Toyota Avensis Saloon (09 on) - Review

Review by Simon Harris on
Last Updated: 21 February 2011
Toyota's Avensis has struggled to stand out in a highly competitive market of large family cars. As people downsize into smaller cars, models such as the Avensis, along with favourites like the Ford Mondeo, have been forced to move upmarket. As a result they're better value alternatives to premium-badge cars like the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4. For the 2009 model, Toyota has dropped the hatchback version of the Avensis, perhaps in line with this loftier image (Volkswagen doesn't offer a Passat hatchback, nor Honda an Accord hatch). The Avensis looks rather more elegant than its predecessors and the interior quality is as good as any other in this class. Other notable highlights include impressively low carbon dioxide emissions from the 2.0-litre diesel and excellent overall refinement. There are few thrills to be had though.
4 out of 5

Equipment

The base model in the range is the T2 and comes with the essentials you would expect on a car like this. The TR is aimed at company car drivers has plenty of extra kit for its near £3,000 premium - air conditioning is upgraded to automatic climate control and there's also Bluetooth, a leather trimmed steering wheel, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers plus driver's seat lumbar support. The T4 is also very well equipped with leather seats, and - a first for this class of car - an electric steering column adjustment. Factory options on the range-topping T Spirit are restricted to metallic paint and a premium satellite navigation system, which comes with 10Gb of storage for music files.

See 190 used Toyota Avensis Saloons for sale, starting at £7,475

Get a Toyota Avensis Saloon valuation

Compare Equipment

Trim

Equipment

Key:

Standard item

Optional item

  • 3x3 point rear seat belts
  • ABS
  • Air conditioning
  • Alarm
  • Alloy wheels
  • Audio remote
  • Body coloured bumpers
  • CD
  • CD Multichanger
  • Climate control
  • Cloth seat trim
  • Cruise control
  • Driver`s airbag
  • Electric driver`s seat
  • Electric mirrors
  • Electric passenger`s seat
  • Folding rear seats
  • Front electric windows
  • Front fog lights
  • Headlight washers
  • Heated mirrors
  • Heated seats
  • Height adjustable drivers seat
  • Isofix child seat anchor points
  • Leather seat trim
  • Lumbar support
  • Parking sensors
  • Partial leather seat trim
  • PAS
  • Passenger`s airbag
  • Rear electric windows
  • Remote locking
  • Sat Nav
  • Side airbags
  • Space saver spare wheel
  • Steel wheels
  • Steering wheel rake adjustment
  • Steering wheel reach adjustment
  • Traction control
T2 TR T Spirit T4
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Optional Optional Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes No Yes
No No Yes No
No Optional Optional Optional
Yes Optional No No
No Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No No Yes Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No No Yes Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No Yes Yes Yes
No No Yes No
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No No Yes Optional
Yes Yes Yes Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No No Yes Optional
No Yes Yes Yes
No Optional Yes Optional
No Optional No Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
No Optional Optional Optional
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes No No No
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes