Imagine you are in dire need for a car. Imagine your old beat-up car has driven its final mile and broken down for the last time. You’re about to start a new job that’s a 30-minute drive away! Can’t walk there unfortunately.
So, you’re frantically looking through the listings online and find what looks like the perfect vehicle. It’s modernly priced well, the colour looks nice and it won’t drain your wallet the next time you’re at the gas pump. Everything looks all well and good until you notice the name… Toyota Corona.
And suddenly a chill creeps its way up your spine, you tug on your collar and suddenly you’re second guessing on whether or not this is something you want in your driveway. Sure, the car suits you just fine but imagine the repercussions of owning a vehicle with the name Corona.
Not only will you be constantly reminded of the ongoing pandemic that is spreading worldwide, but you’ll also be reminding friends and passengers for probably the next couple of years. The slight mention of your car could land you in a debate on social distancing, face masks or even the government and conspiracy theories.
You know those debates. The ones with your far-right family or friends who watch way too many conspiracy theory videos on YouTube and now believe the Coronavirus was a biological weapon. That will be your new reality.
Now, after imagining all that… would you still buy this automobile?
What Is The Toyota Corona?
To talk about the Toyota Corona, we have to go back 20 years, back to the turn of the century. The Corona was manufactured through ten generations, starting in 1957 and eventually ending in 2001.
Before you ask, no, the name is not a reference to anything like the ongoing disease or the popular alcoholic beverage. In Latin, corona means crown. The name “Corona” was a reference to an earlier vehicle model Toyota Crown which was exclusive to the Toyopet Store dealership channels in Japan.
While the Corona was one of Toyota’s first international export models, it never really turned any heads. Nothing about really screamed special or unique compared to other automobiles on the market. Regardless, it was still praised for its quality and reliability; two characteristics people usually use to describe Toyota today. In fact, the Corona didn’t even begin to sell well until 1966, almost a decade later.
However, the Corona didn’t become a household name until its fifth generation in 1973 with its brand-new design. While the two-door look was praised, it was the front bumper that really made waves. These were installed to meet impact safety standards, to further protect the lives of the people behind the dashboard.
Granted the engines weren’t anything to boast about, wielding a 2.2-litre inline-four with just under 100 horsepower and approximately 119 lb-ft of torque. Sure, not very impressive by today’s standards but, for back then, it did the job.
The Corona would continue to sell in markets around the world including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Japan until its discontinuation in the new millennium.
Weirdly Enough, This Isn’t The First Time “Corona” Made People Uncomfortable
Have you ever heard of Juan Corona? If you were born past 1980, there’s a high chance you haven’t. Well, Juan Corona was a complicated man who migrated to the United States in the 50s’ from Mexico and worked as a labour contractor for most of his life.
However, things took a turn for Corona in 1955, at the age of 19, when he found himself right in the middle of one of the most destructive floods in the recorded history of Northern California. A rush of water broke through the west levee and flooded 100,000 acres of Yuba and Feather Rivers, killing upwards of 74 people. Juan, who had always had a crippling fear of water, suffered a mental breakdown.
He believed that everyone died around him and he was seeing ghosts. He was eventually diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1956. After 23 shock treatments, he was declared recovered and released back into the public. Despite his anger issues, excessive interest in showing his masculinity and his well-known “issues” with gay men, he became known as a trusted worker.
However, in 1970, he suffered another schizophrenic episode, institutionalizing him again. A few months later, there was an incident in the restroom of his half-brother’s Guadalajara Café. A man named José Romero Raya was found nearly dead, having been attacked with a machete to the face and head. He did not see his attacker, but Juan was in the establishment at the time, making him a suspect.
However, nothing really came of that until May of 1971, when a Japanese-American farmer found a large, freshly dug hole in the Sutter County peach orchard that he owned. After none of his employees could explain why the hole was there and discovering that the hole was filled in the following night, he called the Sheriff. When they dug up the hole, they found the body of a drifter named Kenneth Whiteacre.
From February 1971 to May 1971, Juan Corona became infamous across California as “The Machete Murderer.” It was proven that in that small amount of time, he killed and buried at least 25 migrant workers. But most assume that his real number is much higher. After a long trial process, Corona was sentenced to life imprisonment, where he eventually passed away from natural causes in 2019 at the age of 85.
So, naturally, with the media circus surrounding Juan Corona deplorable actions, the name left a bit of a bad taste in some peoples’ mouths.
But This Didn’t Slow Them Down… At First
Surprisingly enough, despite the odds of an uninspiring beginning and sharing the name with a psychopath, it’s widely speculated that the 1970s were the best years of the Toyota Corona’s lifespan. Many attribute this to the fuel and energy crises of 1973 and 1979, when the Yom Kippur War and the Iranian Revolution triggered interruptions in the Middle Eastern oil exports. This reduced the demand for larger vehicles, paving the way for smaller models like the Corolla and Corona models.
However, these crises would eventually end, and the market would return to normal. Meaning that there was stiffer competition for the Corona model. Soon, the Corona went toe-to-toe with other Japanese models, most notably with the Honda Accord. The Accord became well known for its front-wheel-drive, making it more economical to America than the Corona’s rear-wheel-drive.
The Toyota Corona continued well into the sixth generation in 1978 but, within the next few years, the company would be launching their game changer to the auto industry. It was the all-new, FWD model aimed directly to boost sales in the US. The one and only, Toyota Camry.
Unfortunately, the Camry’s next generation specs and reliability made it clear to the Corona, there was no place for them in North America. The T130 model would become the last Corona marketed in the United States.
So, Would You Buy The Car?
Despite sales in North America coming to a halt in 1982, the Toyota Corona continued to sell in other countries until 2001. New models were created with improved specs and bodywork.
The final model, the T190, was decked out with front-wheel-drive, 2C engine model, power of 73 bhp and 132 torque. While still not the wow factor automobile enthusiasts are expecting but was still impressive for the 90s.
In order to find a Toyota Corona today, you’d have to dig around deep. Last year, a 1974 Toyota Corona 2000 GT was put on sale in California with an asking price of $27,995. So, the car is a bit of a rarity in today’s sales market.
But, the question still remains. Now, after knowing everything about the Toyota Corona… would you buy it today?