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The Toyota Tazz was a compact five-door hatchback produced in South Africa for the local and wider southern African market. Introduced in 1996 as an entry-level derivative of the Toyota Conquest, it was based on the E90-series Corolla hatchback platform. Local production took place at Toyota South Africa Motors’ Prospecton plant near Durban and ended in 2006.

Rather than developing through several distinct generations, the Tazz retained the same basic platform throughout its life, receiving styling, equipment and mechanical updates. Early cars were sold as the Conquest Tazz before the Tazz became a standalone model name. The range centred on the Tazz 130 with a 1.3-litre petrol engine, while the more powerful Tazz 160 and 160i used a 1.6-litre engine. Depending on year, versions included basic models, Sport and XE trims, air-conditioned variants and the Carri panel van. Manual transmissions were standard.

The Tazz occupied the affordable end of Toyota’s passenger-car range, remaining in production alongside newer Corolla models. It became widely used as personal, family and small-business transport. The model is best known for its simple engineering, practical hatchback body, durable mechanical components and generally accessible maintenance. These qualities, combined with strong parts availability and a large local vehicle population, helped establish the Tazz as a familiar entry-level Toyota in southern Africa.