Toyota Auris, The Commitment To Offer Everything

In 2012, Toyota renewed its compact after the success achieved with the previous generation. In a segment where the competition is advancing by leaps and bounds, you cannot afford to be left behind. The previous model of the Toyota Auris was highly criticized especially for its design, not very innovative. This year, the brand has decided to carry out a  restyling  to refresh the model.

We find a vehicle 4.33 meters long, measures in the average of the segment. They allow you to move around the city with some agility and face long motorway trips with a high degree of comfort. That is the main virtue of compact cars: versatility.

Design

• Say outside : you have taken a big step forward for the Toyota Auris, the previous generation lacked character. It has gained in sportiness, lowering the car’s center of gravity and gaining width. Sharper headlights reinforce the idea of ​​making a more eye-catching car, especially for younger audiences.

• Interior design : when we get inside the Toyota Auris, we feel that everything is well placed. Without great design flaunting but very practical, one of the premises that the brand embodies in all its vehicles.

Habitability

In the front seats we find enough space to accommodate tall people without problems, with wide adjustments of the seats and the steering wheel. All this together with a central console that does not bother too much. The control panel varies depending on the chosen engine, being very simple in the gasoline and diesel models and more modern and striking in the hybrid, with battery level indications, etc.

The space in the rear seats places it in the middle of the segment, with sufficient, but not exceptional, knee room. Competitors such as the Volkswagen Golf or the Hyundai i30 are better resolved in this area. Instead, the width and height of the shoulders is remarkable, being more apt to accommodate three adults than most of its rivals. It does not have air vents in these seats and we will have to settle for what comes from the front intakes.

Visibility at all angles is very good except for the rear, with a small rear window. It is a common feature in the segment to get a few inches of boot height and thus gain a few extra liters.

It has 360 liters of trunk, slightly below average, but with very usable shapes. The Touring sports version, with 530 liters, allows us to accommodate the suitcases of all the occupants without problem.

Dynamic

Although it is not its strong point, and rivals such as the Ford Focus or the Peugeot 308 are better in this regard. Still, the new Toyota Auris has improved over its predecessor in this section. It is an unpretentious sports car, valuing comfort above all else. That is not why we can say that it is clumsy, its reactions are very noble and its handling is pleasant and predictable. A slight understeer appears when going hard into corners, but still easy to control. Therefore, the poise is sufficient for normal driving.

On fast roads it is a comfortable car, with a level of soundproofing and a suspension that isolates the irregularities of the asphalt very well.

Engines

This is where the Toyota Auris takes off its chest and can boast of having in its ranks in addition to diesel and gasoline engines, something common, a hybrid version. Option that its competitors of generalist brands do not have; the Lexus CT200H, with which it shares technology, also has it, but they are vehicles focused on different users.

Let’s go by parts:

• Diesel : it has two blocks, a 1.4-liter that yields 90 HP, called 90D and another of 1.6 liters and 111CV, the 115D. Of the first, the consumption stands out, with 4 l / 100km, which makes this option highly recommended for those who use the car mainly in the city. It is not so solvent on highways, where we will have to resort to change to maintain speed on the slopes. The second option, with 111CV, is highly recommended because it achieves a magnificent ratio between performance and consumption, with enough power for most of our day-to-day circumstances.

• Gasoline : Toyota has reduced the range to a single gasoline engine. It is a 1.2-liter supercharged with 116 hp, called 120T. It is a highly recommended engine for refinement and response, with quite contained consumption.
• Hybrid : called 140H e-CVT, this version is the icing on the cake of this Toyota Auris. Configurable only with automatic transmission, this technology combines a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with an electric one, together they deliver 136 hp of power. It stands out for a driving pleasure outside of what we are used to. Silence reigns inside and the throttle response is totally instantaneous. Another strong point is the consumption in the city, which achieves a mixed consumption of 3.5 l / 100km, a very good figure.

Prices

The Toyota Auris starts from € 20,920 for the Business 90D version to € 28,440 for the 115D Advance Touring sports version. Prices slightly above the average, something common in Toyota. This over-cost is offset by an enviable reliability for the vast majority of its competitors.

Undoubtedly, this Toyota Auris is an alternative to consider for those who are looking for a compact generalist; and it becomes the only alternative if what you are looking for is a compact hybrid at a good price.