Toyota Auris Design 1.2

Toyota began manufacturing cars in the UK way back in 1992. The first model off the production line in Burnaston was a Carina E. The E highlighted the fact that it was tuned to European tastes and denoted its point of origin.

The latest models off the same production lines are the Auris and Avensis and I got to drive examples of both.

First up was the Auris, the spiritual successor to the world’s best-selling car, the Corolla. Although it's now in its second generation and underwent a mild facelift last year the Auris doesn’t stray too far from the template established by its predecessor.

That thought might not make petrol-heads go giddy with excitement but the combination of excellent reliability and top-notch engineering proved enough to propel the Corolla to the top of the sales charts so you can’t blame Toyota for sticking with a proven recipe for success.

It’s clear that buyers of this particular vehicle - and the Corolla before it - have a very specific set of expectations and, as the sales figures demonstrate, there’s obviously plenty of room in the world for a car that prioritises comfort and practicality ahead of performance and handling.

The styling is, as you’d expect, inoffensive. The front end has been sharpened up considerably with a large Toyota badge dominating the centre of the narrow grille but the rest of the exterior is functional rather than flashy. That’s no bad thing. Other manufacturers have long adopted a conservative approach to car design and it’s done their sales figures no harm at all.

The inside mirrors the outside with plenty of straight lines, though there is some attempt to stimulate the senses with an asymmetrical housing bordered by faux chrome trim for the multimedia touchscreen, but the slab of soft-touch plastic that is the dashboard lacks any real panache.

The lack of flair does nothing to impact on the excellent ergonomics. All the controls are simple to find, easy to operate and a pleasure to use. The sat nav shares that same operational simplicity while the Bluetooth paired seamlessly with my phone and the handsfree and audio streaming worked faultlessly.

There is plenty of room for front seat passengers while those in the back don’t fare too badly in what is one of the shortest cars in its class. There’s no shortage of headroom, either thanks in no small part to a roof-lining that is domed above each row of seats.

The Touring Sports version – an estate to you and me – offers 530-litres of load space with the rear seats in place (more than the Focus estate) or 1,658 litres with them stowed away.

On the move the Auris performs as you’d expect. The engine is smooth and unobtrusive. In fact, at motorway speeds the Auris proved to be one of the quietest cars I’ve had the pleasure of testing. The gearbox is a delight too and, combined with the light clutch, its slick, positive action ensures unruffled, relaxed, progress.

The steering is light and, while there’s very little feedback through the wheel, it suits the character of this car. The ride is well judged and the suspension does an excellent job of isolating occupants from surface imperfections but the pronounced body roll discourages any attempts at hard cornering.

The Auris is not a driver-focused car, it has a much broader remit than that and, for the most part, it fulfils its brief with some aplomb. Its sedate nature does not make it a bad car. There is much to like about the small hatch/estate, such as the surprisingly spacious and comfortable interior, the excellent refinement and capacious boot. Okay, so it doesn’t offer the most thrilling of drives but most people, quite rightly, prioritise practicality, efficiency and comfort and the Auris delivers those in spades.

Toyota Avensis Business Edition

The Avensis, like the Auris I, is built in Britain at Toyota’s factory in Burnaston and, since 1997, more than 1.7 million have rolled off the production line there.

The front end wears the same slim headlights and narrow grille as its smaller brother. It gives the Avensis a broader, more modern face. I wasn’t convinced that it worked as well on the bigger car when it arrived at the office but over the week it was with me it gradually won me over.

The rear wears dark tinted light clusters with LEDs and chrome strips that meet a large Toyota badge in the middle on the boot lid. Overall the fresh styling works well and the front end, in particular, offers something a little different in the looks department.
Standard equipment is reasonably generous across the range.

Even the entry-level model is fitted with air conditioning, Bluetooth handsfree calling and steering wheel mounted controls. The Business Edition model that I drove adds DAB radio, sat nav and a rear view camera.

An eight-inch touchscreen dominates the centre console and provides access to the sat nav, handsfree calling, audio (including streaming over Bluetooth) and other ancillary features. It’s clear and easy to use while the audio reproduction is accurate and rich.

The seats – part cloth, part Alcantara in the Business Edition – are comfortable and supportive although I did feel a little cramped behind the wheel. The cabin materials are all high grade and I had no complaints over build quality.

Head and legroom for rear seat passengers is about par for the course. A couple of six-footers should be able to travel in reasonable comfort in the back but squeeze a third person onto the rear bench and things start to get a little cosy. That’s nothing unusual for a car of this size, of course.

Under the bonnet of my test car was the 2.0-litre diesel unit which produces 141bhp. While it made itself heard under heavy acceleration once up to cruising speed it settled down to nothing more than a whisper. Toyota have, in fact, increased the amount of soundproofing compared to the previous model and its effects are obvious. Overall refinement is excellent, with wind and tyre roar noticeable only by its absence.

Despite its reasonable power output you have to work the engine pretty hard to extract its full potential. That’s helped by the slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox and accurate, well-judged steering and, to be honest, it’s worth the effort because the solid handling and pleasant ride make the Avensis an extremely engaging steer.

The Avensis, like its smaller sibling, the Auris, is unlikely to set the world on fire. Its looks took a while to grow on me and, sharper front end aside, are a little on the conservative side.

Reliability, refinement and, perhaps surprisingly, handling are all excellent and standard equipment levels across the range are generous. Toyota’s designers and engineers may well have played it safe, but what they’ve created is a safe bet.

Toyota Avensis Business Edition

Price: £23,155

As tested: £23,650

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 141bhp

Max torque: 236lbft @ 1,750rpm

Maximum speed: 124mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 9.5sec

Urban: 49.6mpg

Extra urban: 74.3mpg

Combined: 62.8mpg

Emissions (CO2): 119g/km

Toyota Auris Design 1.2

Price: £20,595

As tested: £21,840

Engine: 1.2-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 114bhp

Max torque: 136lbft @ 1,500rpm

Max speed: 124mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 10.1sec

Urban: 43.5mpg

Extra urban: 58.9mpg

Combined: 52.3mpg

Emissions (CO2): 124g/km

For more about Toyota cars visit www.toyota.co.uk