Toyota Tarago people mover to return – report

The Toyota Tarago could be making a return, according to an unconfirmed report out of Japan.

Best Car magazine – which is known to have reliable sources inside Toyota – claims the company has begun development on an all-new Tarago, originally sold in Japan under the Estima name.

While there were several generations of the Tarago, arguably the best known was the model sold throughout the 1990s – made famous by its futuristic egg-shaped appearance, which aided aerodynamics and reduced wind noise, along with its modular interior and relatively good on-road handling.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

Whereas most people movers to that point had been based on commercial vans, the Tarago was a standalone model, featuring a mid-mounted engine and either rear- or all-wheel drive.

According to Best Car, the new-generation Tarago is set to be based on Toyota’s GA-K platform, shared with the RAV4 and Kluger, among other models. Toyota also uses the GA-K to underpin other people movers, including the Alphard and Vellfire not sold in Australia.

Along with a hybrid engine, the report claims the born-again Tarago will be offered with an electric powertrain.

These early renderings from Best Car suggest the new model could adopt styling similar to that of the 1990s Tarago, complete with a heavily raked windscreen and egg-shaped body.

With the Tarago and now the Granvia discontinued, and only the HiAce Commuter doing current duty, Toyota has struggled to return to the greatness it experienced when the Tarago was one of the most popular people movers on sale in this country – with that segment now dominated by the Kia Carnival.

MORE: Explore the Toyota showroom