The Toyota Isis is a seven-seat MPV launched in Japan in September 2004 and built under contract by Kanto Auto Works. It has sliding doors, front- or four-wheel drive and 1.8- and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines, and it competed with the Honda Stream and Nissan Lafesta.
Toyota Isis at a glance
| Maker | Toyota, built by Kanto Auto Works |
|---|---|
| Production | September 2004 – 11 December 2017 |
| Market | Japan |
| Class | Seven-seat large MPV |
| Engines | 1.8- and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive |
| Doors | Sliding rear doors with an interlocking passenger-side system |
| Rivals | Honda Stream, Nissan Lafesta |
| Option | G-BOOK telematics from 2007 |
| Name | Isis, an ancient Egyptian goddess |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Toyota Isis.
History of the Toyota Isis
A different kind of sliding door
The Isis used an unusual door arrangement on the passenger side: the front passenger door and the rear sliding door interlock when closed, instead of meeting a centre pillar, so both can be opened independently and the opening is unobstructed. The driver’s side uses a conventional door jamb. The front passenger seat can fold flat on itself and tilt forward for easier access to the rear. Toyota had first used this door idea on the Raum, and the layout had appeared earlier on the 1981 Nissan Prairie and later on the Ford B-Max.
The range
The Isis was sold with 1.8- and 2.0-litre petrol engines and front- or four-wheel drive, in a long list of Japanese trims. With the 2.0-litre engine there were Platana, G U-Selection, G, L and L X-Selection grades plus Navi Special and Navi Selection Blanc and Noir versions; the 1.8-litre range was shorter, with Platana, L, L X-Selection and the same navigation specials. From 2007 a G-BOOK subscription telematics service was offered as an option. The car was built by Kanto Auto Works, a Toyota subcontractor that also assembled several other Toyota models.
The name and the end
Toyota said the name referred to Isis, a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion. When the militant group calling itself ISIS emerged in 2014, Toyota was criticised for inadvertently supplying such groups with trucks and was urged to change the MPV’s name, which had become unfortunate. The Isis was discontinued in Japan on 11 December 2017 without a direct replacement, as Toyota consolidated its MPV range around the Noah, Voxy and Esquire.
Design and features
- Interlocking doors: the passenger-side front and sliding doors lock together without a centre pillar.
- Flat-folding front seat: the passenger seat folds and tilts forward for access.
- Seven seats: a large MPV cabin in a Japanese compact footprint.
- Two engine sizes: 1.8 and 2.0 litres, with front- or four-wheel drive.
Toyota Isis versions
- Platana: the top 2.0-litre grade, also offered with 1.8 litres and front drive.
- G and G U-Selection: 2.0-litre grades with front- or four-wheel drive.
- L and L X-Selection: the more affordable grades.
- Navi Special and Navi Selection: navigation-equipped versions in Blanc and Noir.
- G-BOOK (2007): optional subscription telematics.
The Isis replaced the Gaia in Toyota’s Japanese MPV range and shares its door concept with the Raum. Its larger relatives are the Noah and Alphard, and more cars are in the Toyota collection.
Sources
- Toyota Isis, English Wikipedia: doors, trims, name
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