Toyota

Avensis Saloon/Sports Tourer

The ever-popular Avensis seems to have been around for years and that’s credit to its amazing popularity. For a very reasonable outlay, buyers receive an incredible amount of car filled to bursting with top notch features.

Test Drive

Toyota Avensis – first drive (2015)

There’s no denying the overwhelming success story that is the Toyota Avensis with more than 1.7 million sales since its launch back in 1997 and the Japanese brand has really upped the ante with the launch of its latest model.

The European flagship model has always been a great crowd-leaser and is a popular choice within the fleet market. And now the car, which is in its third generation, has a more elegant, dynamic and prestigious appeal.

Boasting sharper styling, it is 40mm longer, features a more aggressively styled upper grille and new LED headlight clusters. It has a new-look bumper with larger lower grille and a more elegant rear thanks to new lights, plus a chrome bar that helps to accentuate the wide, low and sporty stance of the car.

Business drivers clock up thousands of motorway miles every year and with that in mind, Toyota has looked very closely at comfort levels within the Avensis. As a result improved seats have been introduced and the cabin certainly has a more refined, modern and premium feel to it with plenty of built-in technology to be explored.

New Avensis is available in saloon or tourer styles and Toyota has introduced some interesting new highly-efficient diesel engines sourced from BMW that offer carbon emissions from as low as 108g/km and combined fuel efficiency of up to 67.3mpg. As well as the new 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesel powertrains there is also a 1.8-litre petrol option although this is only likely to account for about 20 per cent of Avensis sales.

Buyers can select from four trim levels – Active, Business Edition, Business Edition Plus and Excel – with prices starting from £17,765 and rising to £28,440.

And all trim levels boast a rich array of equipment with even the entry level Active models featuring LED daytime running lights, a six-speaker CD/radio audio system, Bluetooth, cruise control, air conditioning and plenty more besides.

Move up to Business Edition and the likes of Toyota Touch 2 Go multimedia and navigation system with eight-inch touchscreen, plus a reversing camera, dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 17-inch alloys, front fog lights and a host of additional safety kit is added.

Another step up to Business Edition Plus sees the introduction of improved upholstery, rear privacy glass, auto headlamp levelling and smart entry with push button start.

Finally, the range-topping Excel adds a panoramic roof, heated seats, 18-inch alloys, adaptive front lighting and a 10-speaker sound system.

The two Business specs are expected to account for more than 80 per cent of sales, so it was these styled models powered by both 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesel engines that we tested out on demanding road routes in Switzerland.

It has to be said that first impressions of the car are very good – it has a much sharper and modern styling on the outside that is carried through to the interior where the quality of materials has clearly been enriched to give the car a more sophisticated feel.

All dials and controls are perfectly positioned for ease of use (although the parking brake is a little obscured from view by the steering wheel).

First up was the 2.0-litre diesel Avensis Touring Sports with six-speed manual gearbox in Business Edition Plus trim. This car is priced at £25,975 and can reach 62mph from a standing start in 9.8 seconds and tops out at 124mph. According to official figures it can deliver combined fuel efficiency of 61.4mpg with carbon emissions of 120g/km.

Comfort levels within the new Avensis are superb and there is ample room for three adults in the back. Storage limitations will never apply either as the massive boot can accommodate 1,105 litres of luggage and this capacity can easily be increased to 1,715 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

Elsewhere there are plenty of handy storage compartments and cup holders scattered throughout the cabin.

The driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility with good-sized mirrors and a clear view through the rear window. Out on the open road, the car cruised effortlessly as it moved with ease through the gears.

Toyota claims the car is fitted with improved insulation thanks to the introduction of thicker materials. This has certainly improved the sound proofing within the car with engine and road surface noise stifled even when travelling at higher speeds. However, there is still quite a lot of wind noise at times.

In fairness credit must be given to Toyota for selecting a punishing road route that really tested the cars and included incredibly steep winding roads with numerous hairpin bends. This did mean plenty of changing down through the gears to maintain momentum, but the car still performed quite capably and the downhill journey was an absolute breeze.

The grounded and sure-footed handling proved most reassuring as the car swept along narrow mountain roads with nerve-wracking drops appearing at every turn.

Next up was the 1.6-litre diesel model in Business Edition Plus again in Touring Sports style and again mated to a six-speed manual transmission. This car costs £24,975 and can sprint from 0-62mph in 11.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 115mph. It can achieve combined fuel economy of 67.3mpg with emissions of 110g/km.

Despite being slightly less powerful than the first test car, this model was an absolute delight to drive and the acceleration through the gears seemed much sharper and a little more responsive.

Much of the road route driven in this particular model involved large chunks of motorway driving and this is definitely where the Avensis excels. It’s comfortable, economical, practical, stylish and loaded with techno treats to keep occupants entertained during extra-long journeys.

And whilst it is yet to be tested, it’s also worth mentioning that Toyota is very confident the latest model will be awarded the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests.

The car is loaded with new features and a focus on active safety technology introduces the new Toyota Safety Sense system, fitted as standard across the model range. This features a pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking. In addition lane departure alert, automatic high beam and road sign assist systems are standard on all but the entry level models.

All in all, the latest Toyota Avensis is a great car that quietly yet very efficiently and confidently goes about its business. It may not boast all the razzmatazz of some rival models, but buyers will be getting a car that is reliable, dependable, comfortable, feature-rich, economical and very cost-effective. Or as Toyota would stress – a car you can trust.

Test Drive

Toyota Avensis T Spirit 2.2 D-4D Tourer

The name Avensis seems to have been around since the invention of the wheel, but the latest models have certainly moved with the times.

But don’t despair because it still maintains all that charm, impressive spec list and performance credentials we have become accustomed to.

Immediately recognisable thanks to its sleek streamlining and very distinctive headlight clusters, the Avensis is guaranteed to stand out in any crowd and the Tourer model supplied for my test drive boasted another welcome feature – a luggage compartment big enough to move in to.

Now in its third generation, the new Avensis boasts one of the safest and most comfortable rides in its market sector and at a price that will keep you on speaking terms with your bank manager.

There was ample room for five adults to travel in comfort and the 2.2-litre engine guaranteed a powerful and responsive drive.

In addition, the six-speed manual transmission moved smoothly and efficiently through the gears.

Inside, the Avensis is crammed to bursting with quality features including dusk-sensing headlights, dual-zone air con, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, heated seats and a whole lot more.

All these creature comforts are designed to make each journey that little bit special.

As one would expect, Toyota has fitted plenty of safety equipment to the Avensis, including anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist and numerous airbags to protect all occupants.

There is also a steering assist vehicle stability control feature which operates in conjunction with the traction control to improve traction and safety in low grip conditions such as snow, rain or gravel.

All in all, the Avensis has certainly transported itself into the 21st Century but without losing the charm that has always made it such a popular model with potential buyers.