Are you looking for a truck that’s not a truck? A VW that’s not a VW? Here is a recently-imported Toyota Sprinter, reading “FULL-TIME 4WD” on the door, with a five-speed on the floor and a 2.0-litre diesel under the hood.
We never got the Toyota Sprinter in the United States, likely because, well, it’s just a Toyota Corolla with a slightly different body. It’s only different enough to be sold through a different dealer network in Japan. That in itself is a complicated story, and you’d have to read up on it over at Ate Up With Motor to understand in full.
This thing is on Seattle Craigslist, a real haven for JDM imports these days. Per the listing:
JDM-RHD Directly imported from Japan Auction!
1994 Toyota Sprinter EX 4WD
VIN: CE104-5004846
4WD Full Time!
2C-III, 2.0L Toyota Diesel Engine
Very reliable diesel.
5-Speed Manual Transmission
90,600mi VERIFIED mileage.
73hp- 4700rpm 132nm-3200rpm
Gas Mileage: by average speed 61 km/h — 75mpg!!! (3.1 L/100 km/h)
PC, AC, PW Mirror PW Mirrors. Central lock.
Tank has 50L
Has clean WA State title.
Street legal.
Website: jdmcarandmotorcycle.com
No trades.
We are a licensed dealer and importer of Japanese vehicles. Have been importing since 1996.
WA residents Price+Tax+Registration+Negotiable Documentary service fee of $US150 ($210) may be added to the final price.
844-937-3226
JDM Car & Motorcycle LLC
9117 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 98103
As for this particular Toyota, it’s a reminder of diesel’s advantages in going a long way on a tank. This seller advertises 3.1 L/100 km/h and a 50 litre tank, or about 1,593 km of range. That is at an average of 61 km/h, so you’re looking at about 26 hours of sitting in your Sprinter. That is, uh, a long time to be staring at a 1994 Toyota dashboard.
The seller is asking $US8,900 ($12,436) for it, which maybe doesn’t make a ton of sense if you’re looking to be purely economical, but I can’t help but dream of tearing this thing sideways around downhill forest roads barely drinking diesel along the way.
