Welcome back to Forgotten Sporty Cars at The Garage! In this space we recall an era where small, economy car-based based vehicles were sold with zippy styling. Whether there was any substance to the sizzle we’ll leave for you to judge.
1991-1995 Toyota Paseo, 1st Generation
The Paseo was Toyota’s entry-level sporty car. Based on Tercel mechanicals, the Paseo was a small, front wheel drive, 2+2 hatchback. Power came way of a 1.5 liter, 100hp four cylinder coupled to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Lightweight, perky, reliable and easy on gas, the Paseo was an ideal commuter car for buyers who could not afford the more powerful and pricier Celica.
The interior is where a lot of the cost-cutting was evident, yet still offered Toyota’s excellent ergonomics-easy to read gauges and straightforward controls. A major complaint was the miniscule rear seat.
1996-1999 Toyota Paseo, 2nd Generation
The second generation Paseo saw a careful evolution of the car’s styling, with sleeker, more rounded lines that gave a more contemporary look. But with a car that was already low on power, the second-gen Paseo returned with the same 1.5 liter four, but now with only 93hp (for lower emissions). Apart from that, it was essentially the same car as before.
In 1997, a convertible model debuted alongside the coupe. The Paseo ragtop was the cheapest convertible you could buy except for the Geo Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick. Still, 1997 would be the last year the Paseo was sold in the US. The little sportster soldiered on in Canada until 1999, when the ancient Tercel was finally replaced with the unremarkable Echo, but Toyota had no immediate replacement for the Paseo.
Toyota’s commitment to sports/sporty cars in North America has been spotty. Going forward, the Celica, and later, the MR2 Spider would carry the sporty car mantle. The mighty Supra was pulled from the US market in 1999, the MR2 in 2004, and the Celica in 2005. Today, the Scion tC is the only vehicle in Toyota’s entire North American line-up that qualifies as a sporty car, and is the spiritual successor to the Paseo.