What grade of car is the Reiz?
4 Answers
Reiz is a sporty B-segment sedan. Reiz (REIZ) is the domestic name for the Japanese Toyota MARKX model. Here are the relevant details: 1. Exterior: The front fascia is aggressive, with an enlarged air intake grille on the bumper that resembles "green beans." The sharp headlight design exudes a fierce look, adding significant sportiness to the vehicle. The overall silhouette is quite balanced, with minimal changes in dimensions and no overly exaggerated lines, making it appealing to a broad audience. The front and rear wheel arches bulge outward, giving the Reiz a fuller appearance, while chrome trim strips below enhance its cohesive look. A small spoiler has been added to the rear, and the exposed exhaust pipe design further emphasizes its sporty character, appearing more assertive compared to the older model where it was hidden within the bumper. The taillights are equally sharp, connected by a chrome strip, lending the rear a more unified appearance. 2. Interior: The cabin primarily features black soft-touch materials paired with wood grain accents, conveying a mature and stable vibe—almost identical to the older model with little change. The dashboard follows a standard "T" layout, with buttons offering a solid tactile feel, and the craftsmanship is pleasantly surprising. 3. Features: The Reiz comes well-equipped, with standard features including xenon headlights, vehicle stability control, and the less common knee airbags. Higher trims add keyless start, paddle shifters, adaptive suspension, and intelligent parking assist. 4. Powertrain: Reiz's "V6 engine + front-engine rear-wheel-drive" setup, while not particularly high-tech, was traditionally perceived as "premium" at the time. The FR layout is another selling point, with higher trims offering FAD and AVS adaptive suspension systems. FAD adjusts damping based on road vibration feedback, while the more advanced AVS system actively tunes suspension stiffness, significantly enhancing the car's dynamic performance.
The Toyota Mark X (known as Reiz in China) holds a rather unique position in Toyota's lineup—it's neither a luxury sedan nor an ordinary commuter car. When I first drove the older Mark X, what amazed me most was its rear-wheel-drive layout and V6 engine; the stability during cornering far surpassed that of front-wheel-drive cars. The seats also offered excellent support, making long drives comfortable without back pain. Although the interior had a noticeable plastic feel, it was all forgivable thanks to that silky-smooth 2.5L naturally aspirated engine. Nowadays, you can find a well-maintained used one in the secondhand market for around 30,000 to 40,000 RMB, with an abundance of aftermarket parts available. In car enthusiast circles, it's often called the 'budget-friendly drift machine.' If I had to categorize its status, I'd say it sits slightly above the Camry in terms of prestige while being more youthful and sporty than the Crown.
From my years of experience in car repair, the Toyota Reiz has a rather unique positioning. Toyota initially introduced it to fill the gap between the Camry and the Crown. It uses a shortened version of the Crown's platform for its chassis, with a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link suspension that's solidly built. The V6 engine, though outdated in technology, is extremely durable. The interior space is a weak point, with the transmission tunnel hump in the rear being even higher than in an Audi. In terms of grade, the original new car price of 250,000 to 300,000 yuan speaks volumes—it was more expensive than the Accord but couldn't quite reach the Lexus IS. Nowadays, used car dealers prefer the sport version with a white exterior and black interior, as this configuration can fetch about 5,000 yuan more than the standard version.
Those who have driven the Mark X know it's a sports car in a suit. The V6's roar during acceleration is particularly thrilling, with a stock 0-100 km/h time of over 8 seconds, but a simple ECU tune can easily bring it under 7 seconds. The fuel consumption is indeed on the high side, at least 13L/100km in the city, but the driving pleasure of rear-wheel drive isn't something you can trade for a bit of fuel savings. The most sought-after model in the used car market is the 2013 Shangrui edition, featuring seat heating and paddle shifters, and its market value holds up better than the Camry of the same year. In terms of class, its configuration may seem modest compared to the older BMW 3 Series, but its mechanical prowess doesn't fall short.
