TOYOTA'S Auris T180 is a hugely impressive car but my word it is expensive.
It just seems that £18,395 is a massive amount of money to pay for a three-door compact although to be fair perhaps there is a degree of bias here.
It is actually less expensive than the equivalent Audi A3 although somehow it seems more acceptable to pay top dollar for a prestige German brand with the appropriate designer badge.
Toyota would argue that the Auris is a match for the Audi in terms of quality and that it offers 175bhp from its diesel engine rather than the Audi's 170bhp.
The Auris boasts a combination of 130mph performance, 0-60mph acceleration in eight seconds and an impressive economy figure of 45mpg.
Audi would point out that despite generating less power its 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine endows the A3 170 Sport with similar acceleration, a 138mph top speed and economy of virtually 50mpg.
The Auris is a hugely important car for Toyota as the replacement for the Corolla, which was the world's best-selling car.
It is built in the UK on a new platform that is larger than that of the Corolla.
New suspension systems have been developed for it and a striking interior design feature is the bridge-shaped console that raises the gear lever higher on the dashboard, closer to the driver and integrates the handbrake to create an open space below.
The Auris also uses Toyota's EasyFlat system with one-touch folding of the rear seats to create a flat-floored load area. The boot capacity is 354 litres and the ten storage areas around the cabin have a combined capacity of 32 litres.
There is a greater distance between the front and rear seats than in the Corolla, giving extra legroom whilst head and shoulder room are also better.
The designers have eliminated the tunnel carrying the exhaust system, giving a flat rear floor and a more comfortable seating position for anyone in the middle.
As many as nine airbags are fitted, with a driver's knee airbag as standard, which is a first in the class. Active safety features on all versions include electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, with higher grade models equipped with vehicle stability control and traction control systems.
The Auris comes with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines with outputs ranging from 89bhp for the 1.4-litre D-4D 90 to 175bhp for the 2.2-litre D-4D 180 that is also used in the Avensis, RAV4 and Verso.
The flagship T180 is a remarkable - if expensive - piece of kit that offers the aforementioned impressive combination of performance and economy.
Whilst not everyone wants to travel at 130mph such performance prowess is indicative of the car's prodigious pulling power throughout the speed scale.
This makes the Auris T180 very much a driver's car and the icing on the cake is the 45mpg economy, which is easily achieved when trundling along at a mere 70mph.
In terms of equipment there is metallic paint, cruise control, electric operation of the windows and sun roof, a CD sound system and various electronic stability aids.
However, bearing in mind the hefty £18,395 price tag for the three-door version and a further £500 for the five-door model there is a glaring omission with the lack of satellite navigation.
Again, the cost of this is out of all proportion as a £1,500 option, with customers being better advised to buy a portable Tom Tom at a fifth of the price.
Whilst the Auris T180 is undeniably an extremely accomplished machine and highly desirable, so are plenty of others for less or similar money.
It is a competitive market and I would be looking for a discount of at least £1,000 off the sticker price in today's crowded market place.
FAST FACTS
Toyota Auris T180 3dr
Price: £18,395
Mechanical: 175bhp, 2,231cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 130mph
0-62mph: 8.1 secs
Combined mpg: 45.6
Insurance group: 13
CO2 emissions: 164g/km
BiK rating: 22%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust