In Britain it was the Previa. In Japan it was the Estima, and it carried on long after UK sales stopped, with hybrid and four-wheel-drive versions we never got here. That makes Japan the place to look if you want a late, well-equipped one. The questions are usually the same: which generation, what to check, which test it needs and what it will cost to bring over.
- Body
- Large MPV, 7 or 8 seats
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Typical journey
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Test
- MOT for most, IVA for the latest
Three generations
Every Estima is right-hand drive from the factory, as Japan drives on the left like we do. Japanese buyers had a wider choice of engines and drivetrains than UK Previa buyers ever saw, so the car you find at auction may be quite different from the one you remember.
| Feature | First generation | Second generation | Third generation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1990 to 1999 | 2000 to 2006 | 2006 to 2019 |
| In brief | The egg-shaped original, engine laid flat under the floor | Conventional front engine, roomier and easier to work on | The last and most modern Estima |
| Hybrid | No | Yes, from 2001 | Yes |
| UK test | MOT | MOT | MOT or IVA, check the date |
| Tax today | Early ones 5% VAT, no duty | 10% duty + 20% VAT | 10% duty + 20% VAT |
The first generation is the one with the cult following. Its engine sits under the front seats, which gives it a flat floor and a short nose, and some versions had four-wheel drive or a supercharger. Japan also had narrower Emina and Lucida versions. The second and third generations moved the engine to the front, and both were offered as a hybrid, many of them with Toyota's E-Four system driving the rear wheels with an electric motor.
What to check before you buy
Age and rust matter more than mileage on the older ones. On a hybrid, the health of the hybrid system is the big question, so look for any warning lights and ask about the battery. On every generation, the electric sliding doors and seats are worth testing switch by switch.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 10 done
Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and the Japanese export certificate guide covers the one document every car from Japan needs.
Petrol, hybrid and clean air zones
Estimas are petrol or petrol hybrid, which helps in London. The ULEZ asks for Euro 4 on a petrol car, and TfL says compliant petrol cars are generally those first registered after 2005. A first-generation car, or an early second-generation one, may well not meet it. Check before you buy if you drive in London or a charging Clean Air Zone. Our guide to ULEZ and imported cars explains how the evidence works.
The test depends on age
GOV.UK exempts cars over 10 years old from vehicle approval, so they take an MOT instead of an IVA test. For the Estima, that covers almost everything.
| Age of the Estima | What it needs |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years | An IVA test, and a speedometer reading in mph |
| 10 years and over | An MOT, with a rear fog light if one is not fitted |
Every first and second-generation car is well past 10, and so are most third-generation ones. Only a third-generation Estima built after October 2016 is still under 10 years old. That one takes an IVA test and needs its speedometer converted to mph, which we do in-house. No Estima is old enough yet for the 40-year MOT exemption.
Looking at a late one? Check the build date with us before you buy. A few months either side of October 2016 changes the test it takes and whether the speedo needs converting.
Estima campers
The Estima's size and flat floor make it a popular base for a small camper, and some come with beds or kitchen units fitted. If yours has proper living accommodation, it may be registered as a motor caravan if it meets the DVLA's conditions. GOV.UK notes the body type on the V5C does not change your insurance category, so tell your insurer about the conversion either way. Our guide to importing a van explains what the DVSA expects of a motor caravan.
Shipping an Estima
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The vehicle has to run and drive, and it should be empty, with no belongings or loose parts inside. That includes any camping gear, so pack it separately or leave it behind. If the Estima does not run, a container is the answer.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only. A big MPV takes up more room than a small hatchback, so give us the exact model when you ask for a quote. Door to door, the journey is usually about 5 to 8 weeks.
Import tax
An Estima from Japan pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. A vehicle over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty instead. That takes in first-generation cars built before October 1996.
If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the Estima for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers, and our cost of importing from Japan guide works through a full example.
Vehicle tax
Road tax depends on when the car was first registered, including abroad. A car first registered before 1 March 2001 is taxed on engine size, and every Estima engine is in the bigger band. Later cars are usually taxed on CO2 if there is evidence of the figure. Our guide to road tax for imported cars explains the rules, and we can tell you what a particular car is likely to pay before you commit.
UK changes and registration
Because the Estima is right-hand drive, the list is short. Any vehicle without a rear fog light needs one fitted in the right position, and one under 10 years old needs its speedometer in mph. Japanese vehicles are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down.
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so a late Estima is tested on our own lane in Castle Donington. Our dealer-level DVLA account then lets us register it within 10 working days. For the wider route, see our guide to importing a car from Japan, and for cover, our guide to insuring a Japanese import.
Questions people ask
Is the Toyota Estima the same as the Previa?
Yes, broadly. Previa was the name used in the UK and other export markets. The Estima is the Japanese version, which was sold for longer and came with hybrid and four-wheel-drive options the UK did not get.
Does an imported Estima need an IVA test?
Only if it is under 10 years old, which means a third-generation car built after October 2016. Everything older takes an MOT instead.
How much tax will I pay on an Estima?
Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus shipping. A first-generation car over 30 years old, built before October 1996, pays 5% VAT and no duty.
Is an Estima ULEZ compliant?
Later petrol and hybrid cars usually are, as the ULEZ asks for Euro 4 on petrol. Older ones may not be, so check the evidence before you buy if you drive in London or a charging Clean Air Zone.
Can I register an Estima camper as a motorhome?
If it has proper living accommodation and meets the DVLA conditions for a motor caravan, it can be. The V5C body type does not change your insurance category, so tell your insurer about the conversion either way.
Found an Estima you like? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
