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Toyota Auris
Top dog with an identity crisis
You might not know this, but the Toyota Corolla is the biggest selling car in history. You might not know it because, although it has been around for 40 years, it has remained a car with all the stand-out qualities of a cloud on a cloudy day.
In Britain its demise will probably go largely unnoticed. Because despite selling more than 32m models worldwide, it has never proved particularly popular here, once being compared to a washing machine.
So its replacement hopes to gain a more interesting reputation. Auris (pronounced owris) is a contrived derivation of aurum, or gold, and the big question is whether the world’s richest car maker has struck it with this clean sweep of a design.
Though Toyota claims the Auris is all new, much of its exterior bears a striking resemblance to the outgoing Corolla. What is new is a more bulbous nose — the upshot of new pedestrian safety regulations — that resembles Toyota’s other bestseller, the smaller Yaris. The Auris’s rump looks slightly swollen, too, and that’s to accommodate a big boot.
Toyota claims it has designed this car from the inside out in the interests of providing plentiful space. It has a point: while most cars in this class feel amply dimensioned up front, not so many manage the same feat in the rear. The Auris is a little taller than the class average and provides ample lounging room in the back for two and decent enough space for three.
Under the bonnet there is a choice of five engines — two petrol, three diesel. The smallest is a 1.4 litre petrol that I suspect will struggle, while the 1.6 VVT-i is likely to be the most popular. It boasts 122bhp and delivers genuine pace, although it needs to be worked hard to get the best out of it. The pick of the diesel engines is the 175bhp 2.2 litre whose pull is sometimes spectacular and certainly produces a relaxing mile-eater. The two smaller turbodiesels come as a 1.4 and 2 litre, which will make up for in economy what they lack in power.
Whatever the engine, the Auris is easy to drive. It’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel and the high-mounted gearlever slips neatly between the five gears. You’ll need to get used to the curiously angled handbrake, whose release button sits close to its tip rather than on it. The cockpit is dominated by a bold centre console said to be inspired by the flying buttresses of Notre Dame, Paris. Yeah, right. Makes you wonder what Toyota’s designers were doing drifting around French cathedrals. I’d like to check their expenses.
It’s a pleasure to look at, though, with a set of particularly classy, orange-hued instruments, but the moulding is of hard plastic that sounds disappointingly brittle when you open one of the many storage boxes. These are unlined, so objects placed inside will provide an undesired soundtrack of rattles unless they’re wedged in place. All of which generates an aura of cheapness that you would not expect of a Toyota, particularly a reinvented one.
The Ford Focus and VW Golf, among others, are much better finished. Toyota claims its research indicates that buyers are not too bothered by this kind of thing — I’m not so sure.
There’s no doubting the Auris’s safety credentials, however. All versions come with nine airbags, including a driver’s kneebag. Along with the well designed body these ensure the car gained a maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP impact tests, with four for child protection and three for pedestrian impact performance.
And it feels reassuring on the road. The steering is accurate and, despite some roll generated by its extra height, the Auris slices through bends with unfussed authority.
“Quiet” best captures the character of this car. Never mind that flying buttress console or the orange instruments — this is a sober, capable machine whose advantages of space, value and ease of use will make it a fine buy for those who are not badge snobbish. A verdict that could have been be applied equally to the Corolla, in fact.
Model
Toyota Auris 1.6 V V T-i TR five-door
Engine type 1598cc, four cylinders
Power/Torque 122bhp @ 6000rpm / 116 lb ft @ 5200rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel/CO2 39.8mpg (combined cycle) / 166g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 10.4sec / Top speed: 118mph
Price £12,995
Verdict Good, but not pure gold
Rating 3/5
Date of release Out now
The opposition
Model Ford Focus 1.6 LX five-door £13,845
For Refined finish, superb handling
Against Ubiquitous, hardly a daring choice
Model VW Golf 1.6 S FSI five-door £14,500
For Build quality and badge kudos, spacious
Against Expensive, slightly dull styling
What ever you do steer clear of the MMT auto version of the Auris. I purchased one from new and have sent it back 4 times for the gear box to be updated. It's a lot like driving Herbie, has a mind of it's own taking over the gear change from you at no notice. I shall stick to Audi from now on.
Lucy, Southampton, England
To Roseanne
I have a 1.6 TR and the drive is superb. It's nippy, holds really well on bends and is a dream on motorways. Bit of road noise but not deafening and a good CD will take care of that. It feels like the safest car I have ever driven and has really improved my confidence on the road.
Cathy, Cardiff,
I'm currently considering trading in my beloved Audi 3.2 Roadster, Automatic, (for reasons which I'm not prepared to state here) ,for an Auris T3 M/M version.
Could anyone comment on the feel of the "drive" of this car? I understand it is not strictly an automatic in the normal sense.
Much appreciate
Roseanne xxx
Roseanne, Epsom, Surrey
I have had a few toyotas and never had any problems! I currently have a T180 Auris and have to say it is one of the smothest and quiet driving cars i have drove. Long distances are not a problem as it has plenty of torque and all the extras you need! Well impressed will have definately have another!
Craig Dallas, coleraine, Northern Ireland
We have just bought our new Auris 2L D4D TR model and have a big problem starting from cold. The dealer had the car for three days already and have changed the ECU but this has worsen the condition and if that was not enough they have also damaged our rear passenger door whilst in their possession.
Joseph, Spalding, Lincolnshire
I have a Toyota Auris and am having great difficulty with the locking system. Sometimes it locks and sometimes it doesn't. Toyota shrug their shoulders and talk about radio waves - they've just changed the door receiver but it's just the same. Having to use the ridiculously small key is a real pain. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Judith Surrey, UK
Judith Parker, Warlingham, UK
Bought the Toyota auris TR 1.6 new in october how can any one have a bad word said about that car? to sum up the car in 1 word its outstanding. Never misses a beat and is certainly not boring better to drive and handle than anything ford can conjour up. Why would any one buy a focus over an auris is beyond me the fords noisy uncomftable sometimes wont start and has been like this from new. Toyotas reliability is said 2 be boring. The car in front is a toyota not the 1 stuck at the side of the road in the rain with its hazard lights on. The interior is amazing and the ride quality easilly matches a mercedes. Buy another brand other than toyota you need your head examining also toyota is made by toyota and has toyota parts a rare treat with cars these days. Also buy British, japanese quality and reliability built in wales.
Andrew, Sunderland, England
my aunt has a new auris and can not use the handbrake well i would be very interested to here from any one else with difficulty with it
lisa , macclesfield, cheshire
I found my 2 litre TR. Uncomfortable on long journeys. The side panels of the drivers seat were so hard that they dug into my legs. The dashboard sqeaked every time I went over and slight bump. I sold it asap and bought a 2 litre diesel sonata.
Which is a much much better car.
Gordon Heighway, Spalding, UK
I have auris 1,6 vvti sol for 2 months and I am very pleased and I musti say it's a prefect car for city and has more than enough space for city car. Engine is very quiet and drivig is very easy and relaxing.
Djole, Belgrade, Serbia
thinking of buying the auris but need an auto; is it possble
j morris , prestatyn , wales
Never owned a Toyota before, have had my Auris 2.0 D4D TR now for 9 weeks. Was a bit unsure at first as I had ordered a VW Golf match, but dealer could not get me one so I decided to buy the Auris which I had had on a 2 day test drive. Best descision iI ever made the Auris has proved to be a great buy so comfortable to drive and so smooth on the road, all in all a great car.
Bob West Of Scotland.
Robert Cameron, Glasgow, Dunbartonshire
Having had a few Corollas, the Auris ride is so much improved. The 130BHp D4D is probably going to outsell the vvti as it does 55mpg, and given petrol is such an integral part of living in rip-off Britain it wins on economy alone. The T180 diesel is just a bit too jerky in its acceleration (spectacular, as the review says), and the engine comes from a bigger heavier car. Toyota often puts oversized engines in top of the range models. The look and finish is fine, and you either like or loath the console - take your pick. the black finish does turn heads though, and given the average speeds we do here, maybe that's a plus!
Andrew , Newbury, UK
Corolla's are great first one lasted 5 years and was brilliant. Second lasted 1 week until 4 armed gunmen decided to take it off my hands. Decided to go down market- low profile in an old chevrolet don't even know what it's called but has 4 doors and gets me from a to b no fuss and little attention. A head turner is not a good idea here and a new corola believe it or not was/is a good car.
pedro, caracas, venezuela
The Corolla wasn't so bad. I owned one of the 1991 1.6Gti versions with the 4a-Ge 1.6 16V twin cam engine, and it was by a mile the best car I've ever driven. Everything was in the right place, the instruments were perfectly situated, and it howled reliably to 7,500RPM for the 100,000 extra miles I put on it in 3 years despite having over 100,000 on the clock when I bought it. It always put a smile on my face. Where they went wrong was discontinuing it in 1991. And why have Toyota got such a reputation of being boring? They gave us the GTi mentioned above, the MR2, the Celica Turbo, the fantastic Supra twin turbo, all with excellent build quality and 100% reliability. I'd eat my shoes before I'd spend 20K on a new car when these ones are still better and more reliable and under 10K. If Top Gear would for once stop concentrating on German cars we might actually see how good some Toyotas are. What powers the Lotus Exige, by the way? A Celica engine.
Jack, London, UK
Where are all the bloody photos, always the problem with any Times web page. Cars are as much about looks these days as any kind of other quality.
Phillip Rafter, puerto ayora, galapagos
It's absurd. How can Toyota think that a car this conservative will do anything to the Corolla's fortune? It's good... but it's boring... exactrly like a Corolla... and changing names doesn't help.. we all know it's a Corolla....
Haricharan, Chennai, India