Toyota has added to its Auris model line-up with the addition of this stylish Auris Touring Sports, an estate variant. As expected there is an increased luggage capacity, with 1,658 litres available, that’s an additional 170 litres boot space in comparison to the Auris Hatch. In our opinion its appearance is smarter and better proportioned then the standard Auris. Its lines are clean with a distinctive front end, the integrated roof rails enhance the car’s additional length. Accessing the car’s boot is effortless, as the boot opening has been lowered by 100mm, which makes for easy loading of bulky items. If you wish to carry larger items the rear seats fold flat with the simple pull of a handle located inside the boot.
The Auris Touring Sports is available across three grades, Terra, Luna and Hybrid. Both Luna and Hybrid models feature the Toyota Touch multimedia system. It features a 6.1” colour touch screen display and has USB and iPod connectivity. It also doubles as a screen for the reverse camera and has Bluetooth connectivity to pair your mobile phone and stream music through.
On the road this Auris excels with an extremely smooth ride, even on undulating stretches of country roads. The damping is excellent and the chassis surprisingly responsive for a car that would be purchased more so on practicality then driver appeal. The 1.4-litre D-4D diesel engine that was fitted to our test car is a gem of a diesel unit. It may only offer 90hp and 205Nm of torque but it delivers with far greater enthusiasm then you may expect. Only on a full load would you yearn for some additional power, for the vast majority of drives it suits the car perfectly. It’s an efficient and extremely quiet engine too, even at motorway speeds the cabin remains calm and comfortable for all occupants. The six-speed manual transmission is silky smooth and light to touch, I particularly like the simple uncluttered instrument display with all the key information within easy sight of the driver. The steering wheel is chunky and satisfying to hold, Toyota has really taken a step forward in driving dynamics with this new Auris. For those that require more power the Hybrid model produces 136hp. It’s linked to Toyota’s automatic CVT transmission, our preferred model is the 1.4-litre diesel variant.
The Toyota Auris Touring Sports is an extremely uncomplicated car to live with on a daily basis. It’s comfortable, practical and above all dependable all year round. It will compete with such cars as the Ford Focus estate and Kia’s Cee’d Sportswagon, both accomplished vehicles, the Auris has plenty to offer and is well worth considering if you’re in the market for a smart mid-size estate car.
