OUR PICK OF THE RANGE Auris Luna 1.4 D-4D
Toyota Auris It’s taken several years for the Auris name to be accepted by the Irish buying public. It replaced the Corolla hatchback in 2006, with a very similar layout and concept, off ering buyers three- and fi ve-door body styles. But the name change didn’t help sales. Now we’re into the second generation, which has already had a midlife facelift, and things are looking much more positive for the Auris. It’s still not as great to drive as, say a Ford Focus or Opel Astra, and neither does it drip social status in the way a Volkswagen Golf does, but the Auris is a good all-rounder that’s refi ned, comfortable, agile on the road and blessed with a wide range of engine options. Urban drivers can choose the excellent 1.2 turbo petrol engine or the reasonably priced hybrid, while those that travel further will fi nd the 1.4-litre diesel incredibly cheap to run. The Auris Touring Sports estate is well worth a look, too.
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Ireland pretty much started out with the Corolla and it remains its bread-and-butter model to this day, taking seventh place overall in the new car sales charts. It has always represented spacious no-nonsense transport and even a slick facelift at the end of 2016 hasn’t changed that. The Corolla now looks good and has a thoroughly modern dashboard. It majors on comfort rather than agility, though we’d like an extra layer of refi nement. It may last forever, but the tinny feel of the boot lid, for example, makes it feel fl imsy at times. Three trim levels (Terra, Luna and Sol) are off ered and arguably the base model has everything you need. If you travel on the motorway a bit, the diesel is a worthwhile investment as it’s not much more to buy than the entry-level petrol car.
OUR PICK OF THE RANGE Avensis Luna 1.6 D-4D
OUR PICK OF THE RANGE Prius Luxury
OUR PICK OF THE RANGE Corolla Terra 1.4D-4D manual
Toyota Avensis
The Toyota Avensis is another stalwart of the Irish motoring scene, ever since it took over from the Carina in the late ‘90s. These days, however, big D-segment saloons such as the Avensis are being overlooked by buyers in favour of crossovers (such as Toyota’s new C-HR), so sales are on the wane and competition is fi erce. The Avensis long traded on its reputation for strong reliability and resale values, but that’s not quite enough for many, which is why it looks better than ever since its 2015 update. That also brought a much better interior, an improvement to the car’s refi nement and the introduction of a 1.6-litre diesel engine sourced from BMW. Buyers choose from the four-door saloon or Touring Sports estate.
102 Auto Ireland Guide to New Cars 2017 AUTO IRELAND AND HARMONIA ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY VARIATIONS.
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is the best-known hybrid car in the world. Spend a day in LA and you’ll think there’s a Prius owners’ club meeting on they’re so common. Not so in Ireland, where buyers still favour diesel. And until the current Prius was launched in 2016, we’d have shied away from it too. Previous generations may have been spacious, well-equipped and, theoretically, effi cient, but our experience showed them to be horrid to drive and not really all that economical on long motorway journeys. The current model has taken a massive leap forward in terms of refi nement, driving enjoyment and effi ciency, to the point where it is now a genuine alternative to a diesel hatchback. Shame it’s not a little cheaper to buy though.
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