1987 Toyota Cressida Wagon

The Cressida was sort of a preview of Lexus from Toyota before they launched that luxury division. It was their top-of-the-line sedan, with rear-wheel drive, 6-cylinder power and abundant comfort and convenience features. It was never followed up with a successor in North America, partly because the Lexus LS400 debuted and took the torch as Toyota's flagship presence.

Outside North America, the Cressida was simply known as the Mark II. This generation debuted in 1984 and lasted until 1988.

Styling is classic early 80s rising sun, all hard angles, rectangular shapes and large safety regulation bumpers. This kind of pure functionalism was abandoned during the second half of the decade when design departments discovered sex appeal and started pioneering sleek, round jellybean shapes that Japanese cars would become synonymous with for the rest of the 90s. But I don't mind this early sparse look at all, for one thing it saves exterior space and usually adds interior room. Also look at how big those windows are! You can actually see out.

The same philosophy goes for the interior, which will be familiar to anyone who remembers a Camry from the era. Other than the steering wheel, most surfaces seem to have held up extremely well. The well-bolstered cloth seats look super comfortable, too.

Underneath the hood is a 2.8-liter inline 6-cylinder engine. This gave the Cressida an advantage over a mostly underpowered field of competitors back in the day and will still be appreciated now, especially if you're hauling cargo.

Speaking of cargo, this is the rare wagon version of the Cressida. Apparently they were only here for only a handful of years and I can't imagine they were a big seller. Someone who would spring for an import sedan wouldn't want the look and stigma associated with wagons in America. But for real auto enthusiasts wagons are usually a delight, adding a bunch more space and use to vehicle without crimping style or adding too much weight. I also love the double wipers on the rear window.

The seller of the car purchased it from San Francisco before shipping it to Hawaii where it resides now. They say it has over 200k miles, but has been well maintained and is entirely original except for new replacement parts. I believe it. The Cressida is from Toyota's glory days as masters of relatively inexpensive, simple and insanely reliable cars. This could see another 200k with more love and care.

Available here on craigslist for $4,500.

77k-Mile 1991 Toyota Cressida

The Cressida was Toyota's flagship sedan until Lexus took over that duty. Toyota offered four generations between 1976 and 1993. This is the final "X80" generation that debuted in 1988.

These are notable for their slender Camry-like proportions, 6-cylinder power and rear-wheel drive, rare on a Toyota today. With cars like the Cressida, the Japanese offered something the Americans and Germans didn't: luxury and comfort that was affordable and built well. It was this advantage that left a distinctly positive impression on consumers' minds.

The Cressida's body is classic late 80s Japan, heavily influenced by (and influential on) the Lexus LS400 which was developed alongside and launched shortly after. It smooths out the hard edges that were dominant at the start of the decade, but still has a carefully restrained and minimalist look that was lost by the late 90s. Note the slim pillars for maximum visibility in and out. We also love the crisp alloy wheels and factory body-colored mud flaps with rubber ends. The '91 facelift only enhanced matters.

Inside, occupants are treated to soft plastics and a driver-oriented dashboard. The pre-airbag steering wheel is funky and refreshing, and the cloth seats look cozy and keep things feeling simple and frugal. Passengers in the rear can enjoy their own headrests. Although we dock a couple points for those wacky automatic seat belts, the amazing array of buttons on the center console more than make up for it.

Underneath the hood is a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine good for a very healthy 190 horsepower, making sure this will be a smooth and strong cruiser on and off the highways. These Cressidas also shared a double-wishbone rear suspension with the Supra. 23 miles per gallon fuel economy was also decent.

Just 9,415 Cressida were sold in the U.S. in 1991. This particular example has just 77,132 miles on the clock and seems to have been extremely very well kept. The seller says it has had just one owner from new and no dents, damage, or rust. They say everything works, including the power antenna and it runs and drives fine.

Sleek looks, V6 power, rear-wheel drive, cheap parts and stellar reliability make this one desirable cruiser. The low miles and good shape are just icing on top. Never has the melding of comfort and practicality been so well executed.

Available here on ebay in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where an amazing 39 bids have put the price at $3,605 so far with 5 days still left.