Packing a punch with the Toyota Auris

ROAD TEST

Techno treats, top notch trimmings plus a splash of style have given the latest Toyota Auris a fresh lease of life.

The new Auris, the Japanese company’s rival to mid-size heavyweights like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf, hit UK streets during the autumn and is already attracting a raft of admirers.

But it’s not just on looks – and especially the low-slung stance of the Touring Sports estate – where the Auris is likely to prove a winner.

Among a pair of new engines joining the line-up is a turbo petrol unit that may be small but packs a king-size punch.

It’s a 1.2-litre powerplant with the sort of wallop to give Ford’s award-winning EcoBoost engines a real run for their money.

Our test model, a Touring Sport in the well-specced Design trim, featured the new lightweight unit which has the strength of a 1.6-litre engine yet with significantly lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Driving through a six-speed manual transmission it can scoot from 0-62 in 10.4 seconds and on to a potential top speed of 121mph, figures that advance marginally with the hatchback variant.

Add some suspension and steering revisions aimed at improving ride quality and handling and the estate is a composed, comfortable and quiet car to drive even with a full complement and clobber aboard.

Its official average fuel return is an impressive 51.4 miles per gallon, a figure we came close to matching over a week of mixed urban and dual carriageway motoring.

The Auris remains a unique model in its area of the car market in that it offers petrol, diesel and petrol hybrid powertrains.

Hybrid, which has been on the Toyota since 2010, currently accounts for half of all Auris sales and there’s also now a new 1.6-litre diesel sourced from BMW that comes with the promise of 67.3mpg, so there’s plenty of choice for fans of the brand.

As for design, well Toyota has done a slick job in giving the car a more sophisticated appeal, there are more upmarket cabin materials and interior space is adequate for five.

Go for the Touring Sport and you get an extended boot space with underfloor compartments and an adjustable floor.

All  models starting at entry grade Active feature electric front windows, auto air-con, Bluetooth and LED daytime running lights and two new trim grades – Business Edition and Design – cater for company car drivers and those seeking more style.

And Toyota Safety Sense with its emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beam and traffic sign recognition is a £400 extra cost option.

Either way, you’re getting a car that not only looks the part but is a serious, value for money contender in what’s an increasingly competitive arena.