2010 Toyota Fielder Review

The Toyota Fielder is a very popular station wagon in Kenya both for private and commercial applications. Indeed it can be said that the Toyota Fielder is one of the most popular cars on Kenyan roads today and there's a good reason for that. The Toyota Fielder is fuel efficient, reliable, spacious and cheap to maintain.

Detailed Review

The fielder comes in 2 engine sizes: 1500cc and 1800cc with different configurations available for each. Technically, its known as the Toyota Corolla Fielder but simply referred to it as the Fielder. The saloon version is known as the Toyota Axio.

Based on engine size, they are categorized as Toyota Fielder Model S and Toyota Fielder Model X. The Fielder Model S comes with a 1.8L engine while the Fielder Model X comes with a 1.5L engine. Some are distinguished further by edition, such as the G-Edition which is more luxurious with extra padded seats, sunroof(very rare), armrests and other extras.

Read a detailed Buyer’s Guide for the new Toyota Fielder here

2010 Toyota Fielder Interior

Legroom & Space

The Toyota Fielder has a minimalistic and functional interior which is in line with Toyota’s style of design. At the front, the driver’s seat is manually adjustable horizontally and vertically with recline function. The front passenger seat is only adjustable horizontally with recline function. The legroom at the front is good even for tall people. On the 2nd row, the outer seats have adequate legroom but the middle seat feels really crammed with the center box intruding into that space. The shoulder space at the back with 3 occupants is ok.

Cabin Storage: Glove Box, Center Box, Front Door Side Pockets, Rear Seat Pockets

Boot Space
One of the reasons the Toyota Fielder is wildly popular in Kenya is because of its excellent carrying capacity. It is a very practical car that can carry both people and cargo with ease. This makes it an ideal vehicle for people who are mindful of family and business needs. With the rear seats folded, it gets transformed into a small van that is capable of hauling sizable cargo. These practicability coupled with its fuel economy and cheap maintenance, makes the Toyota Fielder a very appealing car. These cannot be said of its competitors such as the Honda Airwave and Nissan Wingroad.

Other Extras: Double Din Stereo, AC, Heater, Fog Lights, Roof Rails

2010 Toyota Fielder Exterior

The 2010 Toyota Fielder compared to the previous model, is better curved and has a sporty look. There are different variations of exterior features but you may expect to get fog lights, roof rails, alloy rims and spoiler.

2010 Toyota Fielder Fuel Consumption

The Toyota Fielder is a very fuel efficient car and it’s matched by few in its class. The 1.5L is particularly impressive on fuel economy. The 1.8L isn’t bad either and is actually better on fuel economy than some smaller engine vehicles. Below are the fuel consumption numbers:

Toyota Fielder 1500cc Fuel Consumption: 18 km/L
Toyota Fielder 1800cc Fuel Consumption: 15km/L

2010 Toyota Fielder Acceleration

The 1500cc Toyota Fielder accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 10.2 secs.
The 1800cc Toyota Fielder accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.8 secs.

We observed that the 1500cc Toyota Fielder is sluggish on acceleration especially when coming off a standstill, this improves as the vehicle gains speed. While this may not bother some, others may find it annoying. In this case, go for the 1800cc Toyota Fielder, it’s got a better kick and accelerates faster.

2010 Toyota Fielder Fuel Tank Capacity

Fuel tank is 50 Litres

2010 Toyota Fielder Ground Clearance

The Toyota Fielder has a ground clearance of 6.3 Inches when unmodified. This height may not be a problem if the vehicle is lightly loaded. However, when fully loaded the vehicle may not clear some speed bumps and other road obstacles. In this case, you many need to increase ground clearance. Read our guidelines on how to safely increase a vehicle’s ground clearance.

2010 Toyota Fielder Service and Maintenance

Minor Service(Done after every 5000kms can be done by any reputable petrol station) – Air Cleaner, Oil Filter, Engine
Major Service(done after every 20,000kms has to be done by a competent garage)-Air Cleaner, Oil Filter, Fuel Filter, Plugs, Front Brake Pads, Rear Brake Pads(If available), ATF Oil, Engine Oil, ATF Filter. For More details on how to maintain the Toyota Fielder, please click here to download the 2010 Toyota Fielder Owner’s Manual

2010 Toyota Fielder Spare Parts Availability, Cost and Where to buy

The Toyota Fielder spare parts are readily available in all major towns in Kenya. Service parts and suspension parts are easily available, body parts may require time to look. The cost for Toyota Fielder spares in Kenya is pocket friendly and with a monthly budget of Ksh.5,000/-, you should cover your maintenance costs. Used parts always require negotiations and their prices can vary depending on how knowledgeable you are and where you buy them. In Nairobi, most spare shops in Industrial area and Kirinyaga road stock these spare parts. You can get listings for these shops here

2010 Toyota Fielder Reliability

The driving conditions in Kenya are significantly different from those in Japan and Europe. Reliability reviews done for those markets largely do not apply to the Kenyan market. There are differences in roads, fuel, climate, spares, and technical expertise. To give you accurate and reliable local insights, we interview experts such as mechanics and car dealers, who have in-depth knowledge of the Kenyan market. We also test the cars ourselves. Our aim is to give you the right information to enable you make an informed decision when buying a car.

The most common engine on the Toyota Fielder is the 1NZ-FE(1.5L) has been in use on various Toyotas since 1999. It’s regarded as one of the most reliable Toyota Engines and can run for thousands of miles without problems. This is however dependent on regular maintenance, use of quality oils and genuine spares. Failure to do this can lead to
1. Excessive oil consumption
2. Engine Vibrations
3. Engine Knock
The second engine used in the Fielder is the 2ZR-FE (1.8L) which has been in use since 2007. Similar to the 1NZ, it is reliable, with proper maintenance. Below are the problems that might occur with this engine
1. Excessive oil consumption
2. Irregular idling
3. Engine Knock

Resale Value: Good

2010 Toyota Fielder Competitors

Honda Airwave, Mazda Atenza

Conclusion

The Toyota Fielder is an ideal vehicle for business minded people who value practicality and efficiency. It is also a great family car that can carry kids and luggage on a long trip. The Toyota Fielder’s excellent fuel economy coupled with its good carrying capacity makes it a popular car in Kenya. This popularity however has its down side, as it makes it a target for thieves.

What we like about the 2010 Toyota Fielder
1. Excellent fuel consumption
2. Affordable spare parts
3. Good Resale Value
4. Good cargo capacity

What we don’t like
1. A high value target for theft
2. Sluggish acceleration on the 1.5L Fielder
3. Wobbly suspension on hard cornering