What they said when the Toyota Avensis was new… (Feb 25 2003)
TOYOTA has a new flagship that is built in Britain and drives with Germanic precision.
Such is the European flavour of the latest generation Toyota Avensis that it is difficult to find anything of the Orient in its make up.
Whether that is good is open to debate, for this is a car that has all-round excellence but is lacking in true identity.
Undoubtedly the new Avensis takes Toyota closer to stealing a significant share of a market dominated by the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra and the Volkswagen Passat.
That is great from the point of view of UKplc, for the bulk of this sector is made up of cars built on mainland Europe.
Not only is the Avensis made at Burnaston, near Derby, but it has engines from Toyota's plant on Deeside, plenty of home grown components and most of the intended 135,000 a year production run will go for export - even to Japan.
The Avensis is also probably the best built family sized car ever to come from our shores, but somehow it just does not feel inspired.
Perhaps Toyota's engineers at their design studio on the Cote D'Azur in the south of France have gone a little over the top in striving to satisfy Western desires and ended up with a mish-mash of the finer points of European automotive excellence.
Every aspect of this car is good - very good in fact - but taken as a whole it fails to gel.
There is a bit of Vectra and a lot of VW in its looks but, of the three Avensis body shapes, only the estate stands out from the crowd. The hatchback and the saloon just do not have enough presence to be instantly recognisable as a car that is new and dynamic.
On the road it behaves impeccably. With a rear suspension derived from Toyota's sporty Celica and a highly geared power steering the Avensis is absolutely solid.
From the driving seat it delivers the same sort of ride expected from the likes of a BMW 5 Series or a Mercedes E Class but it has not got the nimbleness of some of its immediate competitors - especially the Mazda6.
The Avensis is great for cruising and appointed sufficiently well to keep occupants comfortable over long distances.
It also has some class leading features which are going to make it very competitive when it hits the showrooms on Saturday. (March 1)
All the engines used in the new Avensis meet the latest Euro 4 emissions regulations which are not due to come into force until 2005 - and no other manufacturer can boast that at the moment.
To start with the Avensis will be available with a choice of two petrol engines, a 1.8 and a 2.0 litre, with a 2.0 litre diesel becoming available in May. From the private motorist's point of view the 1.8 qualifies for a tax discount with a CO2 emission rating of 171g/km while the 2.0 litre just misses out at 191g/km.
The diesel is the cleanest of the lot at 155g/km and it will be followed later in the year by Toyota's ultra clean DCAT - it stands for Diesel Clean Advanced Technology - engine which has exceptionally low particulate and nitrous oxide levels.
All versions perform well with the 1.8 litre returning close on 40 miles per gallon and the 2.0 litre nearly 35. The diesel, which is the common rail D4D engine, is probably the pick of the bunch averaging a claimed 48.7 mpg with plenty of mid-range torque that makes it impressively lively.
The Avensis is also very strong on the safety front. Not only is it surrounded with crumple zones that can withstand minor impacts with almost no noticeable damage but it is also festooned with airbags - nine to be precise - including another world first in the form of a bag beneath the steering wheel to protect the driver's knees and upper shins.
That high level of protection is standard across the five model range, as are advanced braking systems and air conditioning.
Prices start at £13,995 for 1.8 litre saloons and hatchbacks and top out at £20,495 for a 2.0 litre estate. Diesels range from £14,995 to £19,495 and automatic versions - which feature tiptronic style gearboxes - cost £1,000 more.
Those prices make this Avensis significantly more expensive than the outgoing version - but the new car is a quantum leap ahead in terms of driveability and quality. They also see the new Avensis coming in below the Passat and Mondeo and, with its low running and maintenance costs, the Toyota will appeal greatly to fleet buyers.
In isolation, not one aspect of this new car is a let down. It drives superbly, it is roomy and comfortable, has loads of cargo space - a minimum of 18 cubic feet across the range - and is comparatively cheap to run.
Technically it is highly advanced, but as a whole the Avensis is just lacking in flair - although that is one commodity that never seems to bother Toyota drivers.
Words: Chris Russon
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