2011 Toyota Vanguard Review

Detailed Review

The Toyota Vanguard is essentially a bigger version of the Toyota RAV4. It has been manufactured and sold in Japan since 2007. It’s offered both as a 5 seater and a 7 seater. Under the hood, it comes with a 2.4 Litre 2AZ-FE engine and a 3.6 Litre 2GR-FE V6. It’s available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. It competes with the Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Xtrail, VW Tiguan and the Subaru Forester.

2011 Toyota Vanguard Grades

1. Toyota Vanguard 240S G package – This is the 5 Seater version – It comes with the 2.4L engine and available in both 2WD or 4WD
2. Toyota Vanguard 240S S Package – This is the 7 Seater version – It comes with the 2.4L engine and available in both 2WD or 4WD
3. Toyota Vanguard 350S – This is the 5 Seater version – It comes with the 3.5L engine and only available in 4WD
4. Toyota Vanguard 350S G Package – This is the 7 Seater version – It comes with the 3.5L engine and only available in 4WD

2011 Toyota Vanguard Interior
Legroom & Space
The Toyota Vanguard is a spacious car. The legroom on the first row is excellent and even a tall driver will have enough room to play with. On the second row, the legroom is also good including the middle seat which is usually cramped on most cars. The third row seating is somewhat small for adults but nonetheless better than its competitors such as the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Cabin Storage
The Toyota Vanguard has plenty of storage spaces in the cabin for all three rows – essential for storing items such as smartphones, drinking water, etc. For the first row, there are two cupholders, door pockets, cubby box and glove box. For the second row, there are two cupholders in the armrest and front seats jacket pockets. For the third row, there are two cupholders and storage compartments on the wheel arch.

Boot Space
In the 5 seater configuration, the Toyota Vanguard’s boot space is really impressive, the 3rd row seats fold neatly into the floor creating a huge boot space. It can comfortably carry luggage for a family of five with room to spare. In the 2 seater configuration, the 2nd row seats fold down to create space almost comparable to a cargo van. In the 7 seater configuration, boot space is nearly non-existent, the only thing you can manage to squeeze back there is probably a laptop bag.

Extras: CD/DVD, Navigation(Requires Kenyan Maps), A/C, 7 Seater, Cup Holders

Safety Features: SRS Airbags, ABS, EBD, DAC, Traction Control

2011 Toyota Vanguard Exterior
As we said earlier, the Toyota Vanguard is derived from the Toyota RAV4 and as such they closely resemble. The styling is the same with a well-rounded body and smooth curves.

2011 Toyota Vanguard Fuel Consumption
2011 Toyota Vanguard 2.4L Fuel Consumption: 12.6 Km/L
2011 Toyota Vanguard 3.5L Fuel Consumption: 9.1 Km/L

2011 Toyota Vanguard Acceleration
2011 Toyota Vanguard 2.4L Accelerates from 0-100 Km/h in 10.0 Sec
2011 Toyota Vanguard 3.5L Accelerates from 0-100 Km/h in 8.6 Sec

2011 Toyota Vanguard Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 Litres

2011 Toyota Vanguard Ground Clearance
The Toyota Vanguard has a ground clearance of 7.5Inches which is good for both on road and off road driving. Even when fully loaded, the car easily clears the biggest of speed bumps. While not a pure off road vehicle, the 4WD models of the Vanguard have some capabilities.

Toyota Vanguard Service Intervals
Minor Service – At 10,000 km. Requires Air Cleaner, Oil Filter, and Engine Oil
Major Service – At 15,000km. Requires Air Cleaner, Oil Filter, Fuel Filter, ATF Filter, Cabin Filter, Plugs, Front Brake Pads, Rear Brake Pads, ATF Oil, and Engine Oil

Spare Parts -Availability, Cost &Where to buy
The Toyota Vanguard Spare Parts are easily available in Kenya, especially service and suspension parts. For body parts, it’s a mixed bag as some such as headlamps can be hard to find. The price for service and suspension parts is affordable. Body parts can get expensive depending on the part and its availability.

Reliability

We have conducted a detailed analysis of the Toyota Vanguard by interviewing current owners, mechanics and dealers to come up with bullet proof guidelines for potential buyers and owners. All this information is contained in the Toyota Vanguard Buyer’s Guide. It’s a book available for purchase and we highly recommend it for first time buyers and owners. Click here to purchase the Toyota Vanguard Buyer’s Guide

Resale Value: Good
Toyota Vanguard Competitors: Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and VW Tiguan. Refer to the Toyota Vanguard Buyer’s Guide for a more detailed comparison.

Cost of Ownership
Purchase Price: See Latest Toyota Vanguard Prices here

What we like about the 2011 Toyota Vanguard
1. Spacious interior
2. Seven seater capacity
3. Good fuel economy on the 2.4L version
4. Affordable to maintain and easily available spares
5. Good resale value

Conclusion
The Toyota Vanguard is a versatile and functional vehicle that can serve both small and large families. As much as possible, go for the 4wd option as it offers better handling and off road capability. Whether buying locally or from Japan, be sure to inspect the vehicle for engine faults and underbody damage.