Toyota Tarago gains tech as prices drop

Toyota has dropped the price of its enduring Tarago people-mover down to “1990s levels”, despite giving it an interior upgrade and new technology.

Toyota says the new $45,490 starting price for the four-cylinder range hasn’t been this low for a couple of decades, while the $50,490 for the V6 GLi is cheaper than when first introduced in 2007.

The latest reductions – $1500 from the base-model GLi and GLX four-cylinder and V6 variants and $1716 from the Ultima V6 – follow price cuts early last year flowing from the free-trade agreement with Japan.

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Satellite navigation is now standard across the range, but for some reason Toyota has chosen to only install a reversing camera in the range-topping Ultima V6, despite the substantial rear blind spot.

All Toyota Tarago interiors have been freshened up, with a black soft-touch dashboard, new-look centre cluster and air vents, and improved heater/air-conditioning controls with easier-to-use electrostatic switches. A small 6.1-inch touchscreen displays sat-nav, media controls and reversing camera where fitted.

The instrument cluster now has a colour 4.2-inch multi-information display (MID) alongside the gauges, with controls in the steering wheel.

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Standard safety equipment includes seven airbags, vehicle stability and traction control, anti-skid brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. All models have cruise control, hill-start assist and remote central locking. Two front corner and four rear parking sensors are standard on GLX and Ultima.

The Tarago comes in seven exterior paint colours, including six premium options, which for an extra $550 include self-restoring paint technology with scratch-resistant elasticity.

Toyota Tarago prices