On the road: THE original Auris was a car chosen by the head and not the heart. Its merits dented by a dowdy exterior. While it’s not exactly been the subject of a complete overhaul it has been tweaked here and there to make it easier on the eye.
It won’t get the pulse racing, but then you would surely never expect it to. What it will do is promise reliable, comfortable and unfussy motoring.
Our Business Edition Hybrid was powered by a 1.8 litre VVT-i petrol engine allied to an electric motor – together they produce 134bhp - enabling the Auris to go from nought to 62mph in 10.9 seconds and on to a top speed 112mph.
The engine is a little loud when running on petrol power, which was the majority of journeys for me. Under electric power, which is possible at speeds up to 44mph, the car is much quieter, but the range is limited.
On the inside: THE Auris’ interior is pleasant enough, but it is not as adventurous as it might be for a car featuring such levels of technology. That said it was easy to master and the little joystick-style gearstick is a nice touch.
A lot of the information is contained within a touchscreen system. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I found it a lot easier to use than some of Toyota’s competitors.
What do you get: OUR car featured automatic air conditioning, electric windows, leather steering wheel and gear knob trim, heated front seats, reclining rear seats, 4.2ins colour touchscreen, satellite navigation, Google Local Search connectivity, six-speaker audio system, DAB radio and Bluetooth. In addition there was heated and electrically adjustable mirrors, 16ins alloys, front fog lamps and roof spoiler.
How practical is it: YOU won’t have many complaints about space in the Auris. There’s room for five onboard and the boot has 435 litres of space, increasing to 1,199 litres with the seats down. The boot also has a dividable floor.
Running costs: TOYOTA says it should be possible to get more than 78mpg on the combined cycle. CO2 emissions come in at 82g/km. The car comes with a five year, 100,000 mile European wide mechanical warranty – eight years for hybrid components, a thre-year paint warranty and, 12-year anti-corrosion and perforation warranty. There is also one year’s full AA cover.
Verdict: OFFERS something different in the hatchback sector.
Alternatives: Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus
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