25/08/10

• Price£20,700
  
• We like...Low emissions
• We don't...No fun to drive

Toyota plans to introduce a hybrid – which teams an electric motor and a petrol one – version of every car that it sells. So the Auris you see here is just the start. It uses the engine(s) and running gear from the long-established Prius and like that car, it posts emissions figures way below the level needed to qualify for £0 road tax while it also promises 70-plus mpg across a mixed diet of driving.

Its fuel economy matches that of its nearest conventionally powered rival, Volkswagen’s Golf Bluemotion, while its CO2 output is lower. To look at, it’s like every other Auris. The extra batteries that the electric motor demands are hidden snugly away and you lose only a small amount of storage beneath the boot floor, while the rear seats fold flat normally to extend load space.

The car sits 5mm closer to the road to help it slip through the air more easily, while the front bumper and grille are new, to similar purpose. Inside, it is like other Aurises: neat, and dominated by a tall console between the front seats on which perches a stubby lever controlling the auto transmission.

Otherwise it’s nicely trimmed if dull inside, while some of the plastic used is too cheap for the price of the car. The twin glove boxes are handy, though.

Fire it up and the petrol engine remains still though, depending on how charged the batteries are, it may spring to life within moments. If you switch to ‘EV’ mode, it’ll run on the electric motor alone, but only for a mile or so and at speeds up to 30mph. After that, the other engine will join in.

It’s better to leave it in ‘eco’, which is the normal running mode and let the car decide if one, or both motors should do the work.

You wouldn’t expect a hybrid to cut it as a driver’s car. But this Auris misses the mark. Push it at all and the petrol motor bellows hoarsely in protest, while the needle on the gauge that takes the place of the rev counter swings from ‘charge’ to ‘power’. Switching the driving mode from ‘eco’ to ‘power’ quietens things but it still isn’t relaxing. Nor is it quick. The brakes, meanwhile, help charge the battery when applied but the pedal action isn’t as progressive as we’d like and can feel ‘grabby’ at low speeds. This Auris rides smoothly enough, helped by the extra weight of its hybrid motors and its batteries but the steering feels lifeless and lacks feel.

Still, all of this matters less if the car achieves close to its claimed 74.3mpg fuel economy. Across a mix of in-town trips and longer A-road journeys we achieved 58mpg. So, while good, it’s no better than we’d expect from a rival that uses ‘conventional’ diesel power.

You pick between two trim levels, T4 and the top-line T-Spirit (our test car). Both are well kitted out: the T-spirit having keyless entry, leather and suede seats and cruise control. Like all Toyotas, they now come with a five-year warranty.
Should you buy one? If you want a hybrid, it’s worth considering, although Honda’s Insight does a similar job and is thousands of pounds cheaper. If you do plump for one, go for the cheaper T4 – it’s much the better value of the two.

• Engines1.8 petrol, 650v electric
• Power134bhp, 80bhp
• 0-60 mph11.4secs
• Economy74.3mpg
• CO2g/km89
• Insurance groups13
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags9
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: