New Avensis Majors On Comfort And Costs For Added Business Motorist Appeal

The new Toyota Avensis has been designed to be a strong performer in the business car and fleet market, not just in terms of running costs but also in providing the kind of comfort and on-board technologies that make life easier for the longer-distance driver. With fleet and business customers expected to account for around 87 per cent of all new Avensis sales, achieving the right balance of cost-efficiency, performance and quality has been crucial.

Comfort
Toyota canvassed the opinions of motorists – not just Toyota drivers – in its development of new Avensis, helping it better understand and respond to the real-world needs and preferences of business people who spend long periods at the wheel.

As a result, the new Avensis range of saloons and Touring Sports wagons – all built in Britain – has two equipment grades that focus on the things that make life more comfortable, convenient and connected for today’s business motorist.

The Avensis Business Edition is positioned to appeal at the heart of the fleet market. It comes equipped with Toyota Touch 2 with Go, a fast and intuitive eight-inch touchscreen-controlled multimedia package that includes navigation, Bluetooth, DAB and access to online services for local information and journey planning. Cruise control, automatic air conditioning and automatic headlights and wipers also help take the stress out of driving.

Business Edition Plus models are tailored for the user-chooser, adding combination leather and Alcantara upholstery, LED headlights and daytime running lights, rear privacy glass and smart entry with push-button start.

All models benefit from a redesigned driver’s seat that gives extra support and comfort for long distance trips, with electrically adjustable lumbar support provided on both Business Edition grades. Improved NVH measures also make the cabin a much quieter and calmer place.

Insurance
The introduction of the Toyota Safety Sense package of safety features has had a significant impact on new Avensis’s insurance ratings, with improvements of up to five groups achieved compared to the previous model. This means Avensis now equals the best in its class in terms of insurance costs, with the added benefit of Toyota’s advanced technologies to help prevent accidents happening.

Toyota Safety Sense provides a laser-controlled Pre-Crash Safety system with Autonomous Emergency Braking on all Avensis models; on all grades apart from the entry-level Active it also equips the car with Automatic High Beam headlights, Road Sign Assist and Lane Departure Alert.

Tax rates
Avensis has two fleet-friendly D-4D diesel engines at the heart of its range: a 110bhp 1.6 unit and a new 141bhp 2.0-litre, making its Toyota debut. The 1.6 saloon has an official CO₂ emissions rating of 109g/km, helping secure a first-year 19 per cent benefit-in-kind company car tax rating; producing 119g/km, the 2.0-litre saloon has an initial 21 per cent BiK rate. This performance adds to Avensis’s competitiveness in the fleet arena supported by savings on fuel costs thanks to combined cycle consumption figures from 67.3mpg for the 1.6 and 62.8mpg for the 2.0-litre.