The Toyota Isis is a seven-seat large MPV manufactured by Kanto Auto Works under contract for Japanese automaker Toyota. It is sold only in Japan and was launched in September 2004. It features sliding doors and is available with either front or four-wheel drive and straight-4 1.8 and 2.0-litre gasoline engines. It competes in Japan with the Honda Stream and the Nissan Lafesta.
The Isis uses a unique approach to the sliding doors in that the front passenger door and the rear passenger sliding door interlock together when closed, instead of having a door jamb that the doors attach to. Toyota calls this on the Japanese Wikipedia article “Panoramic Door”. This door system is used only on the passenger side. The doors on the drivers side attach with a conventional door jamb. The front passenger seat can be folded flat upon itself and then tilted forward to further provide passenger access. The doors also interlock into the top and bottom door openings so that both doors can be opened independently of each other. This door feature was first used by Toyota on the Toyota Raum. This door approach is also used on the USA-spec 2000-2006 Toyota Tundra Extra Cab. This type of door was first used on the Nissan Prairie in 1981.
For model year 2007 on Japanese models only, G-BOOK, a subscription telematics service, is offered as an option.
The vehicle was named for Isis, a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife, matron of nature and magic; friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, the downtrodden, as well as listening to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats and rulers.Isis is the Goddess of motherhood and fertility.
A PLATANA grade is offered that uses specially designed aerodynamic parts to highlight the stylish design.
Advanced Technologies Provide Comfortable and Safe DrivingThe 2.0-liter D-4 engine with VVT-i and the 1.8-liter engine with VVT-i achieve both superior performance and excellent fuel efficiency.A Super CVT-i (on models with the 2.0-liter engine) provides excellent fuel efficiency and a quiet and highly responsive ride.Traction control enhances the responsiveness of accelerator operation.NAVI-AI-Shift control improves acceleration control while cornering based on navigation information.A seven-speed Sports Sequential Shiftmatic gives the feeling of a manual transmission car and enhances gear-shifting enjoyment.A Super ECT (on models with the 1.8-liter engine) provides smooth acceleration and excellent fuel efficiency.A high-rigidity body and suspension support a comfortable and safe ride.Steering-guided clearance sonar (a world first) A warning is provided to the driver when there is a risk of contact with an obstacle based on the steering wheel angle and data from dual sensors.
Safety
Collision safety features include a GOA (Global Outstanding Assessment) collision-safety body that incorporates the concept of omni-directional compatibility, and a pedestrian-injury-lessening body structure.
In conjunction with the use of the Panorama Open Doors, door locks have been placed on the upper and lower part of the passenger side door, and the space in between has been reinforced. The area around the door opening has also been strengthened using reinforcing materials, thus ensuring a strength and rigidity equivalent to the center pillar used on the driver’s side.
Environmental features
All vehicles achieve emission levels 50% lower than 2005 standards under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Approval System for Low-emission Vehicles, and fuel efficiency that exceeds by five percent the level called for by Japanese 2010 fuel efficiency standards (fuel efficiency standards specified by the Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy). All vehicles qualify for incentives under the Japanese government’s Green Taxation System.
LCA (life-cycle assessment) has been implemented and emissions of CO2 and other atmospheric pollutants have been reduced, not just during the use stage but also over the entire life cycle of the vehicle, from manufacture through to disposal.
In order to increase the efficiency of dismantling of major components, improved dismantling labeling is used and the concept of design for recyclability (DFR), which incorporates an easy to dismantle structure, is adopted for body parts.
