| Toyota Chaser | |
|---|---|
 Toyota Chaser Avante | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Toyota |
| Production | 1977–2001 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Toyota Mark II GSS[1] |
| Successor | Toyota Verossa |
The Toyota Chaser (Japanese: トヨタ・チェイサー, Hepburn: Toyota Cheisā) is a mid-size car produced by Toyota. In the beginning, Chasers were four-door sedans and hardtop sedans; a two-door coupé was available only for the first generation. It was introduced on the Toyota Mark II (X30) platform and was only available at Japanese Toyota Auto Store dealerships as their top-level model. The Chaser was produced for six generations; production ceased in 2001 when both it and the Cresta were replaced by the short-lived Verossa.
The Chaser was one of Toyota's "triplet sedans": it, the Mark II, and the Cresta are rebadged models of the same car, sold through different dealership sales channels. The Chaser and its platform sisters are considered a class below the Crown. The Chaser offered a sportier image than the Mark II or the more luxury-oriented Cresta.
The Chaser's performance reputation benefited as the series and generations offered ever-increasing engine displacement. The addition of turbochargers and superchargers to growing engine displacement was offset by the fact that the Japanese Government taxed and regulated vehicle emission results. Larger engines offered more luxury, convenience, and suspension improvements as the generations progressed. Toyota chose not to install V6 engines in the Chaser for the entire series.