The Toyota Brevis is a mid-sized luxury sedan introduced in May 2001 and sold only in Japan. The Brevis has some styling cues from the Lexus LS 430. Sales started in June, 2001. The Brevis was discontinued in 2007. The Brevis was exclusive to Toyota Japan dealerships Toyota Store, while its twin the Toyota Progrès was exclusive to Toyopet Store locations. The marketing approach used for the Brevis was shared with a Toyota Vista Store sedan, called the Toyota Verossa, which used a different platform. The Brevis represented the market segment previously served in Japan by the Toyota Carina ED. The width and engine displacement exceed Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement, and therefore it classified in the larger "passenger car" tax bracket.
The word "brevis" is Latin for "brief, a short amount of time or duration", which seems appropriate as the car was only produced for seven years before being cancelled, with no replacement.
The Toyota Brevis is based on the Progres, which was launched half a year before the Altezza/Lexus IS with a similar platform. Unlike Progres, the new Brevis aims at younger customers, with Toyota saying it is intended to compete directly with imports like the BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-Class. The chassis and powertrain is similar to the Progres, with altered exterior styling and a differently trimmed interior. The headlamps consists of three round type beams. The feeling of luxury and elegant space is reflected by using the green lighting for the speedometer and the clock. The stylish center console houses a LCD monitor and an alloy-effect sound system which consists of an on-dash CD changer, DVD and MD playback, with 7 speakers on the top model.
The Brevis is based on the same rear-drive platform as the Lexus IS, using a double wishbone suspension at all four wheels, with the wheelbase extended to 2,780 mm (109.4 in). In terms of size and weight, it stands between the BMW 3-series and 5-series, so cabin space is plentifull. However, dynamically speaking it can hardly match the European rivals (in Toyota's brand images, that role is left for Lexus to fulfill), even though it rides on double-wishbone suspension. Suspension is set softer than the Lexus, steering is less direct, and its 1,550 kg (3,417 lb) kerb weight also hurt handling agility.
There are two choices of power plant: 2.5-litre or 3.0-litre straight-six both front mounted, producing 149 kW (200 hp) and 164 kW (220 hp) respectively. Both are equipped with VVT-i and D-4 direct injection. It comes with 5-speed automatic (2WD car) or 4-speed automatic (4WD car) gearbox options, in which the 4WD option is only available for the 2.5 litre model.
Other options include power adjustable pedal, in which pedal positions can be adjusted to suit the drivers' driving posture and the position of the pedals, steering wheel and driver’s seat are memorized. There is also an electric rear sunshade and a radar guided cruise control system to ensure a safe following distance to the car ahead in correspondence to the traveling speed. All these are standard equipment. Also included are the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, ABS, and high intensity discharge (HID) head lamps.
The Previs was changed in April 2004 as the prestigious mesh grille design was adopted for the front grille. The models after December 2005 come with EMV (with color backing guide monitor & window shade corner monitor) and also a DVD voice navigation system for G-BOOK and NAVI.AI-SHIFT (not applicable for 4WD models.)
« — Toyota road cars timeline, 1985–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Model year | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Subcompact | Starlet P70 | Starlet P80 | Vitz XP10 | Vitz XP90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Starlet P90 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tercel, Corolla II, Corsa L20 | Tercel, Corolla II, Corsa L30 | Tercel, Corolla II, Corsa L40 | Tercel, Corolla II, Corsa L50 | Platz XP10 | Belta XP90 | ||||||||||||||||||||
FunCargo XP20 | Ractis XP100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
bB XP30 | bB AC20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
ist XP60 | ist XP110 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Compact | Corolla, Sprinter E80 | Corolla, Sprinter E90 | Corolla, Sprinter E100 | Corolla, Sprinter E110 | Corolla, Sprinter E120/130 | Corolla, Sprinter E140/150 | |||||||||||||||||||
Corona T150 | Corona T170 | Corona T190 | Corona T210 | Corona Premio T240 | Premio T260 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Corona EXIV T180 | Corona EXIV T200 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cynos L40 | Cynos L50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Camry V10 | Camry V20 | Camry V30 | Camry V40 | Avensis T250 | Avensis T270 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Vista V10 | Vista V20 | Vista V30 | Vista V40 | Vista V50 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Compact luxury | Altezza XE10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Progress XG10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brevis XG10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Compact Wagon/VAN | Altezza Gita XE10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Voltz E130 | Voltz E140 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carina Surf T150 | Carina Surf T170 | Caldina T190 | Caldina T210 | Caldina T240 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Mid-size car | Camry XV20 | Camry XV30 | Camry XV40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Scepter XV10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Windom XV10 | Windom XV20 | Windom XV30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Aristo S147 | Aristo S160 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mark II, Cressida, Chaser, Cresta X70 | Mark II, Cressida, Chaser, Cresta X80 | Mark II, Chaser, Cresta X90 | Mark II, Chaser, Cresta X100 | Mark II, Verossa X110 | Mark X X120 | Mark X X130 | |||||||||||||||||||
Mid-size wagon | Mark II Qualis XV20 | Mark II Blit X110 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Camry Gracia XV20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full-size | Crown S120 | Crown S130 | Crown S130/S140 | Crown S150 | Crown S170 | Crown S180 | Crown S200 | ||||||||||||||||||
Celsior XF10 | Celsior XF20 | Celsior XF30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hybrid | Prius NHW10 | Prius NHW11 | Prius NHW20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Limousine | Century G40 | Century G50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport compact | Celica A60 | Celica T160 | Celica T180 | Celica T200 | Celica T230 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Carina A60 | Cavalier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carina T150 | Carina T170 | Carina T190 | Carina T210 | Allion T240 | Allion T260 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Carina ED T160 | Carina ED T180 | Carina ED T200 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sports | Soarer Z10 | Soarer Z20 | Soarer Z30 | Soarer Z40 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Celica Supra A60 | Supra A70 | Supra A80 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Roadster | MR2 AW10/11 | MR2 SW20 | MR-S ZZW30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Limited edition | Toyota Sera XY10 | Toyota Classic N80 | Toyota Origin XG10 |