The Tercel was Toyota's entry-level vehicle in North America during the 1980s and 1990s. The Tercel was slotted between the Corolla and the Starlet, and was meant to offer basic affordable transportation while introducing young buyers to the Toyota brand. The Tercel was redesigned several times over its twenty year run. It was produced as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, a four-door wagon, and a hatchback with three- and five- door versions. By 1991, only the coupe and sedan were offered. 1999 was the last year the Tercel was produced; rising sticker prices . The Tercel is built on the same platform as the Toyota Paseo and the Toyota Starlet, and hence many parts (including the engines) are interchangeable.
The name "Tercel" comes from the Latin word for "one third", since
the Toyota Tercel was slightly smaller than the Corolla. This was
similar to the use of tiercel in referring to a male falcon, which is
one-third smaller than the female. All Tercels were built at the
Takaoka Plant in Toyota City, Japan.
The Tercel, like the Paseo, shares a similar platform to both the
Toyota Starlet and Toyota Cynos. Several parts are interchangeable
between the four.
