Toyota Auris (07 on) - Review

Review by Dan Harrison on
Last Updated: 20 March 2012
Toyota decided it was finally time to retire the ‘Corolla’ name in 2007 by renaming the world’s favourite hatch the Auris. Rumour has it despite selling more than 30 million cars Toyota wanted a new name for Britain to spearhead its fresh assault on the small hatch market. The Auris was indeed all-new, but aside from the odd interior quirk, it remains a car you buy with your head rather than your heart. Picking up where the Corolla left off the Auris remained a well built, comfortable, easy-to-drive car with a good level of equipment. Early on there was a wide choice of engines and even a sporty SR180 diesel for those in the market for a quick, but efficient, hot hatch. In 2010 Toyota gave the Auris a subtle facelift. Build quality was improved and the suspension was tweaked for a better drive. The engine range was also simplified to just two petrols and one diesel. The Auris Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) was introduced in May 2010 and it features a 1.8-litre engine combined with an electric motor and continuous transmission. It's a low CO2, low fuel consumption model aimed at buyers who are interested in eco-friendly cars but do not want to make such a bold statement as Prius owners. The Auris HSD comes in two trims - T4 and T Spirit - with prices starting at £18,950. It is the first mainstream Toyota to get the HSD powertrain and the Japanese firm says it plans to introduce it to the rest of its model line-up.
4 out of 5

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3.5 out of 5

Buying new

Toyota believes in transparent price levels. That means that it puts the money it would normally spend on free insurance or interest-free finance into more equipment and lower prices. In practice it means that even the toughest negotiators are unlikely to get much knocked off the list price. Don’t let that put you off trying though – you never know. The upside is better residual value – discounting usually means used prices tumble. It’s a decent package though, and one that is overall good value for money – even without a price cut.

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4 out of 5

Buying used

Most models are five-doors, so finding a three-door with the right specification could be difficult. Around half are diesels, mixed between the 1.4-litre, 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre. Toyota dealers have the best stock, offered through their Approved Used Scheme, where you get a decent warranty, breakdown cover and background checks thrown in. All cars should also be refurbished to an as-new condition too. Don’t bother looking for T1 specification. There’s no such thing – the range kicks off with T2 but do check the any recall work has been completed including the modified accelerator pedal.

  • Boot/Load Space Toyota Auris (07 on)
  • Interior Toyota Auris (07 on)

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3.5 out of 5

Selling

Excellent levels of equipment, an easy drive and Toyota’s strong reliability record means that it’s in demand. Residuals are excellent, so you’re likely to see more of your cash back than if you’d bought an equivalent Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. Diesels are the easiest to sell on, while the rev-happy 1.6-litre is the favoured petrol. There’ll also be substantial interest in any car with the Tech pack – that adds Bluetooth connectivity and an upgraded stereo that links-up with an iPod or MP3 player.