1.5 5A-FE (AT212)

STORY

The Carina appeared on 1 December 1970 as a sporting saloon on Celica mechanicals, sold mainly through Toyota Store but shared with Tokyo Toyopet, Osaka Toyopet and, until 1979, Toyota Auto in Okinawa. A light van had joined the A10 range in December 1975. The A40 and A50 of 1977 moved to a longer platform, and the A60 of 1981 brought the first five-door wagon in the line, the Surf, in February 1982. From the T150 of 1984 the Carina turned to front-wheel drive, and the sportier Carina ED hardtop followed in 1985. The last cars were the T210 of 1996, and in December 2001 Toyota replaced the name with the Allion. Nineteen years of the line overlapped with the Corona, which the Carina was meant to sit beside rather than replace.