Toyota FunCargo

Toyota FunCargo: which version to buy

The Toyota FunCargo was sold in one generation only (August 1999–September 2005) as a Compact Van with eight factory versions. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the buying question is which of those eight drivetrains matches how you drive.

The Toyota FunCargo was sold in one generation only (August 1999–September 2005) as a Compact Van with eight factory versions. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the buying question is which of those eight drivetrains matches how you drive. The spread is 86–110 hp, 122–145 Nm, 1000–1110 kg kerb, FWD or AWD, 5-speed Manual or 4-speed Automatic, and ground clearance of 150 mm on seven versions versus 155 mm on one. Performance and economy are measured on four versions and not measured on the other four — treat a blank figure as not measured, not as “does not apply.”

Generations: what one generation actually offers

1 generation (1999-08-01 to 2005-09-30). Compact Van, eight versions, no restyling listed as a separate generation. Every version below is this generation. The catalogue does not split early/late facelift years, so you cannot use a restyle date to pick a car; you pick by engine, gearbox, and drive.

Specs: engines, gearbox, drive (all eight, names as in the database)

All eight use Gasoline, Front, transverse, Distributed injection (multi-point), compression 10.5, no boost. Bore × stroke is 75 × 73.5 on the 1.3-litre trio and 75 × 84.7 on the 1.5-litre five. Three catalogue lines share the name 1.5 AT — they are not the same car: 106 hp AWD (1496 cc, 77 kW, 138 Nm), 110 hp FWD (1496 cc, 81 kW, 139 Nm), and 106 hp FWD (1497 cc, 78 kW, 145 Nm). Two lines share 1.3 AT: 88 hp / 1298 cc / 92 versus 86 hp / 1299 cc / 95. Two lines share 1.5 MT: AWD versus FWD, otherwise the measured numbers match.

Performance and economy: what is measured, what is not

0–100 km/h (measured). 1.5 MT (both FWD and AWD) and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc: 11.2 s. 1.3 MT 86 hp: 11.9 s (0.7 s slower). 1.3 AT 86 hp: 13.9 s (2.0 s slower than the 1.3 Manual, 2.7 s slower than the 1.5 trio at 11.2 s). Not measured: 1.3 AT 88 hp, 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD, 1.5 AT 110 hp.

Top speed (measured). 1.5 MT (both) and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc: 175 km/h. 1.3 MT 86 hp: 165 km/h (10 km/h less). 1.3 AT 86 hp: 155 km/h (20 km/h less than the 1.5 group, 10 km/h less than the 1.3 Manual). Not measured: 1.3 AT 88 hp, 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD, 1.5 AT 110 hp.

Fuel use, L/100 km (measured). 1.3 MT 86 hp: 8.2 city / 5.5 highway / 6.0 mixed. 1.3 AT 86 hp: 8.9 / 5.8 / 6.5 — Automatic costs +0.7 city, +0.3 highway, +0.5 mixed versus the 1.3 Manual. 1.5 MT (FWD and AWD, same figures): 8.2 / 5.7 / 6.7. Versus 1.3 MT, the 1.5 Manual matches city use, uses +0.2 on the highway, and +0.7 mixed. Not measured on 1.3 AT 88 hp, both remaining 1.5 AT 1496 cc cars, and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc (that last one has 0–100 and top speed measured, but consumption is not measured).

Tank is 45 L on every version. CO2 and eco class: not measured on all eight.

Dimensions and weight

Kerb weight: 1.3 AT 88 hp 1000 kg (lightest); 1.5 AT 110 hp and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc 1030 kg; 1.3 MT and 1.3 AT 86 hp 1055 kg; both 1.5 MT 1075 kg; 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD 1110 kg (heaviest, +110 kg versus the lightest 1.3 Automatic).

Gross weight: 1500 kg on both 86 hp 1.3 versions; 1530 kg on both 1.5 MT and on 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc. Not measured on 1.3 AT 88 hp, 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD, 1.5 AT 110 hp.

Ground clearance: 155 mm only on 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD; 150 mm on the other seven (+5 mm is the entire listed height gain for AWD Automatic). Wheel sizes: not measured on all eight.

Front suspension: Independent, spring on all eight. Rear: Independent, spring on 1.3 MT, 1.3 AT 86 hp, both 1.5 MT, and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc; Semi-independent, spring on 1.3 AT 88 hp, 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD, and 1.5 AT 110 hp. Brakes: Ventilated disc front, Drum rear on all eight.

Which version to choose

There is only one generation, so “which generation” is not a choice. Arithmetic on the eight lines is.

Power per litre (hp per litre of listed displacement). 1.5 AT 110 hp: 110 / 1.496 ≈ 73.5 hp/L (highest). 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD: 106 / 1.496 ≈ 70.9. 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc: 106 / 1.497 ≈ 70.8. 1.3 AT 88 hp: 88 / 1.298 ≈ 67.8. 1.3 MT / 1.3 AT 86 hp: 86 / 1.299 ≈ 66.2 (lowest specific output). The 110 hp FWD Automatic is the densest engine in the set; the 86 hp 1.3 pair is the least dense.

Kerb kilograms per horsepower. 1.5 AT 110 hp: 1030 / 110 ≈ 9.36 kg/hp (best listed ratio). 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc: 1030 / 106 ≈ 9.72. 1.5 MT (both): 1075 / 106 ≈ 10.14. 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD: 1110 / 106 ≈ 10.47. 1.3 AT 88 hp: 1000 / 88 ≈ 11.36. 1.3 86 hp (MT and AT): 1055 / 86 ≈ 12.27 (worst). If you want the least mass per horsepower, 1.5 AT 110 hp is the number; if you want the lightest car regardless of power, 1.3 AT 88 hp at 1000 kg still wins.

1.3 versus 1.5 where both are measured. 1.5 MT versus 1.3 MT: +20 hp (106 vs 86), +21 Nm (145 vs 124), 0–100 11.2 vs 11.9 (−0.7 s), top speed 175 vs 165 (+10 km/h), mixed fuel 6.7 vs 6.0 (+0.7 L/100 km), kerb 1075 vs 1055 (+20 kg), gross 1530 vs 1500 (+30 kg). City use is the same 8.2. You pay 0.7 L/100 km mixed for 20 hp, 10 km/h, and 0.7 s. 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc versus 1.3 AT 86 hp: same 11.2 s and 175 km/h versus 13.9 s and 155 km/h (−2.7 s, +20 km/h), kerb 1030 vs 1055 (−25 kg). Fuel on that 1.5 Automatic is not measured, so you cannot claim it is thirstier than the 1.3 Automatic from this table.

Manual versus Automatic on the same 1.3. 1.3 MT 86 hp versus 1.3 AT 86 hp: same 86 hp, 124 Nm, 1299 cc, 95, FWD, 1055 kg, 1500 kg gross, 150 mm. The Manual is 2.0 s quicker to 100 (11.9 vs 13.9), 10 km/h faster (165 vs 155), and 0.5 L/100 km lower mixed (6.0 vs 6.5). If you will live with a 5-speed Manual, the 86 hp 1.3 MT is the cheaper-to-run 1.3 with measured figures. The 1.3 AT 88 hp is a different engine line (1298 cc, 92, 88 hp, 122 Nm, 1000 kg) and has 0–100, top speed, and consumption all not measured — do not assume it is quicker than the 86 hp Automatic just because it has +2 hp and −55 kg; the catalogue did not measure it.

The three cars named 1.5 AT. 1.5 AT 110 hp: most power (110 vs 106), 139 Nm, 1496 cc, 92, FWD, 1030 kg, 150 mm, Semi-independent rear — but 0–100, top speed, fuel, and gross weight are not measured. 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD: only Automatic AWD, heaviest at 1110 kg, only 155 mm clearance, 138 Nm, 92, gross/fuel/0–100/top speed not measured. 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc: the only 1.5 AT with 11.2 s, 175 km/h, 145 Nm, 95, Independent rear, 1030 kg, 1530 kg gross; fuel not measured. If you need an Automatic 1.5 and you need published speed figures, the 1497 cc FWD 1.5 AT 106 hp is the only one that has them. If you need AWD with an Automatic, only 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD exists — you accept +80 kg versus the 110 hp FWD, +5 mm clearance, and no measured 0–100.

The two cars named 1.5 MT. Same 106 hp, 78 kW, 145 Nm, 1497 cc, 95, 5-speed Manual, 1075 kg, 1530 kg, 150 mm, 11.2 s, 175 km/h, 8.2 / 5.7 / 6.7. The only listed difference is FWD versus AWD. Mixed fuel is the same in the data, so AWD is not shown as a consumption penalty here. Choose AWD 1.5 MT when you want the extra driven axle; choose FWD 1.5 MT when you do not. Do not pick between them on mpg or 0–100 — the numbers are identical.

92 versus 95. Versions on 92: 1.3 AT 88 hp, 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD, 1.5 AT 110 hp. Versions on 95: both 86 hp 1.3s, both 1.5 MT, 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc. If local 92 is easier, the 88 hp 1.3 Automatic and the two 1496 cc 1.5 Automatics are the 92 set — knowing that two of those three have no measured economy.

Practical shortlist. Daily FWD, measured economy, lowest mixed use: 1.3 MT 86 hp (6.0 mixed, 11.9 s, 165 km/h). Daily FWD, measured pace of the 1.5 group, Automatic: 1.5 AT 106 hp 1497 cc (11.2 s, 175 km/h; fuel not measured). Daily FWD, best kg/hp and peak hp, accept unmeasured speed/fuel: 1.5 AT 110 hp (9.36 kg/hp). AWD with measured 0–100: 1.5 MT 106 hp AWD only. AWD with Automatic: 1.5 AT 106 hp AWD only (clearance 155 mm; speed and fuel not measured). Lightest kerb: 1.3 AT 88 hp at 1000 kg (performance not measured). Avoid treating the two 1.3 AT lines or the three 1.5 AT lines as one spec — same name, different hp, drive, fuel grade, and which fields are filled in.

Reliability, common problems, and prices are not in this dataset; the comparison above is only the eight factory spec sheets for 1 generation of the FunCargo Compact Van.