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Toyota Noah

13-09-2019

Launched in 2001, the Toyota Noah is an extremely flexible 8 seater (I think transporting its full complement of 8 would be a little ‘cosy’) MPV / minivan with loads of space and gadgets to make the family driving experience as comfortable and relaxing as possible. It feels supremely well thought out, with useful storage space wherever you look and plenty of space for front and rear seat passengers.

Driving the Toyota Noah

The Noah has surprisingly good acceleration for a 1500 kg car. The brakes won’t have anyone raving but they won’t annoy you either. They are light and more than adequate. The steering is light and predictable. It doesn’t like to be pushed through the corners, but I hope you’re not buying a car like this with the intention of pushing it through lots of corners! If you are, may I suggest you look elsewhere – perhaps a Subaru Forester STi?

Its all fairly obvious stuff really. It is a relaxing drive, with more than adequate performance in all areas. If you’re used to proper sports car handling and performance, and are expecting it from a Noah, you’ll be disappointed. But you probably knew that by looking at it! Do I sound a bit negative here? The drive really is excellent, but I always compare to the best driving experience I’ve had overall, rather than to others in the same class.

Engine and drivetrain

Picture of the engine bay of a Toyota Noah The engine is Toyota’s 2 litre 1AZ-FSE direct injection variable valve timing engine, producing 148 bhp and 148 lb. ft torque. In the UK, this also features in the Avensis and RAV4. The only gearbox option is a 4 speed automatic, coupled to front or 4 wheel drive.

Running costs

I found this car always returned 30 mpg (=10.7 km/l) no matter what type of driving. Most of this was with the air conditioning off. Road tax in the UK for a car of this age with this engine size is £230 per year. Insurance cost me about £460. This was slightly more expensive than the usual cost of a policy for this car because I needed cover for the car based on the chassis number for a short time before I’d registered it with the DVLA. Servicing is straightforward: you could change the oil without a jack or ramps. Oil changes are required every 15,000 km (9300 miles). The engine has a timing chain so there is no timing belt to worry about. Have a look at my post about parts availability if you’re concerned about this.