While the Caldina has never been officially exported by Toyota, its All-Trac 4WD capability and large capacity have made it a popular grey import in Australia, New Zealand, Russia and many South American countries.

The Aerial's head- and taillights were later installed on a number of run-out special editions including the Limited, Lanner, and Excellent Package.

[2] The later Field Hunter cashed in on Japan's so-called "RV boom" - versions of station wagons and small vans with offroad pretensions.

The Field Hunter received an externally mounted spare wheel, which increased the overall length to the point that it was no longer classified as a "compact car", placing it in a much higher tax category.

The 2-litre 3S-FE gasoline engine also became available in the Caldina Van, only in combination with the electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission (ECT) and four-wheel drive.

The 1.6-litre 4A engine (AT190) was only installed in export versions; these also typically kept the pre-facelift tailgate since the redesigned type was not able to accommodate the wider, European license plates.

The top-of-the-line GT-T came with the turbocharged 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) fourth-generation 3S-GTE engine, and included a viscous-coupling all-wheel drive system similar to the Celica GT-Four.

Other options available on the GT and GT-T models included replacing the dashboard storage compartment with either Toyota's voice navigation system, or a multi-function display.

[8] Reliability of the GT-T engines proved to be a concern throughout the lifespan of the 3S powered GT-Ts, with spun main bearings and shattered oil pump gears being common issues amongst owners.

[citation needed] The third-generation Caldina launched in September 2002 was marketed as a pure sports wagon and does not share body panels with Allion, Premio and Avensis.

[citation needed] This model was equipped with several performance enhancements specified by Naruse and tuned on the B-Roads around the Nürburgring, making it a B-Road weapon similar to the Celica, which also excelled on gravel:[11][12] Curb weight of the N Edition was about 1,490 kg (3,280 lb), slightly more than the normal GT-Four due to the LSD and the additional performance equipment giving it even more rally car like handling.

[citation needed] Production of the third-generation Caldina ended in mid-2007 without a direct successor, but was indirectly replaced with the T270 series Avensis wagon/estate imported from the UK.