylinder and V6) are fitted with an updated audio system that includes a three-line dot matrix text display, FM radio text, voice recognition for some phone and audio functions and Bluetooth™^ phonebook access profile.

The system also includes a single CD player, AM-FM radio, 3.5mm AUX jack and USB input, and Bluetooth hands-free telephone and audio streaming^.

Tarago is available in seven exterior colours.

There has been no change to the 202kW 3.5-litre petrol engine that powers V6 Tarago models.

TARAGO PRICES*
2.4 4-cyl GLi – $48,990
2.4 4-cyl GLX – $51,990
3.5 V6 GLi – $53,990
3.5 V6 GLX – $59,490
3.5 V6 Ultima – $71,490