Please note due to import regulation changes in June 2023 only the Estima hybrid can be imported to Australia.
Want to import a Toyota Estima from Japan ?
You’ve come to the right place !
We can help you to import a Toyota Estima from Japan, directly from auction at the lowest possible price. Being able to select your own vehicle from the thousands each week at auction means you can choose the best condition Estima with genuine low km.
You are not locked in to the limited offerings of a local dealer who has only imported vehicles to maximise their profit (not provide you with the best value).
Prefer an Estima HYBRID ? – More info…
Read more about our service…
The petrol-only Estima will no longer be an import option for Australia from around 2022 due to import regulation changes. From then on, only the hybrid version will be eligible for import.
So if you want to import an Estima with the 3.5L petrol engine we would encourage you to act now while it is still possible.
The benefits of importing your own Toyota Estima
Genuine kms
Did you know that despite all the talk, km “adjustment” is actually very rare at auction in Japan itself due to the serious penalties involved ? The winding back of odometers almost always happens after auction and prior to export from Japan at the request of the buyer (who intends to resell), or after the vehicle has landed in the destination country.
It is a sad fact though that a high proportion of secondhand Estima’s and other Japanese imports outside Japan have had their odometers wound back. This makes it difficult for the end user to fairly judge price based on genuine condition and kms, and in turn difficult to source genuine vehicles which are price competitive with those offered by sellers intent on bending the rules for their own benefit.
How to avoid false kms ?
The best way to know exactly what you’re buying is to select and directly import your own Toyota Estima from auction in Japan. If the odometer has ever been repaired / replaced this will typically be noted on the auction sheet together with the original kms, date repaired, and kms currently displayed.
You may still choose to import a Toyota Estima with this history but most importantly you will know the real kms and the price will usually be quite a lot lower, saving you money.
As the first importer of a Japanese Toyota Estima through our service you will receive the original Export Certificate by international EMS courier service. This includes a record of the kms at the last two registration inspections (re-registration occurs 3 years from new then every 2 years after that) from the Japanese registration authority.
This historical progression will match the km shown on your Estima which is important not only for your peace of mind but also future resale.
Price
Japanese car auctions consistently sell Toyota Estimas for the lowest possible price, anywhere. So if you want the best price, buy your Estima from auction using a reliable agent you can trust to tell you the truth about the condition.
Sounds simple, and it is once you find someone you trust, but as with most things in life the “finding someone you can trust” is the most difficult part particularly if you are a one-off buyer. This is where a good import agent in your own country comes in — you can thoroughly check their reputation and even speak to past clients.
Choice
There are literally thousands of Toyota Estimas sold through the Japanese car auctions every week. So there is always a wide choice of models, option levels and conditions. This makes it relatively simple to pick out Estimas matching your requirements and buy one for the right price within a reasonable timeframe.
Accessing the Auctions
You can easily view all upcoming Toyota Estimas for auction and research 3 months of past Estima auction prices using our Auction Search
Why use a Japanese Import Agent to import a Toyota Estima?
If you are unfamiliar with the auction and import process, using a Japanese import agent is money well spent, as they will guide you to select only the best Toyota Estimas and avoid the common pitfalls of the first time importer / auction buyer. Not only is it a lot more convenient to use a professional import agent but it can end up saving you a lot more than their fee. Read more…
The most critical part of the process is physically inspecting each Estima to determine the true condition. Japanese auction sheets seldom tell the full story so it’s very important to have a reliable agent check the vehicle at auction for you and provide more pictures and condition information including underneath the car and specific options such as powerslide doors and reversing camera.
A good Japanese import agent will also give you full access to view Toyota Estimas at auction
View pictures and details of Toyota Estimas inspected for clients
Toyota Estima (Tarago) Japanese Import Model Guide
Whether you are considering buying a Japanese spec Toyota Estima import already in the country or you want to import your own from Japan to your exact specifications, here is some information about the Toyota Estima you may find useful.
To find out the REAL cost to import a Toyota Estima you can:
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View upcoming Estimas and research 3 months of past Japanese Estima auction prices using our Auction Search, and
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Calculate the final on road price using our Japanese Import Cost Calculator
Just let us know if you need any help and we’d be happy to work out the price on specific examples you have found.
The Japanese Toyota Estima “people mover” is an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) that was marketed under different names around the world so is also known as the Toyota Previa in America, Toyota Canarado in the Asia Pacific, and Toyota Tarago in Australia. It is the second largest minivan in the manufacturer’s range after the bigger and more luxurious Toyota Alphard / Toyota Vellfire models (which are not offered new in Australia or most other Western markets).
The Toyota Estima looks just like the Toyota Tarago as it’s exactly the same model with a different badge, but there are big differences in spec level. The Toyota Estima has many more standard features and factory options than the Australian-delivered “poverty-pack” Tarago.
With such a poor offering of features in the Australian delivered Tarago for an overinflated price, it’s no wonder savvy consumers are choosing to import the higher spec and cheaper Japanese Estima directly from Japan. Given that Toyota themselves decided to deny Australia most of the nice options and charged through the nose to boot, they can hardly complain now !
Toyota Estimas have better factory options than a Tarago
Toyota Estimas made for the Japanese domestic market were available with the following features rarely seen (if at all) on Taragos sold new by Toyota Australia, with the electric powerslide doors and reversing camera being indispensable for those with small children:
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Electric remote power slide doors
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Front and rear cameras with parking assist
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Factory TV
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Cruise control
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Luxury velour or leather seats on standard models
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4WD option
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Factory option body kits
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Tiptronic gearbox
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Electric side Curtains
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Rear “captains chair” with foot rest
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Centre row 180 degree swivel chairs
Following are some pictures of popular Toyota Estima options taken at auction during inspections undertaken for clients. We take specific pictures of the options for all vehicles on auction day for every Estima inspected, so you can see them for yourself and be confident the vehicle is exactly what you want. These are the type of pictures we would provide on auction day (prior top bidding) if you’d like us to assist you to import your own Toyota Estima.
Toyota Estima powerslide doors
As you can see from the picture below, the Estima powerslide doors are activated with two buttons near the driver’s right knee. This is incredibly useful to open the door for passengers that may find it difficult, such as children and the elderly, without getting out of the driver’s seat. It is the most requested option from our clients importing a Toyota Estima and we highly recommend it for convenience. It is something you will use and be grateful for every day.
Toyota Estima reversing camera
Following are some pictures of popular Toyota Estima options taken at auction during inspections undertaken for clients.
Toyota Estima front camera
The Estima front camera is designed to work at low speeds under about 15 km/h. The system is activated with a button near the driver’s right knee (the very left side button in the above picture) and operates automatically when parking and stopped at intersections.
As the Estima slows down, the camera display comes up on the factory TV screen in the centre console using a splitscreen for left and right sides of the car. Being placed as far forward as possible on the vehicle, this allows the driver better vision of the front of the car and also cars approaching from both sides.
In some situations this front camera can be incredibly useful and makes parking in tight spaces much easier. It is not a very common option in Japan but we can source Estimas with it if this is important to you.
Toyota Estima parking sonar
The small, round black circle you can see on the corner of the bumper is the Estima parking sonar. This was a factory option on many Toyota models and was available separately for front and rear. The system is activated with a button near the driver’s right knee and uses an intermittent high pitched tone to warn the driver when the vehicle approaches a set distance to objects.
As the vehicle moves closer to the object the sound increases in frequency until it becomes a continuous unbroken tone when only a few centimetres from the object. There is also a verbal warning in Japanese in some cases.
Toyota Estima rear seat footrest and recline
The rear seats have footrest and recline features which add greatly to the comfort of passengers.
Low kms on Japanese Estimas
Due to excellent public transport in Japan and generally high parking costs and road tolls, the average Japanese Estima travels perhaps 7,000 kms per year. Compared to our 15-20,000 kms per year in Australia, it’s not hard to work out that a 10 year old Australian Tarago is likely to have 150,000 to 200,000 kms compared to a 70,000 km Japanese Estima of the same age.
Yet the better condition and higher optioned Japanese Estima will usually come in significantly cheaper.
How many Toyota Estimas in Japan are there to choose from ?
The number of Estimas sold into the domestic Japanese market is mind-boggling due to the practicality and popularity of this model, and each week thousands go through the Japanese auctions.
The great majority of these are dealer trade-ins as the car is coming up to a re-registration period (3 years from new then every 2 years).
Of these, we select from the best low km and clean Estimas with no repair history. As with sourcing any vehicle, it takes time and patience to buy the best Toyota Estimas at the right price, but the number of Estimas on offer weekly through auction certainly helps.
For those Estimas our clients are interested in on auction day, our agents inspect each car carefully in person prior to auction. We then provide you with more pictures and details about the condition and discuss these with you.
See What We Do for more about our service and see the vast choice of Toyota Estimas at auction in Japan yourself using our Auction Search
So, what Toyota Estimas can you import to Australia ?
Both the 2nd Generation 1999 – 2005 Toyota Estima and the 3rd Generation 2006 to current R50 Estima models can be imported to Australia:
The 2nd Generation model ended production in January 2006 but SEVS compliance is only available to the end of December 2005 (the reason for this cited by SEVS compliance workshops has been the expense of undertaking additional emissions testing to meet Australia’s 2006 emissions requirements, which was not considered viable on a cost recovery basis due to restricted annual compliance plate numbers under the original SEVS rules and only a small number of 2nd Generation Estimas made in early 2006). We expect this situation to change with the improved SEVS.
When imported some Estima models are first complied as a 3-seater campervan due to SEVS requirements, then converted back to 7 or 8 seats with the original seating following first registration. Each State of Australia is a bit different in terms of how they handle this re-registration process, with some States best avoided due to difficulty in this area (contact us for more details).
Toyota Estima compliance prices generally range between about $2,350 and $2,550 including GST and 7/8 seat conversion depending on the year, model and State. We can often save you money in this area by passing on trade compliance discounts which significantly offset our service fee.
Production Years: 2000 – 2006
Pre-facelift Range (2000 – 2003)
Estima Hybrid G (E-FOUR) (7 Seater)
Estima Hybrid G (E-FOUR) (8 Seater)
Estima Hybrid (E-FOUR) (7 Seater)
Estima Hybrid (E-FOUR) (8 Seater)
3.0G 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
3.0G 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
2.4G 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4G 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0 AERAS 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4 AERAS 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0X 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
2.4X 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
2.4J 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
Special Editions
3.0X Limited 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
2.4X Limited 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
3.0 AERAS S-Edition 4WD / 2WD (7 Seater)
3.0 AERAS S-Edition 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition 4WD / 2WD (7 Seater)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
Estima Hybrid “Mobile Office” (4 Seater)
Estima Hybrid “ylem Edit” (7 Seater)
Estima Hybrid “ylem Edit” (8 Seater)
Facelift Range (2003 – 2006)
Estima Hybrid G (E-FOUR) (7 Seater)
Estima Hybrid G (E-FOUR) (8 Seater)
Estima Hybrid (E-FOUR) (7 Seater)
Estima Hybrid (E-FOUR) (8 Seater)
3.0G “Leather Edition” 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
3.0G 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
3.0G “Leather Edition” 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0G 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
2.4G “Leather Edition” 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4G 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4G “Leather Edition” 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
2.4G 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0 AERAS-S 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4 AERAS-S 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0 AERAS 4WD / 2WD (7 seater)
2.4 AERAS 4WD / 2WD (8 seater)
3.0X 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
2.4X 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
2.4J 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)
Special Editions
3.0X Limited 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)(2005)
2.4X Limited 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater)(2005)
3.0 AERAS “Premium”- NAVI SPECIAL 4WD/ 2WD (7 Seater) (2004 – 2006)
3.0 AERAS “Premium”- NAVI SPECIAL 4WD/ 2WD (8 Seater) (2004 – 2006)
3.0 AERAS “Premium” 4WD / 2WD (7 Seater) (2004 – 2006)
3.0 AERAS “Premium” 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater) (2004 – 2006)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition- NAVI SPECIAL 4WD/ 2WD (7 Seater) (2004)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition- NAVI SPECIAL 4WD/ 2WD (8 Seater) (2004)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition 4WD / 2WD (7 Seater) (2004)
3.0 AERAS G-Edition 4WD / 2WD (8 Seater) (2004)
Toyota Estima R50
The third generation Toyota Estima was introduced in 2006 in both Japanese and Australian markets as Estima and Tarago respectively, and as Previa elsewhere.
Features include an available second-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive drivetrain (only in Japanese markets), automatic parallel and back-in parking (only on Toyota Estima), track-mounted second row reclining seats with footrests, and power-folding split third row seats (for seven-seater models)..
As with the previous generation, the Australian version Tarago continued to use a 2.4-liter inline-four engine. In February 2007, a 3.5-liter V6 engine (202 kW (271 hp), 340 N·m (250 ft·lbf) torque) was made available to Australia in order to remain competitive against other options such as the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival / Sedona, and Hyundai iMax.
The 2.4-liter engine was widely criticized for lacking torque — note that only the 3.5L 2GR-FE engine with 208kW is eligible for import under current SEVS regulations, these are first complied as a camper for initial registration, then refitted with original seating for reregistration:
I’ve tried importing through NZ companies that work in the same space, but they kept suggesting cars that didn’t meet my basic specs e.g. wrong year or trim level and in one case the wrong chassis ID !
So it is good to know that you really focus on getting the right cars for your buyers. All the best and I’ll be in touch !
* Image for example purposes