Model year guide

1996 Toyota Paseo

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1996 Toyota Paseo is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 17 on record.

1996 Toyota Paseo — representative photo
Representative photo

1996 Toyota Paseo at a glance

Safety recallsNone
Owner complaints2
Combined27–28 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

1996 Toyota Paseo recalls 0

No NHTSA safety-recall campaigns are on record for the 1996 Toyota Paseo.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

1996 Toyota Paseo common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.

1996 Toyota Paseo MPG & running costs

Combined27–28 mpg
City25 mpg
Highway32 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,450
EPA size classMinicompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd or Manual 5-spd
Passenger volume74 cu ft
Cargo volume8 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$250 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 1996 Toyota Paseo costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$12,250
Fuel only$12,250
Per mile$0.16

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
163.8 in
Width
65.4 in
Height
51.2 in
Wheelbase
93.7 in
Curb weight
2,039 lb
Front track
55.1 in
Rear track
55.1 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1996 Toyota Paseo. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 28

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 28.

TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the crit…

Bulletin T-SB-0032-20 Rev · Equipment · Feb 2021

TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates

Bulletin T-SB-0304-17 Obs · Equipment · Apr 2020

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulleti…

Bulletin T-SB-0032-20 · Equipment · Apr 2020

Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.

Bulletin PG004-97-Obsolet · Equipment · Aug 2018

Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.

Bulletin PG006-01-Obsolet · Equipment · Aug 2018

TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 31, 2018 Rev2: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. January 11, 2018 Rev1: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information cont…

Bulletin T-SB-0304-17_Rev · Equipment · Jul 2018

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-9…

Bulletin T-SB-0304-17_Rev · Equipment · Jan 2018

TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE November 21, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17.

Bulletin T-SB-0144-08_Obs · Equipment · Nov 2017

TSB: Vehicle replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) may be available from Toyota, provided the request meets one of the criteria listed in this Service…

Bulletin T-SB-0304-17 · Structure · Oct 2017

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0101-11 is Obsolete and any printed versions should be disc…

Bulletin TSB018217 · Electrical System · Jan 2017

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the PASEO. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

About the Toyota Paseo

The Toyota Paseo is a sports-styled subcompact car sold from 1991 until 1999 by Toyota and was directly based on the Tercel. It was available as a coupé and in later models as a convertible. Toyota stopped selling the car in the United States in 1997, however the car continued to be sold in Canada, Europe and Japan until 1999. The Paseo, like the Tercel, shares a platform with the Starlet. Several parts are interchangeable between the three.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

1996 Toyota Paseo vehicles on record

1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400028583 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400022211 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400021212 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400031226 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400026183 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400012333 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400007766 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400029058 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400024924 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400024069 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400031393 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400028596 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400030367 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400018264 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400029355 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400027571 1996 Toyota Paseo 1996 Toyota PaseoJT163EL5400031106

Other Toyota Paseo model years

1999 1998 1997 1995 1993 1992

1996 Toyota Paseo — frequently asked questions

Does the 1996 Toyota Paseo have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists no safety-recall campaigns for the 1996 Toyota Paseo. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Toyota Paseo?

Across all 2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, engine and engine cooling.

What gas mileage does the 1996 Toyota Paseo get?

The 1996 Toyota Paseo has U.S. EPA estimates of 27–28 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.