Driving pleasure

Designed, developed and engineered for the European C-segment hatchback market, Martin Freedman finds first class performance in the Toyota Auris

The first thing that struck me when I got into this car was the impressive design of the interior. Extremely spacious, a clear and well laid out dashboard and the central console with its raised gear stick was particularly striking.

Thought-through layout
Admittedly it took a few minutes to get accustomed to where it is but once I got used to it I found it much easier to use than in other cars I’ve driven. In fact I found the general layout of the controls and displays extremely easy to use.
    
Driving was a pleasure in the Auris, a smooth and relaxing drive. Road handling was excellent - even on the sharper bends - and its good steering lock made 3-point turns and parking easy.

Gear shift help
One feature I found a nice touch was the ‘shift’ display that tells you if you need to change up or down a gear. It not only makes you more conscious of gear changing generally but also helps with fuel economy. Talking about fuel, I was pleasantly surprised to find that when I filled up and calculated my fuel consumption it worked out to have done around 56 mpg.
    
Overall, I found the whole driving experience to be good. The air conditioning was great during the hot weather this summer, the radio/CD good and comfort with its adjustable seats and steering wheel was excellent.
    
The car is very spacious with lots of storage compartments, perfect for business use.
    
All in all I would definitely recommend the Auris to fleet managers as an ideal car for their fleets.

Technical details
Toyota Auris 1.4 D – 4D Diesel
Engine: 1.4 – litre
Top Speed: 109 mph
0-62mph: 12 secs
MPG (combined): 56
CO2: 131/km