Avensis in its third age

For most years in the past decade and a half, Toyota was used to having top place in the large family segment, with two generations of Avensis and also its predecessor Carina.



Last year it was tipped off that spot by Ford's Mondeo, partly because of the absolute quality of that latter car, partly because Avensis was in a long runout, and partly because there was a bit of a backlash against larger cars.

Well, now the third generation Avensis has arrived. And Toyota Ireland is keeping its fingers crossed, albeit resigned like the rest of the motor trade to this not being the best year to fight back for its crown.

The company's designers and engineers have worked hard, though, to give its customers in this segment a car for the corssover into the next decade. And in respect of the version which I've just been driving, the 2.0 diesel wagon, it might just be right to pick up from the tumble out of large MPVs and SUVs.

I'm old enough to remember when Ireland had a bit of a gra for estate cars in this size. But that was when they were the only option to saloons, before those previously mentioned MPVs and SUVs were ever around. For the family that needed stretching room, the estate was the answer.

Over the last couple of decades, except in the premium segments, wagons have been out of favour with Irish buyers. But perhaps their time has returned? Apart from the new Avensis, there are well designed and attractive estates, or tourers, from the key players in the segment.

For this third generation Avensis, Toyota has changed all. Platform, sheetmetal, engines and gearboxes. The new car is longer and wider than its predecessor, has more perceived room inside thanks to a forward movement of the A pillars and an equivalent backwards shift of the C pillars in the saloon. The body of the estate was designed as an entity in itself, and is a tad longer than its stablemate, though it shares the same wheelbase. There's a wider track too, front and rear, further improving the ride and stability on a nameplate which already had a good reputation in this regard.

The front end design is distinctive, a more imaginative look that was previewed in that on the current Corolla. The profile of the saloon is very smooth and attractive, offering real alternative to the similar side views of competition like the Opel Insignia and Renault Laguna.



Rear ends of estates are hard to make interesting, but Toyota have made a good pitch at it here.

In fairness, Toyota isn't famous for beautiful interiors, but they are practical, easy to live with, and comfortable. Nothing has changed in this department with generation three Avensis.

The quality is better than the initial perception, which in the review model was let down by rather unremitting black. It should be said that in other grades there are metallic and texture variants in the centre stack and other trim. But the feel and fit of the coverings is excellent, and clearly won't get any way shabby over the life of the car. As always, knobs and switches are well labelled and easy to use.



The traditional analogue instrument dials are lit by the now-familiar orange and white backlighting currently favoured by Toyota. Straightforward and unambiguous.

The new Avensis has stacks of room front and rear, and in this tourer variant offers cargo space adequate for any lifestyle need, with a range of special options including floor rails to meet particular storage requirements.

All in all, leaving aside the fact that it isn't AWD, I'd reckon that somebody downsizing from an SUV won't find they have any less capability for carrying people and stuff.

The 2.0 D4D diesel in the review car has been improved on from that in the previous Avensis. Toyota say it is up to 10 percent more efficient, and the 134g/km CO2 emissions are very respectable for a car this size.

It has a reasonable 126hp power output, and a very substantial 310Nm of pulling power. The carmaker is putting a lot of emphasis on overall ownership costs for the new Avensis, and rather than giving an arbitrary servicing mileage for this version, an oil quality monitor will recommend when the next service should take place.

(It's worth noting than in terms of the petrol versions, Toyota has fixed 15,000 kms as the service period which makes the best sense in terms of getting the best out of components and consumables.)

The standard gearbox with the 2.0 diesel is a proven 6-speed, but there's a new 6-speed automatic available with the larger 2.2 optional D4D, which comes in two power versions. The manual in the review car has very tall gearing, in economy terms making good use of the 1800rpm point where top torque comes in.

That said, though, the indicator which suggests best times to change gear is a bit annoying, as most drivers will have their own favourite mix of shift and welly. Most of the time, especially in the difficult conditions we had, I ignored it and went by instinct.

This is a quiet car. So was its predecessor, but this is even more so. Top marks to Toyota in their neverending story of improving the NVH.

Even at entry level, this new Avensis is right up to competitive specification. There's aircon, electric front windows, and a raft of safety stuff including brake lights that flash when you hit the pedal.

As always, it's a lot of car.

Brian Byrne.

Things not to like about the iQ

Y'know, I was prepared not to like this car from the beginning. In general, city cars are not my thing. I'm too tall for most of them, for a start, and while I can temporarily have a fling with one, a long-term relationship just isn't the thing.

Especially one which is especially designed for the city, like a Smart. A brand I could never take to, mainly because of the poppety sound of the engine, more reminiscent of a lawnmower in poor tune than a car.

Toyota's iQ looked to be in the same league when I saw the pictures, and later the metal at the motor shows. And I knew there was some level of marketing sleight involved when they showed pictures of it with teenagers in the back. Officially it is designated as a 3+1 in capacity, the inference being that three people is normal, and an occasional small one.



It's a question of interpretation, really. Or, a question of size. Of passenger size. An asymmetrical dashboard styling allows the front passenger to be a bit more forward than usual, leaving a little extra room for one rear person behind. Any ordinary size of driver, however, makes it impossible for any more than a small child behind, and then at a (literal) pinch.

The short footprint of the iQ also boded poorly for handling dynamics and ride. The car is shorter than an Aygo, for God's sake; it couldn't be anything but bumpy on real Irish roads.



There would also be compromises in instrumentation, controls, and the other creature comforts we take for granted in 'real' cars. Like there were in the Smart. And while the engine was familiar, and likeable in the Aygo, was it not likely be buzzy in this foreshortened beastie?

And finally it was going to be too expensive for a mere 'city' car, priced higher than the larger Aygo and not a lot short of the much more substantial Yaris.

Like I said, I was predisposed not to like this one.

Some of which predispositions turned out to the true. The business of having people in the back, for instance. Emergency only, really. Though at least in any subsequent accident, Toyota has had the wisdom to invent a rear transverse airbag to protect against any impact from behind.

There's compromise in instruments too. Well, in the radio, which for space reasons is operated by a pesky little do-da that actually made me feel the car would be better without a radio at all.



And then there was ...

Well, there wasn't, actually.

In every other respect, the iQ is a machine well worthy of the designation car. Better than a few others out there, as it turned out.

There's nothing claustrophobic for the two occupants most likely to be on board. In fact, there's an amount of headroom that exceeds that in some larger and more luxury cars I've driven.

There's good elbow room, too, as the iQ is wide relative to its length. A matter that also works wonders for its actual instead of its expected stability.

And the engine -- a 1.4 diesel and a new 1.33 with stop/start are due to join the line -- is just as much a likeable little flyer as it is in the Aygo and its siblings (as well as a Daihatsu or two).

Also, whatever they magicked into the suspension, it isn't at all the choppy ride I expected.



The rear space, when not taken up with people under back seat arrest, is very useable for carrying stuff, unlike the Smart because that's where the poppety engine is parked.

And it also made people smile as I drove by. Because the iQ has a perception of character.

The final nail in my preconceptions was the overall driving experience over a number of days. It was fun, and unlike the Smart, the iQ feels real. It drives real, even in the plains and mountain roads where it doesn't make any claims to belong.

it was frugal -- just 99g/km of emissions with the manual, and an automated manual version only bumps up the carbon grammes by a measly five.

And it turned out to be a car that, if it came up, I would be quite able to commit to for the longer term. Even if it is more expensive than the Aygo.

Just goes to show, how fickle we men can be, I suppose. Our heads are easily turned ...

Brian Byrne.