Toyota Announces Auris 2010

Sharper looks, sweeter handling and improved specifications

KEY POINTS

• Auris comprehensively restyled inside and out
• Suspension and steering fine-tuned for improved ride comfort and handling
• Toyota Optimal Drive powertrains deliver class leading combination of power, fuel efficiency and low emissions
• New Auris SR with sports styling, targeting younger customers
• Range to increase further with introduction of British-built full hybrid Auris HSD in July
• On sale now, on-the-road prices from £14,463

Toyota has launched its new Auris 2010, with a sharper appearance inside and out, higher quality materials throughout the cabin and a suspension system tweaked for extra ride comfort and stability. As well as packing much more visual appeal, the range of three and five-door hatchbacks continues to deliver a class leading combination of performance, fuel economy and low CO2 emissions from its line-up of Toyota Optimal Drive powertrains.

Restyled exterior
Rather than simple styling tweaks, Toyota has gone back to the sheet metal to give its new Auris 2010 more road presence and driver appeal. The front end has been comprehensively reworked with a new deep bumper with integrated fog lamps (TR and SR models), new swept-back headlamps, a revised bonnet profile with stronger crease lines and a grille that adopts the Toyota family identity established by the latest generation Avensis and Verso.

New 16-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels have been designed for the TR and SR models and all versions feature turn indicator lights integrated into the door mirrors. At the rear there is a smart flash of chrome across the top of the number plate, revised lamp clusters and a new rear bumper with extended corner sections that create a “catamaran” look. Owners can choose from seven exterior colours, including three new metallic shades.

High quality cabin
A soft-touch material has been introduced across the top of the instrument binnacle and around the glovebox, and the centre console has been revised with changes to the instrument design for smarter appearance and improved clarity. Auris’s distinctive bridged centre console has a new silver finish that matches the doorhandles and the shape of the handbrake has been changed for easier operation and improved tactile quality.

White illumination has been introduced for the Optitron instrument dials, with sportier amber lighting for the analogue instruments featured in the new Auris SR. To complete the fresh look, new cloth upholstery designs have been introduced.

Retuned suspension and steering
Toyota’s engineers have taken UK customer feedback into account in fine-tuning Auris’s suspension to better suit European roads and driver preferences (T2, TR models). The revisions have undergone extensive local testing and the result is stable high-speed driving performance with secure handling and greater ride comfort.

The speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS) has also been revised and refined to deliver better feedback and improved vehicle agility.

Toyota Optimal Drive powertrains
Auris retains its current range of petrol and diesel engines and six-speed manual and MultiMode transmissions, all of which benefit from Toyota Optimal Drive technologies for reduced weight, higher efficiency and reduced emissions. Performance data is unchanged, but they continue to offer a strong balance of performance, fuel efficiency and low emissions.

The range comprises a 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i petrol engine, with manual transmission, with Toyota Stop & Start technology; 1.6 Valvematic petrol with manual; or MultiMode transmission; and 1.4 D-4D diesel, again with manual gearbox; or Multimode:

Revised grades and improved equipment specifications
The new Auris 2010 moves to a new three-grade line-up, with a new sporty SR grade joining the established T2 and TR models. The TR will remain at the heart of the range and is expected to account for around 80 per cent of the UK sales mix.

Key changes include the provision of a USB port and Aux-in socket to connect portable music players to the car’s audio system, and a leather-trimmed flat bottom steering wheel on all models. Heated door mirrors are introduced on T2 grade, with an additional retracting function on TR and SR versions.

Sportier Auris SR
The new Auris SR, powered exclusively by the 1.6-litre Valvematic petrol engine with six-speed manual transmission, incorporates sporty styling inside and out, with new-design five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, dark-tinted rear privacy glass, roof spoiler with integrated stop lamp, darkened headlamp glasses, Tatami sport seat trim and amber-lit analogue dashboard instrumentation. Despite all this additional specification, the SR model costs only £500 more than the TR.

Key equipment features are detailed in the table below: –

Options
New Kasaba black leather upholstery, with white stitching detail, will be available as an option for TR and SR versions of the new Auris 2010. A Protection Pack is also available, offering rear parking sensors (with a cancellation switch) and a boot liner. Bluetooth connectivity is also available for hands-free use of compatible mobile phones, with voice recognition and a music streaming function.

UK model range, prices, VED and insurance

ENDS