Toyota Auris Hatchback 2007-2009

In essence, the Toyota Auris is nothing more than the old Corolla just bearing a different name. Although, there was never anything really bad to say about the Toyota Corolla, it was often perceived as a characterless car, especially in Europe. Therefore Toyota built the new compact hatchback on the familiar Corolla platform, but made it more appealing to younger customers by adding a more modern and stylish design and giving it a new name too.

Pros and Cons:

• Much greener than many of its competitors
  Powerful and efficient diesels
  A practical and economical car

• Weak petrol engines
  Noisy diesels

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Exterior and Interior

The interior is somewhat disappointing, looking dull and cheap. The gear lever is located high on the dash and the handbrake is large and out of sync with the rest of the car’s styling. All in all, the central console leaves a chaotic impression and it will take time to get used to its controls.

The new Auris looks more quirky than the older Corolla. It’s been aimed at appealing to the medium-income young driver with the same sort of theme being seen in the Auris as in other mainstream car manufacturers’ youth models. It is well-proportioned with a relatively large cabin and small front end with impressive headlamps.

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Engines

The Toyota Auris positions itself as a green car and in fact there are two ways you can go green with the Auris. One option is the 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid that has the drive system borrowed from the Prius. The good news is the Auris is smaller, lighter and unlike the Prius, it looks a lot better. For those who are not ready to switch to a hybrid yet, there is a second option. There’s a 1.33-litre Dual engine equipped with a stop-start system that switches your engine off when you’re idling for a certain period of time. That way it is possible to save 5 – 10% off your usual consumption while driving in city, however, the engine is too weak to go anywhere outside the city. For non-eco drivers there are plenty of other engines to choose from: a 1.4-litre 95bhp and a 1.6-litre 122bhp petrol engines as well as a 1.4-litre 88bhp, a 2.0-litre 124bhp and a 2.2-litre 174bhp diesel engine.

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Performance and Economy

The 1.8-litre Hybrid version offers an impressive economy achieving 74mpg.Overall you’re much better off choosing a greener modification. For example, the top of the range diesel with the large 2.2-litre engine will actually add character to the car accelerating from 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds and is capable of a maximum speed of 131mph. Considering all that, the diesel Auris still manages a respectable 45mpg.

A sportier 1.6-litre version is advisable for people interested in active driving. Compared to similar engines from Mazda and Honda, the "sporty" Auris unfortunately lacks character. Acceleration is rather disappointing, taking 11.8 seconds to get to 60mph. The Auris doesn’t have any electronic stability controls or any other driving assistance systems, which, as its targeting the younger generation, might also be a problem.

The range of engines available to Auris is quite impressive. If you decide to go for a smaller petrol engine, choose the 1.33 Dual. It has the same power output as the 1.4-litre engine, only the fuel consumption is much lower. The Dual engine with the novel stop-start system can achieve 48mpg, while the conventional 1.4-litre engine only manages 40mpg. Both engines are unsuitable for enthusiastic driving or motorway cruising and should be kept in and around city areas.

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What it's like to Drive

Handling and drive quality is acceptable. It does well on bumpy roads and the body roll is kept well within the limits. The Auris isn’t a terribly bad car it’s just that it doesn’t do anything to make itself stand out.

Unfortunately, the Toyota Auris is not as much fun as other comparable Japanese cars. Anything less than the 2.2-litre diesel lacks character, however, the diesel is only suitable to those who can bear excessive noise and rattle because the 2.2-litre Auris is not a quiet car.

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Faults and Repairs

The Auris is a relatively new vehicle in the used car market, hence it’s bound to provide decent reliability. There have been reports of faulty clutches and sticking gears but nothing too serious so far.

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