The Toyota Auris: Comfortable, refined and ultimately surprising

The all-new Toyota Auris will take you by surprise in both the looks and performance departments, but thankfully, they're all nice surprises.

Toyota usually goes for the safe option when it comes to looks and design, as they have such a wide target market to cater for. You’ll see everyone from young drivers to old grannies driving the likes of the Yaris, while their larger motors, like the Auris and Avensis, were designed with the family and refined business types in mind. The new generation of Auris, however, is a lot bolder and much more sporty and it will definitely appeal a lot more to the early and under 30s.

The car tested was the 1.4 D4D and while it took a second or two for it to get off the line (as most diesels do), it was quick and extremely responsive once it ran through the gears. I did quite a bit of city driving in the new 2nd-gen Auris and it proved to be extremely good at navigating tight turns and narrow streets, all the while keeping the fuel consumption low. I was getting between 3.9L and 4.0L per 100km while driving conservatively.

I also decided to take the Auris on a nice long spin (to the Giant’s Causeway and back) and I have to say, it performed phenomenally. If I had started on a full tank of fuel then it would have easily taken me there and back on the one tank, but what really stood out was how easy the car was to drive on such a long spin. It was comfortable, enjoyable and the long three-hour journey felt like it only took half the time to get there.

The Auris was so spacious it felt like you were driving your living room. It’s a lot larger than you’d expect in the cabin and there’s enough headroom in the back for the larger gent thanks to the adjustable height on the rear seat. Plus, you can easily carry three rear passengers, which is good if you’re planning a nice road trip.

It’s also extremely quiet inside and it’s tough to hear the engine, the tyres and even the weather, which made things even more enjoyable over the long spin (it was raining from the time I left until I got back to Dublin). The boot is a good size and a set of golf clubs fits in without any hassle.

I think the Auris is the perfect car for anyone who has to drive long distances on a regular basis, but who doesn’t want, nor has the need for, a big saloon. The 1.4L diesel is great on fuel economy and you have the piece of mind that it’s a Toyota. While the company has suffered a few setbacks in recent years with various recalls, you can be sure that they had their best men (and women) working on the new generations to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again in the near future.

The new Auris really does look great with its sharp grille, mean daytime running lights and a completely re-designed rear end; it’s super economical both in town and on long spins and it’s just as comfortable as any of its larger competitors. There really isn’t anything bad to say about the car, even if you were nit picking, so that’s why I was pleasantly surprised with the all-new Auris.

Prices for the 1.33-litre petrol start at €18,995, while my 1.4 D4D Luna with all the bells and whistles, like the 6.1” touch screen display, Bluetooth connectivity, 16” rims, rear-view camera, brushed titanium trim and Climate Control just to name a few, comes in at a very competitive €23,995.

If you’re looking for something different, without pushing the metaphorical boat out too far then this could just be the car for you.