Latest Avensis puts emphasis on value

Toyota"s latest Avensis is the third generation model in the line-up and remains noticeably Toyota, with an evolutionary styling over the older model. The changes are significant and the new design lines give the car a modern, almost Lexus-type look. The Japanese carmaker has set some tough targets for the new model. Lower emissions, lower fuel consumption and improved safety were on the list. And all have been achieved in the 2009 Avensis, packaged in a design that"s fresh, with a smooth and reliable feel to it. I took the Strata grade diesel-powered model onto the roads last week, where floods and hidden potholes added to the challenge. Toyota claims the new car has an improved suspension that"s well tuned to the needs of road like ours here in Ireland. That claim was certainly put to the test. Despite the weather and the potholes, the car, with Ireland-specific longer suspension coils, remained solid and smooth. Improving on the previous Avensis had to be a challenge. Toyota has achieved improvements by improving the engine technology, adding a six-speed gearbox and wrapping it all up in a car design that is smoother and more aerodynamic. The new Avensis, with its wedge-shaped design, has a lower drag co-efficient than the older one. That means there"s less wind resistance when on the road to improve fuel usage. With a drag Cd figure of 0.28, this is as low as it gets in a saloon car, which is slightly longer than the previous model. Add diesel engine improvements to give better fuel burning by increasing the fuel injection pressure and you get more economy, up to 10 per cent more in some models. Toyota has opted for new fuel injectors and a new engine management system to bring economy benefits to the new Avensis. And they show in the performance figures and when on the road. This new Avensis has dropped the CO2 rating from 146 to 135 over the older model. The economy figures improve from 5.5 litres/100km to 5.1 litres/100km (51mpg to 55mpg) without compromising on acceleration. That"s the measure of the performance from this new Avensis; the acceleration figures have improved by one second to 9.7 seconds in a 0 to 100km/h race, while the economy has improved by 10 per cent and the CO2 lowered by seven per cent to 135g/km. These improvements drop the diesel-powered Avensis into the cheaper Band B road tax category, costing just €156 for annual car tax. There"s an impressive smoothness to the 125bhp diesel engine. This car is easy to drive, with very smooth gear changes across the six speeds. It has a gear shift indicator on the dash to help the driver achieve the most efficient gear selection for the engine revs and road conditions. The clutch movement is equally smooth and light. For the ladies, I reckon that it will present no challenge for those 'car to bar" shoes! The Avensis has a new look on the inside with new materials used for the dashboard area. The radio is clear with easy to use buttons. The car"s information display system is also easy to use and modestly informative. Toyota does not fit a Bluetooth mobile phone system as standard. That disappointed me as I consider it a very useful and practical safety feature. Despite this, Toyota is aiming for a high safety rating for the new Avensis. The new car has seven airbags, including a driver"s knee airbag, front airbags for the driver and front passenger, two front side airbags and side curtain shield airbags front and rear. And there"s an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) as standard on all models. The bonnet on the new car is made with crushable bumpers that are claimed to collapse easily an impact to better absorb the force. And the driver"s visibility is improved by using a smaller A-pillar supporting the front windscreen. The entry price for the Avensis diesel is €26,015, before delivery charges. That"s lower than the previous model and more competitive than the 2.0 litre TDCi Ford Mondeo or new Opel Insignia, which have slightly poorer economy levels. This new Avensis has the pedigree to be reliable and easy to drive. The service interval has been extended to 15,000km and car uses a maintenance-free timing chain, low cost 'element" filter where only one part has to be replaced (cost reduction 45 per cent) and long-life spark plugs (cost reduction 23 per cent). Overall, the new Avensis is attractive without being exceptional. The package is good in terms of economy, safety and value. Toyota"s cashback offer does not apply to the new Avensis - otherwise, the queue would be down the road.