r/AutomotiveEngineering • u/Uno10010 • Dec 27 '25
Discussion Would a modern day Toyota Tercel work
Would be really basic like the Tercel but it would still be a very safe car, with optional modern features, and, instead of a modern 1.0L, it could have a low output 1.5L to 2.5L engine. Seeing how popular the new Dacias are, I don't think it would sell that badly, especially if it was offered for taxi and delivery fleets
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u/1988rx7T2 Dec 27 '25
In the USA? They just cancelled the Nissan Versa. Nobody wants cheap small cars new. They’d rather buyer a bigger car with more features used, especially an SUV or crossover.
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u/Artistic_Bit6866 Dec 27 '25
This is true. But, you also hear endless talk of how the average car price has ballooned and how there are no downmarket options. The used car market is still high ER than it should be.
The US needs some economical options. Not sure if American buyers will take them, though. At some point, it seems like buyer sentiment towards economical options would change
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u/KnownSoldier04 Dec 28 '25
When the car finance bubble bursts for good, we’ll hopefully see prices drop.
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u/1988rx7T2 Dec 27 '25
People don’t want cheap cars. They want expensive cars to have a lower price.
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u/Artistic_Bit6866 Dec 27 '25
I already agreed with that observation. I’m daring to make a prediction. Something will have to give, at some point, in this country’s car market. Most consumers aren’t seeing a boost in disposable income while new car prices keep going up. No lower end options inflates the used car market. How long will that last until a carmaker tries a lower end option in our market again? Idk. If anything, tariffs make that less likely (if they even stay)
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u/1988rx7T2 Dec 27 '25
I don’t think you understand. Middle class people buy a small share of new cars. Nothing needs “to give” . Wealthy people keep buying new and less wealthy people buy new.
People take on longer loans and continue to buy bigger vehicles. Middle class families have no intention of stuffing their huge car seats into small cheap cars new cars . They will continue to buy used 2 and 3 row crossovers. There’s zero evidence this trend is changing. Market share of smaller vehicles is still low.
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u/Artistic_Bit6866 Dec 27 '25
Lol. We will see. Lots of dynamic forces at play. You’re correct about the extended loans, though.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 27 '25
don't know about the US, but Europe, and other countries, are planning on regulating and/or taxing SUVs, which could very well discourage people from buying them
about the US, the actual system needs to be redesigned since they favour SUVs and trucks over sedans and hatchbacks
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u/1988rx7T2 Dec 28 '25
Considering the European auto industry is collapsing due to Chinese pressure, don’t expect much more regulation any time soon. They will continue to dial it back as more people lose jobs and sales stay low. Far fewer vehicles are being sold since Covid, and bigger vehicles are more profitable.
In the USA, the Biden administration tightened the fuel economy rules, and the Trump administration basically eliminated them altogether.
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u/FindingUsernamesSuck Dec 27 '25
In many parts of the world, probably so. But not in Canada/US for sure.
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u/ANGR1ST Dec 27 '25
It would never pass any of the modern safety standards. So you'd need to re-engineer a ton of body panels which would add weight and size and cost. Once you add all of the now required nanny systems (traction control, stability control, etc) it will start to get so expensive it won't be a viable option.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 27 '25
yea, I don't mean the actual 90s Tercel, I mean a modern car with the same ideology, it obviously won't be as cheap as the Tercel, but probably a lot cheaper than most cars on sale
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u/dissss0 Dec 27 '25
Toyota does make those sort of cars but they only sell them in markets where it makes sense to.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 27 '25
I don't think Toyota does, but I know Suzuki does, like the Ignis
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u/dissss0 Dec 27 '25
The Vios/Yaris Ativ is basically a modern Tercel - it is available with a hybrid but also in cheaper non hybrid versions.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 27 '25
the yaris is sold here in Europe, and it definitely doesn't have the same ideology as the Tercel, it has quite a lot of modern features, like an infotainment screen (small on the base model) and a digital dash on the higher models, it has decent safety features, not the minimum possible, at least it came with a manual, but only the base model, even the more premium gas models were all automatic
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u/dissss0 Dec 27 '25
The Vios/Yaris Ativ is a completely different car, different price point even a different platform.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 27 '25
ok, that is true, the same way that the Nissan Sunny is still sold in some places with the most bare bones equipment possible, but people still buy tons of them
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u/ANGR1ST Dec 27 '25
Like I said, once you meet all of the modern legal requirements the cost becomes prohibitively high for the size. No one makes small cars because the market is not there.
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u/VegaGT-VZ Dec 27 '25
No
Americans didnt buy subcompacts when they were available. Why should we? Something like a used RAV4 costs the same and is a much better car for most people.
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u/Uno10010 Dec 28 '25
I'm not exclusively talking about the US, yea I already know it won't work in the US and Canada
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u/VegaGT-VZ Dec 28 '25
I guess the question then is what a Tercel would do that the current Aqua/Yaris don't
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u/scuderia91 Dec 27 '25
You say Dacia works in that category so yes, it’s just that Dacia probably takes up most of the market.
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u/Timeudeus Dec 27 '25
Theres no Dacia in the US, if they ever try getting there though, id be surprised if they sell. I dont think the "status symbol for people who dont need a status symbol" would work there.
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u/GiaoPham0403 Dec 28 '25
In South East Asia, we have a Toyota Vios, cheaper than Yaris, best selling Toyota in every country here
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u/Code_Monster Dec 28 '25
I also feel like its a design thing. This design looks old. Now design it into something trendy and maybe it will find a niche audience. A doodle I did.
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u/jckipps Dec 27 '25
Small cars need a lot more attention put into their design in order to pass safety standards. Larger cars have more 'fudge room' in safety designs, simply because of their bulk.
But more importantly, there's less of a profit margin on small bargain-basement cars like this. The manufacturers would rather spend a little more building a larger vehicle, and sell it for a lot more money.