Toyota Asian Dragon Historical Review Pretty Country People's Favorite

[Aika car shopping guide original]

The other day, I shared with you a few "special cars" that are only available in China. Some friends feel that the special car is the product that understands the needs of Chinese consumers, but many friends feel that only the original imported models can be regarded as classics. The reason why there is a special supply car is due to the large demand for the automobile market in this country and the good sales prospects. Then car companies are naturally willing to develop a separate model for consumers in this area, after all, no one will be unable to live with money. When it comes to special cars in foreign markets, the most classic case is Toyota's Asian Dragon built specifically for the U.S. market. Coinciding with the launch of the 2022 FAW Toyota Asian Dragon, today we will talk about it together, which is a special car loved by Chinese and American consumers - Toyota Asian Dragon.

First generation Toyota Asia Dragon (1994-1999)

The Asian Dragon is Toyota's flagship model launched exclusively for the U.S. market in the 1990s. When it comes to Toyota's flagship model, many friends may have doubts. Isn't Toyota's flagship model a crown? Yes, for Asian consumers, the Crown brand is indeed the undisputed flagship model of Toyota. But for American consumers, the name CROWN has not been heard for more than fifty years. Although there are rumors that the 2022 Crown will return to the US market in the fourth quarter, this news has not yet been confirmed by Toyota. Back to the point, in the eyes of American consumers, the Asian Dragon is the flagship model of the Toyota car logo, and it is also a national model with super high sales in the United States.

The name Asian Dragon is the nickname given to it by the Chinese people, of course, this name was eventually used in its domestic models. Toyota Asian Dragon's English name is AVALON, and the little friends who love script killing must be familiar with this name. AVALON is a holy place in Celtic mythology and a pure land considered by the Druid religion, with a religious status similar to the Garden of Eden as we know it. When a car has such a beautiful and sacred name, it will naturally gain widespread attention from consumers.

In 1994, the first generation of Toyota Asian Dragon was born in the United States, as a medium and large car specially developed for the North American market, The Asian Dragon made the careful thinking of Americans clear. At that time, American consumers attached great importance to the practical performance of a car, and the Asian Dragon also just catered to this preference of American consumers.

At that time, the Americans' demand for body size was perverted. It can be said that it is not to seek the biggest, but only to seek the bigger. In fact, not only the American consumers at that time, to this day, the American consumers are still fond of big cars.

The first generation of Asian Dragons based on toyota Camry (now Camry) chassis, the length * width * height reached 4831 * 1786 * 1420mm, wheelbase 2720mm. Such a body size may be a standard mid-size car level for today's car market, and in the 90s, this size can already be called a big car.

The Asian Dragon is not only large enough in body size, but also has a high utilization rate of space in the car. In addition to the large amount of storage space in the car, the Asian Dragon, which was born from the front-drive platform, also adopts an almost flat design on the rear floor. Compared with the rear-drive models such as the Mercury Old Marquis and the Victoria Crown at that time, the smaller Asian Dragon had a greater advantage in the performance of the rear seat space, compared with the opponent whose body size exceeded 5 meters.

Of course, if you want to sell well in the United States, you must learn to follow the local customs. The first generation of The Asian Dragon not only had a direct-pat model (5 seats), but also a pocket gear design (6 seats) commonly used in American cars at that time, which enabled the front row of horizontal platform space to allow the Asian Dragon to launch the 6-seat layout model (3+3 layout) that Americans loved.

In terms of power, the first generation of Toyota Asian Dragon is equipped with a 1MZ-FE 3.0L V6 engine, the earlier version has a maximum power of 190 horsepower and a peak torque of 285 Nm, and the later version has a maximum power increase of 192 horsepower, and is equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The first generation of Toyota Asian Dragon was born in 1994, and in 1995, a right-hand drive model was developed and introduced to the Japanese market. After 5 years in service, it withdrew from the US market in 1999 and the production line was transferred to Australia as a whole. However, whether in Japan or Australia, sales are not optimistic, after all, the Asian Dragon is a model designed for the US market.

2nd generation Toyota Asia Dragon (1999-2004)

In 1999, the second-generation Toyota Asia Dragon was launched in the United States. The second-generation Asian Dragon, built from the Toyota Camry (now Camry) VX20 platform, continues the wheelbase of the previous model's 2720mm, but the body is lengthened by 43mm. The larger body size doesn't make the Asian Dragon look bloated, and I think it's all thanks to the new exterior design concept adopted by the new Asian Dragon.

Although the design at that time was outdated today, in the 1990s, when American cars were still obsessed with rounded ship-shaped body design, The Asian Dragon began to try to use a small number of angular lines in the shape of the body and body parts. A small number of tough designs matched the sleek body curves loved by Americans at that time, creating a second-generation Asian dragon with a modern and American style.

Born from the Georgetown, Kentucky, U.S.-based plant, the Asian Dragon took a bolder approach to design. Straight waterfall type middle net, open corner headlights, chrome body waistline and so on, all make it look very delicate.

The rear design is quite advanced, and the two-color taillights are now commonplace designs. But in the 90s, even in the United States, such taillight designs were definitely novel.

Inside the car, the through-the-bay centre console is very avant-garde. Judging from people's aesthetics now, it is not outdated. The light beige interior, along with the steering wheel, centre console and gear lever, is the same colour and harmonious. Not for other reasons, but with the increasing improvement of US safety regulations, the 6-seater had to withdraw from the historical stage.

Many people will feel that although the old Japanese car has a taste, the configuration is low and unsightly. When you see this second generation Asian Dragon, you will definitely change your old thinking. In addition to the high-tech features of the whole car, such as leather seats, electric adjustment, power windows, automatic air conditioning and a central control driving data display, the second-generation Toyota Asian Dragon was also equipped with a 7.1-channel car high-quality audio system from JBL on the high-end model (XLE and above configuration).

You may say that JBL audio is the most beginner audio brand nowadays, but I would like to say that please do not look at it with the current eyes. Because in 1999, many car audios were still only in the stage of listening to the radio.

In terms of power parameters, the second generation of The Asian Dragon fully continues the powertrain of the previous generation, and the 1MZ-FE 3.0L V6 engine adds VVT-i continuous variable valve timing technology, the maximum power is increased to 209 horsepower, the peak torque is increased to 287Nm, and the same 4-speed automatic transmission is used.

After seeing the first two generations of Toyota Asian Dragon, perhaps friends will feel very strange. Indeed, compared to toyota camry (now camry), corolla and crown models, the Asian dragon does rarely appear in the field of vision of the Chinese people. However, since the beginning of the first generation of Asian Dragon, the coastal cities and port cities on the mainland, especially the southern cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, have been introducing these two generations of models on a small scale. To this day, the second generation of Asian dragons can occasionally be seen on some used car websites, and the price is not cheap. It can be seen that this car does have an "interesting soul" that is worth checking twice a year.

First and second generation Asian dragons

3rd Generation Toyota Asia Dragon (2005-2012)

The time came to 2005, the fifth year of the second generation of Asian Dragons, and the third generation of Toyota Asian Dragons arrived as promised. I have to say that the past car replacement is always so punctual. The new Asian Dragon was still born from the precursor platform, but the precursor is still different from the precursor. This time, the Asian Dragon did not follow the front-drive platform of the Toyota Camry, but adopted the more advanced Toyota K series platform. As a result, not only has the body size become larger, but the driving texture has also been further improved.

Personally, I think that the third generation of Asian Dragon has not improved in design except for a substantial increase in body size. Compared with the previous generation of models, the appearance of the third generation of Asian Dragon is very ordinary, very typical family car design, whether it is the middle net, headlights, or the design of the whole vehicle encirclement, rear and other places, people feel that there are not too many surprises.

The shape design of the headlights makes the front of the car look very uninvited, and the open-corner headlights of the previous generation model are completely different in the design sense. The whole series, regardless of the high and low models, uses a halogen light source, and there is no configuration such as the newly emerging daytime running lights or xenon headlights, which is indeed a bit regrettable.

The central network has changed from the straight waterfall type of the previous generation model to the banner type, and the visual effect is very ordinary. The right chrome decoration can be regarded as a little more delicate for the front face, but the overall appearance is still not stable enough, nor does it attract the eye.

The rear shape of the car continues most of the design of the previous generation model, but it seems that only the fur has been learned, and the larger body size makes the long tail box shape look very protracted. The tail shape of the beveled design is the usual design method of the models of that era. The taillights are designed in a parallelogram as a whole, which is somewhat unusual. However, the interior is still using a halogen light source, and the sense of technology and modernity is not strong.

I saw in the Aika Asian Dragon Forum that many fans of the current Asian Dragon are surprised by the launch of the Touring version of the Asian Dragon, believing that in addition to the more suitable configuration, the rest of the design is the failure of the fifth generation model. But you may not know that the Asian Dragon has already launched a Touring version in the third generation of models.

Compared to the XLE, LE or Limited version, the overall design of the Touring version is younger, the rear wing is added to the rear, and the interior is also added with a pure black color scheme, which is more attractive for young people.

Although the third generation of Asian Dragon does not have many highlights in terms of exterior design, the interior design can definitely get a high score. Not only is there a variety of dual-color interiors to choose from, but the interior configuration is also greatly improved. Configurations such as the multi-function steering wheel, the large central control screen with navigation function, multi-disc CDs, seat ventilation/heating and other configurations have appeared in this generation of Asian dragons.

The rear configuration is quite in place, not only the seats are made of punched leather materials, but also the angle can be adjusted, of course, the rear seats of that era are naturally manually adjusted. It is worth mentioning that the rear window is also equipped with electric sunshades, which also appeared on the highest domestic Camry models of the same era.

Thanks to the continued use of the front-wheel platform, the rear floor of this generation of Asian Dragons is still a near-flat design, and the 2 cm bulge can be completely compensated by the foot pads, which is almost negligible.

In terms of power configuration, in order to meet the needs of the US market, the third generation of The Asian Dragon was equipped with a new 2GR-FE 3.5L V6 engine. Speaking of 2GR-FE, friends who know the Toyota brand must be familiar with this engine, such as the Lexus ES 350, Highlander 3.5L, Nichi's Ruizhi and Previa and other models are equipped with this engine. The maximum power is 272 horsepower, 0-100km/h acceleration time is only about 6 seconds, this acceleration performance to today, can also drop a lot of performance cars in seconds, right?

The third-generation Toyota Asia Dragon was officially discontinued in early 2012 and served for nearly seven years, with a minor makeover in between. The appearance has been slightly upgraded, and the power has also been slightly improved. The biggest attraction is that the Aisin 5AT gearbox is upgraded to the aisin first-generation 6AT gearbox, and the smoothness and fuel consumption have been further improved.

4th Generation Toyota Asia Dragon (2012-2018)

In the second quarter of 2012, with the perfect end of the third generation of Asian Dragons, the fourth generation of Asian Dragons was officially unveiled at the New York Auto Show. The new car is still produced by the K platform improved by the previous model, and adopts the latest family design, which has a significant improvement in appearance design compared with the previous model.

The "big mouth" net shape of the front of the car originated from Toyota's latest Keen Look design language at that time, and until today's Toyota sedan, it still uses the upgraded Keen Look design style. Proper chrome decoration of the middle mesh makes the front face not only look not monotonous, but also adds a little luxury just right.

The slender through-the-mesh and irregularly shaped headlights finally shamed the awkward design of the previous generation. Early models used far and near light integrated xenon headlights, which were upgraded to LED light sources after being redesigned. The overall front face design is very in line with the aesthetics of americans, sports, fashion and atmosphere.

The tail design of the fourth generation asian dragon is obviously hard work, and the stout taillight designer of the horizontal strip shape is simple and atmospheric. Compared with the previous model, the shorter luggage compartment cover finally bid farewell to the feeling of buying a grocery cart, and the rear window with a large inclination design is connected to the tail box cover shape, which makes the Asian Dragon look like a little luxury car déjà vu.

Inside the car, the interior design of the fourth generation Asian Dragon is quite exquisite. Although peach wood, chrome and other seemingly tacky decorations are also applied, the overall effect is not bad, at least do not see any sense of cheapness.

However, perhaps there is some excess in the configuration of the previous generation, resulting in this generation of models compared with the previous generation of models without substantial improvement. Although the functions of color central control large screen, automatic air conditioning, leather seat heating/ventilation, multi-function steering wheel, etc. are all readily available, they are only equipped with these functions on the previous model.

Of course, some of the popular configurations at that time also appeared in the car, in addition to toyota G-BOOK smart seats, functions such as wireless charging, car-machine interconnection and other functions also appeared in high-end models. At the same time, in order to enhance the active safety performance of the vehicle, the later versions of the model also added automatic braking and ACC adaptive cruise functions.

In terms of power configuration, the fourth-generation Asian Dragon has also added a hybrid version for the first time in addition to the 2GR-FE 3.5L V6 engine that performed well on the previous model. The 2.5L Atkinson cycle engine is paired with an electric motor and the total power of the system can reach 203 horsepower. The power performance is not the strength of this system, the advantage of the hybrid system is naturally the fuel consumption performance, the fuel consumption of the 3.5L 2GR-FE engine is often more than 12L/100km, and the Asian Dragon Hybrid model equipped with the hybrid system, the fuel consumption of 100 kilometers is only half of the gasoline model.

These are the four generations of Toyota Asian Dragon models that have been launched in the United States, Japan, Australia and Southeast Asia. Although in terms of design, each generation of Asian Dragon models has been greatly upgraded or changed, but the same is the positioning of Asian Dragon models as flagship models in the North American market. The success of the Asian Dragon seems to have allowed Toyota to gradually find a model that can adapt to the special needs of American consumers. Since the fourth generation of models, the Asian Dragon has also been officially introduced into China, and it will be jointly produced by FAW Toyota. How does it perform? Let's look down.

Third and fourth generation Asian dragons

5th Generation Toyota Asia Dragon (2018-present)

Born from the TNGA-K platform, the Asian Dragon adopted a very radical front face design in the exterior design, and the exaggerated front grille was even twice as large as the "big mouth" shape of the previous model.

The headlight design of the American model adopts a unique keel shape of daytime running lights, and the effect after lighting is handsome. However, it is a pity that the domestic version after the introduction has not been able to continue the design of the US model due to regulatory restrictions.

Coming to the car, the double-panel interior color of the American model has a strong auto parts city style. In particular, the perforated leather used in the steering wheel at 3/9 o'clock has a very poor texture, much like a late addition.

Of course, the US version of the model is not without our envy, for example, the central control large screen supports CarPlay, MirrorLink and AndroidAuto interconnection protocol, and almost all the smartphone systems on the market. As far as the CarPlay configuration is concerned, until the 2022 FAW Toyota Asian Dragon is not equipped, it is very regrettable.

In terms of power, the Toyota Asian Dragon, which is sold in the North American market, has two powertrains, a 3.5-liter self-priming engine and a 2.5-liter Hybird dual engine. Of course, the TRD version is also equipped with a 3.5L V6 naturally aspirated engine with a maximum power of 221kW (301Ps), matching the Aisin 6AT gearbox that has remained unchanged for 100 years. However, the TRD version adds a more aggressive sports kit, which seems to have a strong visual impact.

After the Asian Dragon came to China, from the design, configuration and even color matching, it has been adjusted to be more adapted to the domestic aesthetics and regulations. For example, in addition to the adjustment of the internal light source of the headlights, the use of delicate glossy leather instead of perforated leather makes the auto parts city style of the steering wheel disappear in an instant.

In addition to the difference in appearance, interior design and material selection from the AMERICAN version, the powertrain has also been localized. In addition to retaining the 2.5L Hybrid dual-engine powertrain of the U.S. version, the 3.5L V6 model was eliminated and replaced by a 2.5L model. Half a year after the listing, Asia Dragon also added a 2.0L naturally aspirated model, with a guidance price of less than 200,000 yuan, which also greatly reduced the purchase threshold of Asia Dragon.

After 4 years, the Asian Dragon has lost its former glory in its hometown, and finally had to face the crisis of suspension of production. The domestic FAW Toyota Asia Dragon has always had a good sales performance, although it is not as strong as the Camry performance, but the average monthly sales of more than 10,000 is not a problem. It is also for this reason that FAW Toyota began to carry out a mid-term restructuring. The 2022 FAW Toyota Asia Dragon will also officially meet with us today.

2022 FAW Toyota Asian Dragon, the upgrade in the appearance part is still relatively obvious. The contour of the front face has been slightly changed, and the middle net, headlights, and rim shape have also been upgraded, and friends who know a little about this model can see the changes in the new and old models at a glance.

The iconic large-area mesh shape of this generation of Asian Dragon has been continued, but in terms of grille details, the 2022 Asian Dragon adopts a matrix grille shape with rules disconnection on the basis of the simple banner grille of the old model. At the same time, the matte banner trim also adds a high-gloss paint decoration to make the front of the car look more delicate.

The 2022 Asian Dragon has not changed in body size, and still maintains the body parameters of the current model. The length, width and height are 4975*1850*1450mm, and the wheelbase is 2870mm. And the 2022 model is consistent with the current model in the tail design, and there are no styling and design changes.

Coming to the car, at first glance, the overall interior design of the 2022 Asian Dragon model is not obvious, but this does not mean that the new model has not been upgraded. Taking this top-end model as an example, from the configuration point of view, the 2022 model adds 12.3-inch full LCD instrument, 10.1-inch Baidu operating system, wireless charging, Type-C charging interface, TSS2.5 Zhixing security, Zhixing interconnection system with remote control and so on. Compared with the current Asian Dragon, there is also a significant improvement in the convenience of use.

Editor's Comments:

From 1995 to 2022, five generations of models, 28 years of history has created this generation of classic models that make the American people unforgettable and let the Chinese people love. As a person who has deeply experienced the two versions of the American and Chinese standard five-generation Asian dragons, this car has also left a deep impression on me. The TNGA-K platform does give the Asian Dragon a stronger sense of driving, handling and spatial performance, and the radical exterior design makes the Asian Dragon not look like a father's car. The appearance of fashion and reliable machinery are also the biggest selling points that Toyota has given to this generation of new Asian dragons, and I think this fine tradition can also be inherited by the 2022 model. At the end of the article, which model is the classic of the generation in your heart? Please let me know in the comments section.

Fifth generation and revamped Asian Dragon