Toyota Tarago 2016 | new car sales price

Toyota is trying to address a rare weak spot in its range by adding features and shaving prices on its updated Tarago people-mover.

The Tarago accounts for just 7.3 per cent of the expanding people-mover market.

Sales of 454 for the first six months of the year were dwarfed by 2416 for the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey's 1483 registrations.

Buying a new Tarago is now at least $1500 cheaper and satnav is standard on all models. The entry GLi four-cylinder starts at $45,490, climbing to $65,600 for the V6-powered Ultima.

Interior upgrades include soft-touch dashboard plastics, piano-black highlights on the centre cluster and vents and a redesigned instrument panel with a 4.2-inch multimedia display.

The V6 GLX and Ultima have powered rear doors and keyless entry, along with new seats with synthetic leather and faux suede upholstery in place of the grey cloth found in other variants.

The Tarago may not be flying off showroom floors but it is an iconic model for Toyota. 

The 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine still delivers 125kW/224Nm and uses a continuously variable transmission to post a claimed combined fuel use of 8.9L/100km but now meets the more stringent Euro 5 emissions regulations.

The V6 (202kW/340Nm) is matched to a six-speed automatic. It uses 10.2L/100km in the GLi and 10.3L for the GLX and Ultima.

Servicing for the first three years amounts to $1080 or $180 at each of the six visits.

The people-mover market was largely launched by the Tarago in 1983.

The layout starts at eight-seats for the GLi and four-cylinder GLX versions and drops back to seven for the V6 GLX and Ultima, courtesy of "captain's chairs with integrated ottomans" and a sliding centre bin in the second row.

The Tarago may not be flying off showroom floors but it is an iconic model for Toyota. The people-mover market was largely launched by the Tarago in 1983 and it remains the only car in the segment to have sold more than 100,000 vehicles.

The latest version has been on sale here since 2006 and, despite successive updates from Toyota over the past decade, is showing its age against newer opposition.

Would any of the updated Tarago variants draw you away from an Odyssey or a Carnival? Tell us what you think in the comments below.