The is a
mid-size car
Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...
manufactured by
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
between 2004 and 2019, and was primarily aimed at the
Japanese market. In Japan, it was the top-level car, sold only new at ''
Toyopet Store
Toyota vehicles in Japan are distributed to numerous dealership chains throughout the country. Up to May 2020, each dealership chain had a different product offering, with some models restricted to one chain to maintain exclusivity. Since May 2020, ...
'' locations. The Mark X was introduced in 2004 and is the successor to the
Mark II which was first introduced in 1968, and was known in the North American market as the
Corona Mark II starting in 1972, and renamed the
Cressida from 1977 to 1992.
The Mark X has a loyal following of enthusiasts and owners, as it continued where the Mark II left off when it was replaced in 2004. Internationally, it wasn't as well known as the
Crown, which was available new at a different Toyota dealership. The "Mark X" is not pronounced "Mark Ten" but "Mark Ex", though the "Mark II" is "Mark Two". The Mark X is a continuation of the previous Mark II and its siblings, the sport-oriented
Chaser, and the luxurious
Cresta
Cresta may refer to:
* Cresta, Gauteng, a suburb in South Africa
* CRESTA, Catastrophe Risk Evaluating and Standardizing Target Accumulations
* Cresta Awards, international advertising awards
* Cresta (soft drink)
* Vauxhall Cresta, an automobi ...
in one vehicle, repeating an approach previously attempted by the short-lived
Verossa that used
inline-six
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine bala ...
engines, whereas the Mark X uses
V6 engines.
The Mark X was previously sold as an alternative to the
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
Camry, which was once the largest new saloon at ''Corolla Store'' locations, for buyers who like the size of the Camry, but prefer a
rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-wheel ...
layout.
Different engine sizes were offered to allow Japanese buyers which annual
road tax they were willing to pay; the larger engines offer higher levels of standard equipment and luxury features. Both the first and second generation Mark X were manufactured at the Motomachi plant in Japan.
The Mark X was sold as the Reiz () in China, which was produced by
Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. It was produced until 2017. The Mark X was also officially imported to Indonesia in limited quantities between 2012 and 2013, to replace Australian-built Camrys as premium taxis.
__TOC__
First generation (X120; 2004)
Toyota unveiled the Mark X saloon in 2004 as the successor to the Mark II saloon which has been on the market since 1968. Instead of being based on a modified
Supra chassis "A" series platform, the Mark X continues to use the Toyota "X" platform, and does not share its platform with the Toyota "S" series platform used under the Crown and
Lexus GS
The is an executive car sold by Lexus, the premium division of Toyota. The same car had been launched in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo in Japan. For non-Japanese markets, it was released as the Lexus GS in February 1993. It continued using the Toyo ...
. The continuation of describing this vehicle as the
"X" series is a reference to the first dedicated Mark II platform introduced in 1972. Major changes to the Mark series are the engine and footwork. Toyota discontinued the inline-six engines used in the Verossa which included the
JZ series and the
G series engines, and went to the newly developed
GR series engine. Either the 2.5 L (2,497 cc) ''
4GR-FSE'' or the 3.0 L (2,995 cc) ''
3GR-FSE'' engine options were available.
Both engines offer
Dual VVT-i
VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota. It was first introduced in 1995 with the '' 2JZ-GE'' engine found in the JZS155 Toyota Crown and Crown Majesta.
The VVT- ...
with D-4
direct injection. The rear-wheel drive models have a 6-speed torque converter
automatic transmission as standard and the four-wheel drive models have a 5-speed automatic. No
manual
Manual may refer to:
Instructions
* User guide
* Owner's manual
An owner's manual (also called an instruction manual or a user guide) is an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer ...
transmission options were offered.
A first in its class is the rear bumper with an integrated exhaust outlet, which later made its way on to the corresponding model year
Lexus LS
The is a full-size car, full-size luxury car, luxury sedan (F-segment in Europe) serving as the Core product, flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division (business), division of Toyota. For the first four generations, all LS models featured V8 ...
series and the Crown. An LED lamp for the ceiling runs from the front of the vehicle to the rear, creating a "mood" lighting system. The LED system is also incorporated into the gear shifter and key area of the vehicle.
Minor changes were made in 2006. Mirror-mounted indicators replaced the fender-mounted units, taillamps were revised and the grille was redesigned. Mark X with all black interior colour deleted the wood trim in favour of the brushed aluminium trim. This change also gives the formal introduction of the "S package" which gain the three-spoke steering wheel and changes to the exterior lip piece.
In 2007 for Japanese models only,
G-BOOK, a subscription
telematics
Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies ( road transport, road safety, etc.), electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multime ...
service, is offered as an option.
The former
Kanto Auto Works produced the Mark X from November 2004 to September 2006.
China
The Chinese market Reiz is sold in 2.5 S, 2.5 V and 3.0 V Premium trim levels with 2.5 L (2,497 cc) ''
5GR-FE'' and 3.0 L (2,995 cc) ''
3GR-FE'' engines.
Special versions
Mark X Supercharged
The Mark X Supercharged version uses the
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced indu ...
''3GR-FSE'' engine paired to 6-speed automatic transmission.
The power output is rated at at 6,200 rpm and of torque at 3,200 rpm.
50th Anniversary Limited Edition
A limited edition 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Mark X was produced with the Vertiga kit. It has chrome ducts and carbon fibre splitters as standard parts, as well as different suspension tuning.
Second generation (X130; 2009)
The second generation Mark X was released on 19 October 2009, followed by the Reiz in September 2010. Engine options are the 2.5 L (2,497 cc) ''4GR-FSE'' V6 and the 3.5 L (3,456 cc) ''
2GR-FSE'' V6. Models available are Standard, Premium and Sports.
Changes from the previous generation include the elimination of the exhaust outlet diffuser, 6-speed automatic transmission for 4WD models and return to the hinge design trunk instead of lift support.
The Mark X received two
facelift
A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...
s in 2012 and 2016. The 2016 facelift received additional spot welding to strengthen the body. The vehicles also gained "Toyota Safety Sense" consisting of autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert, automatic high beams and radar cruise control as standard.
Models
Standard
The Standard model is the entry-level variant. Available only with the 2.5 L engine, it is available in rear-wheel drive (250G, 250G "F package" and Relax Selection) and four-wheel drive (250G Four, 250G "F package") option. It has an ivory and black interior colour and the option of wood-grain panel colour.
Premium
This variant is available with the 2.5 L or 3.5 L engine. The exterior differentiates itself from other grades by arranging the mall plated grille, trim specific side skirts and unique front bumper design. It also features a millimetre-wave radar system for cruise control and a pre-crash safety system with brake activation. The seat upholstery is made from
Alcantara
Alcantara, Alcântara (Portuguese), Alcántara (Spanish), Alcàntara, Alcàntera, El-Qantarah and (El) Kantara are all transliterations of the Arabic word ''al qantara'' (القنطرة), meaning "the bridge".
Alcantara may refer to:
People
* A ...
(with leather being an option). Super UV cut glass and nanoE air ventilation system is also used on this grade. Other features include a retractable rear sunshade, fully automatic self-parking system, driver's power 8-way adjustable seat and passenger 4-way power seat (with inbuilt heating and cooling) and electronically adjustable shock absorbers (Adaptive Variable Suspension System (
AVS) which can be controlled from the cabin.
Sports
The Sports variant is available as the 250S/250RDS and the 350S/350RDS. It is designed to replace the Tourer V variant from previous models of the X-chassis cars. Standard on the exterior is a rear trunk spoiler, rear diffuser and a redesigned front and rear bumper dedicated to improving aerodynamic performance. In addition, it has a smoked coating on the headlamps and taillamps to differentiate itself from the other models. Specific to the 350S is special 18x8J aluminium wheels with 235/45R18 tyres, large-diameter ventilated front brake disks and four-piston "aluminium monobloc callipers" made by ADVICS Co. Unique to the Sports variant is
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) is an integrated vehicle handling and software control system developed by Toyota. It involves an omnibus computer linkage of traction control, electronic stability control, electronic steering, and ...
with variable gear ratio steering which changes the ratio of steering input to wheel movement so as to help low-speed parking as well as remain stable at high speed. Also standard on the 350S is the AVS. This is backed up with other safety features such as
VSC,
traction control,
ABS and
EBD.
Other standard features include aluminium pedals, footrest and steering wheel paddle shifters. Auto tilt-away steering wheel (when the ignition is switched off) is standard on the 3.5 L models only. Driver's power 8-way adjustable seat and passenger 4-way power seat, seat heating and cooling, and leather interior are available as options.
Special versions
Sports Plus
The Sports Plus is a version of the Mark X Sports with a 2.5 L engine, sold in Hong Kong and Macau. It includes front and rear spoilers, front fog lamps, gear shift paddles, electronically controlled suspension, leather seat and front seat heater.
Mark X +M Super Charger/Vertiga
As with the previous generation Mark X, Toyota's in-house tuning company Modellista installed a supercharger on the 3.5 L ''2GR-FSE'' engine and marketed as Mark X +M Super Charger. The power output is rated at and of torque. Modellista also produced a non-supercharged version of the Mark X called Vertiga.
G's/GR Sport
The
G's
The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...
(renamed to
GR Sport
Toyota Gazoo Racing (or Toyota GR/TGR) is a motorsport/performance brand of the Japanese automaker Toyota.
Many divisions in various racing disciplines use the branding, including Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Toyota's World Rally Championship te ...
in 2016) variant is based on 250S or 350S models. The G's/GR Sport Mark X is very noticeably distinct with a 3-piece bodykit, rear trunk spoiler, clear smoked taillamps, forged aluminium 19x8J wheels, four-piston calipers with front and rear ventilated brake disks, upgraded suspension, red stitching leather interior, carbon style centre console and instrument panel, upgraded Alcantara front seats, etc.
TOYOTA MARK X G's 01.JPG, 2013 Mark X 250G S Package G's (GRX130, Japan)
Toyota MARK X 350S"G's" (GRX133) rear.JPG, 2013 Mark X 350S G's (GRX133, Japan)
Toyota MARK X 250S GR SPORT (DBA-GRX130-VLBTS) front.jpg, 2019 Mark X 250S GR Sport (GRX130, Japan)
Toyota MARK X 250S GR SPORT (DBA-GRX130-VLBTS) rear.jpg, 2019 Mark X 250S GR Sport (GRX130, Japan)
Toyota MARK X 250S"GR SPORT" (DBA-GRX130-VLBTS) interior.jpg, 2019 Mark X 250S GR Sport interior
GRMN
The Mark X
GRMN (''Gazoo Racing, tuned by the Meister of the Nürburgring'') is a limited-production variant (100 units in 2015, 350 units in 2019) based on the 3.5 L model. It has a specific front and rear bumper design (shared with the GR Sport variant for 2019 model),
CFRP roof which reduces the weight by approximately , 19-inch
BBS wheels, sports seats and steering wheel, and piano black interior accents with ultra suede upholstery and red contrast stitching. Mechanical upgrades include uprated power output to for the 2015 model, 6-speed manual transmission with
Torsen limited-slip differential
A limited-slip differential (LSD) is a type of differential that allows its two output shafts to rotate at different speeds but limits the maximum difference between the two shafts. Limited-slip differentials are often known by the generic tr ...
, sport-tuned suspension, high-performance brakes, and additional chassis reinforcements, which include 252 additional chassis spot welds for greater rigidity, coupled with specific-tuned dampers and electric power steering.
Discontinuation
On 27 September 2017, Toyota ended production of the Reiz in China with a total of 528,188 units produced since 2004.
Production of the Mark X ended on 23 December 2019 in Japan with a total of 6.9 million units (including the Mark II) produced since the first production of Corona Mark II began 51 years earlier.
Before the discontinuation, Toyota released the limited-production Mark X 250S Final Edition. The Final Edition comes equipped with 18-inch aluminium wheels, dark chrome-plated front bumper trim, and a red and black interior finished in Alcantara and leather.
This marked the end of the Mark II lineage that was introduced in 1968.
Toyota MARK X 250S"Final Edition" (DBA-GRX130-AETSH(A)).jpg, 2019 Mark X 250S Final Edition (GRX130, Japan)
Mark X ZiO
The Mark X ZiO MPV shares only a name with the Mark X saloon and is based on the smaller front-wheel drive
New MC platform.
References
{{Toyota road cars timeline, 1985-date
Mark X
Mark X or mark 10 often refers to the tenth version of a product, frequently military hardware. "Mark", meaning "model" or "variant", can be abbreviated "Mk."
Mark X or mark 10 can specifically refer to:
In technology In military and weapon ...
Cars introduced in 2004
2010s cars
Mid-size cars
Sedans
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
All-wheel-drive vehicles