We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
|
|
||||||||
The current economic climate is hardly a good time to be launching a car into the upper-medium sector, everyone's downsizing to smaller more efficient cars and lease companies are encouraging customers to extend contracts rather than take on new cars.
Vauxhall has recently put into the market it's contender with the Insignia and now Toyota has played it's hand with the new Avensis.
The outgoing model was not a roaring success thanks to its fractionally odd looks and poor RVs, but it was loved by owners thanks to its comfortable ride and faultless reliability.
The big change for the new Avensis is the deletion of the hatch version - instead Toyota will concentrate on the saloon and estate, the larger of which will take 55% of UK sales.
Two petrol engines (147PS 1.8 and 152PS 2.0-litre) and three diesel engines (126PS 2.0, 150PS 2.2 and 177 2.2) will be available from launch. Automatic gearboxes are available on the petrol engines and the 150PS diesel.
Toyota's biggest selling point for the new Avensis is the impressively low CO2 figures which at 134g/km for the biggest selling 2.0-litre diesel put it ahead of all its main rivals and in the 18% tax band for the next three years.
The Japanese firm puts the low CO2 emissions down to it's Optimal Drive which is fitted across the Avensis range and will be rolled out on all new Toyotas in the next few years. Optimal Drive takes a route that is similar to BMW's Efficient Dynamics package, with all cars benefiting from efficiency tweaks, rather than buyers having to opt for a specific lower power eco model, like VW's Bluemotion cars.
Toyota also claims the new Avensis is now a much more involving drive than before. However, while the car has excellent body control through the corners, a lack of steering feel lets the car down. The move to a sportier drive has also left the generally comfortable ride with a few issues over bumpy roads and potholes where the suspension can bang harshly. There's also an intrusive level of tyre noise on some motorway surfaces.
To cap the downsides the, the 2.0-litre diesel is noisy and harsh at start and acceleration, although it gets quieter when cruising. The 150PS 2.2 diesel we tested was a much more refined power unit.
The diesels come with a surprisingly short 10,000 mile service interval, but over the first 60,000 miles Toyota claims a class-leading lowest hours of serving time.
And this neatly sums up the Avensis, it is very nearly an excellent car, but it just misses out in a few key areas making it simply a very good car.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
