My time spent in the Toyota Auris 1,6 XR
For the past month and a half I have had the pleasure of driving the Toyota Auris 1,6 XR. When it first launched I spoke about it flying under the media radar. It wasn’t much of a car to talk about really. It was somewhat bland and it never ever stood out in my mind as much of a contender within the C-segment where the likes of the Volkswagen Golf play. But the updated model has redeemed itself and I can confidently say that it is certainly now a contender, regarding the build and interior if anything.
I say this last part because the engine falls a bit short when it comes to its competitors. It’s by no means terrible, but it lacks the performance that I would like in this segment. City driving is a doddle, but it’s when you hit the open road that you feel the lack of power, especially when overtaking. I drove it up to Greyton in the Western Cape and wanted to really open it up on the gorgeous road that’s set off the N2 before you hit Greyton. It was smooth, it was comfortable, but it just didn’t do much in terms of excitement. With all the new turbo engines hitting the market, the Auris may need to up its game in terms of performance.
The clutch may take a bit of getting used to. I must have stalled this car at least once a day, which of course doesn’t say much about my driving skills perhaps, but I like to think of myself as quite experienced. But this is something to just get used to, by the end of my time with the Auris I was starting to feel like my old self again and having no issues with the clutch…until I climbed back in to it after having not driven it for a couple of days. I blame Toyota as it could never be my fault…obviously!
But, this is where the negativity ends. The interior makes up for what it lacks under the bonnet. It’s modern, funky, fresh and so appealing. The seats are comfortable, the driving position suited me down to a tee…I didn’t feel as if I was sitting on top of the steering wheel due to my somewhat short legs. There is enough space for another three passengers to sit comfortably, including my partner who is still sporting a moon boot. In fact, like I mentioned in my first review of the Toyota Auris, my partner proudly commented that he would certainly choose this over the VW Golf 7. I am not so sure that I would go that far, but again, I am a motoring journalist so what do I really know? Toyota gets it right with the Auris; it enjoys a 10% share of the C-segment hatch market so clearly I need to tap in to both my practical and emotional side of things before making a car-buying decision – which is something Toyota nails.
The size of a car’s boot is of the utmost importance to me and I don’t even have children, so I can only imagine how important it is to those of you who do. The Toyota Auris doesn’t have the biggest boot in the segment (the Golf boasts 380-litres) but it is not the smallest either. You will get 360-litres with the Auris, the Ford Focus only has 316-litres. I found the Auris boot to be spacious enough. It could fit our luggage for a weekend away and anything else could go on the back seat. This is something to consider though if there are going to be more than four of you travelling in this car.
It was interesting to note that over the few weeks that I had the Toyota Auris, I turned many a head. Well not me, but the car did. I don’t get that same attention sitting in a Golf I can tell you. This is probably because the VW Golf is as common on our roads as the Kardashians are on television. So it’s rather nice to stand out for once and I think this is where the Auris has a hold over the likes of the Golf or even the Ford Focus.
Pricing for the highly-specced Auris XR starts at R293 500. The range starts with the Auris X which comes in at R228 200 and goes all the way up to the Hybrid model (which I will be driving over the holidays) which comes in at R367 500.
I think the choice in this segment comes down to taste and preference really. You won’t go wrong buying a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus and you certainly won’t go wrong buying a Toyota Auris. I think the question needs to be whether you want to stand out from the crowd or not, the choice is yours…obviously!
Check out our Toyota Auris car review from the launch.