What car replaced the Toyota Carina?
The direct European replacement for the Toyota Carina was the Toyota Avensis, which debuted in 1997 to take over the Carina E’s market segment. In other regions, replacements varied, with Toyota shifting to other mid-size models over time. This article explains how the Carina was phased out across key markets and outlines a brief timeline of the transition.
European replacement
The most straightforward successor to the Carina in Europe was the Avensis. Introduced in 1997, the Avensis served as Toyota’s mid-size sedan in European markets for more than a decade, remaining in production in various generations until the model’s European discontinuation in 2018.
- Europe: Toyota Avensis (launched 1997) directly replaced the Carina E in the European market and remained the mid-size sedan there until 2018.
The European shift to the Avensis reflects Toyota’s strategy of consolidating mid-size offerings under a single nameplate for efficiency and branding in Europe.
Japan and other markets
Outside Europe, replacement patterns varied. In Japan, the Carina name eventually gave way to other mid-size models such as Premio and Allion in the late 2000s, while some regions relied on Camry- or Corolla-based sedans to fill the same market segment. These regional adjustments illustrate how Toyota reorganized its lineup to fit local preferences and regulatory environments.
- Japan and other markets: Replacement occurred through regional mid-size models like Premio/Allion in Japan, and various Camry/Corolla-based sedans in other markets, rather than a single global successor.
Regional strategies differed, so the Carina’s successor varied by country, though the Avensis is widely cited as the European benchmark for the Carina’s direct replacement.
Timeline snapshot
Key milestones show when the Carina was supplanted by its successors in major markets.
- 1997 — Toyota launches the Avensis, replacing the Carina E in Europe.
- Late 2000s — Premio and Allion emerge in Japan as domestic replacements for various Carina variants.
- 2018 — European Avensis is discontinued, marking the end of the Avensis nameplate in Europe.
These milestones illustrate how Toyota phased out the Carina name globally, with Europe adopting the Avensis as its direct successor and Japan using region-specific models.
Summary
The Toyota Carina’s European successor was the Avensis, introduced in 1997 and produced in Europe until 2018. In Japan and other markets, replacements varied by region, with models like Premio and Allion taking on similar roles domestically and other markets adopting Camry- or Corolla-based sedans. The Carina name gradually disappeared as Toyota reorganized its mid-size lineup around these newer models.
Why did Toyota discontinue the Celica?
Sales for the Celica reflected its declining fortunes, slumping almost 50 percent compared to last year. Year to date, the Celica had dropped more than 33 percent off its 2003 pace.
What replaced the Toyota Carina?
It was replaced in Japan by the Toyota Allion in 2001 and succeeded in Europe by the Toyota Avensis. The inspiration for the name Carina came from the constellation Carina, sharing a naming inspiration with the Celica, which is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial".
What is the Toyota Carina based on?
Celica
The Carina was based on the Celica, which sold well in the US in 1971, but the Carina and the Crown didn't do well in the early 1970s as Toyota transitioned from relative obscurity to a major player in the US.
What cars replaced the Toyota Corona?
Toyota Camry
The Corona was ultimately replaced in Japan by the Toyota Premio; in Europe by the Toyota Avensis; and in Asia, Pacific markets, and the Americas by the Toyota Camry. The nameplate corona derives from the Latin word for "crown", the sedan taking its place just below Toyota's similarly named flagship, the Toyota Crown.
