Toyota PICNIC (1997 - 2001)
MODELS COVERED: 5dr MPV 2.0 petrol, 2.2 diesel [GS, GL, GLS, GX]
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
Stan Barrett was reputedly the first man to break the speed of sound in a car. His Budweiser Rocket went supersonic in 1979, but due to a timing anomaly the record was never officially registered. History has forsaken Stan Barrett and it has been similarly tough on the
Toyota Picnic. The
mini-MPV sector is one that sets car buffs nodding sagely.
"How different things were before the
Renault Scenic came and changed everything." Indeed, before Renaults beloved Scenic, MPVs were large, cumbersome and bulky. All except the Toyota Picnic. Whilst not as small as a Scenic or a Zafira, here was a mini-MPV before the term was coined, for sale in Britain while the Scenic was just a concept waiting to happen. In many ways the Picnic is Toyotas invisible car.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
|
| Economy |
 |
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
 |
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
 |
| Value |
|
Try to picture a Picnic and its amalgam of soft curves, edgy details and bulky silhouette are difficult to get a handle on. Beneath this visual anonymity, the Picnic is a well thought out concept. Ideas that other manufacturers are incorporating now are evident in the Picnics interior. These factors serve to make a used
Toyota Picnic a bargain way to enter a hot market sector.
The Picnic has not changed a great deal since launch, but represents an honest and practical workhorse. Other rivals have surpassed its packaging and appeal, but if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Picnic can feel proud. Models such as Mitsubishis Space Star or Kias Carens have taken the basic body shape of the Picnic and offered their own interpretation of it. Trim levels are comprehensive, with a firm nod towards safety.
The entry-level 2.0 GS features electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, electric tinted windows, high level stop light, twin airbags, side impact beams and front
seat belt pre-tensioners. It also boasts central locking, immobiliser, remote security system and a Sony radio cassette unit with optional steering wheel control. The GL, which in May 98 was redesignated the GLS, added a second row of armrests, security etched windows, drivers seat height adjustment, luggage hooks and CD compatible Sony stereo.
A seven-seat configuration and dual sunroof were available as an options pack. Range-topping GX derivatives came with twin sunroofs, air conditioning and a high-end Sony radio cassette with steering column control.
Invitation to this particular Picnic begins at £4,300 for a 1997 P plate 2.0 litre GS. The automatic option adds approximately £400 to the price. 2.
0GL models start on 1997 P plates, and a fair opening price for one of these is £4,500. 2.2-litre turbodiesel models can be bought for £5,000 for a GS on a 1998 R plate or £5,300 for a similar vintage GLS model. A limited edition SE was introduced in October 1999, and used values for this particular model are similar to the GS trim level.
Insurance is Group 10 for all models bar the GX trim level, which is rated at Group 11
As with all cars that get used to ferry children back and forth, check for rips, stains and other damage to upholstery and minor trim parts. Also bear in mind that many Picnics are used in urban areas, so check for parking knocks. Other than that, expect the usual Toyota reliability. Its reassuring to know that although the 2.
0 Picnic shares an engine with the Toyota RAV4, it probably wont have been driven so enthusiastically. Despite this, check for its service history but otherwise buy with confidence.
(Estimated prices, based on a 1998 2.0 GLS) There arent any great horrors here. Despite being a relatively low volume model in the UK, parts prices havent been hiked through the roof. A full exhaust system will cost in the region of £350.
A set of front brake pads is around £50, whilst brake shoes for the rears will be around £35. A clutch assembly will amount to about £160, whilst a headlamp unit retails at about £80. A starter motor weighs in at around £170, although an expired alternator will sting you to the tune of around £300
Does it handle like a car? Well yes, by and large it does, though weight and bulk would prevent you staying with the finest of the current crop of medium range saloons if the going got twisty. Power comes from either the RAV4s 16-valve 2.0-litre petrol engine or a 2.2-litre turbo diesel unit.
Even this latter powerplant is no slouch, taking the Picnic TD to sixty in just under fourteen seconds on the way to 100mph, with a combined fuel cycle figure of 36.2mpg. Whether you choose petrol or diesel power, your Picnic comes with six, separate, full-sized seats, each equipped with an adjustable headrest and its own lap and diagonal seatbelt. Both driver and passengers have that high, commanding seating position that MPV users like so much, without the sheer width and length that can make ordinary People Carriers so unwieldy.
You can't have everything of course. That lack of width means that the front seats don't swivel round as they do in some larger MPVs to create a 'conference style' atmosphere. That said, you can do just about everything else to suit the interior to your ongoing needs. In all, there are no fewer than 17 possible seating arrangements in the Picnic. The individual chairs fold, slide, recline or, in the case of the third row, can even be removed for extra luggage space.
Which means that you can create everything from a comfortable twin bed to a centre picnic table, which appears when the second row of seats is folded in half.
As long as you know that your used Toyota Picnic is never going to set neighbourhood curtains twitching in envy, it will make a dependable buy. Other rivals may have more flair, cleverer tricks up their sleeves and more seductive styling, but the Picnic got there first. Others have copied its silhouette and some rivals have fallen by the wayside, but the Picnics longevity is due to its practicality. It may be Toyotas invisible car, but a steady stream of buyers not only see them, but see the point in laying their money down for a Picnic.
As a used buy, you cant buy safer. It may just seem a bit too safe for some.
<< Back to Toyota car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Toyota Cars For Sale UK
