The success of the Avensis can be said to have happened either in spite of its conservative styling, or maybe because of it. Irish buyers in this segment have not traditionally been brave when it comes to a car's looks.
The 2012 version has been given a fairly substantial facelift. New grille, bumper and lights provide a seriously sharkish look. There are also some minor moves on the rear. The overall shape, however, remains the same. You can have it also in wagon format.
There's no major shift to the inside of Avensis. And if I say that means it is getting kind of old-fashioned, well, who am I to go against the nearly 1,900 people who have bought one so far this year?
There are some small changes. The graphics in the dials have been changed from orange to red; that's good in my book. There are new fabrics, like the leather-suede that's standard in the top-range Luna grade. Bluetooth phone links are standard from the second level Aura grade upwards.
The 'Touch & Go' touchscreen system incorporates a rear view camera, and is standard on the top two grades.
What hasn't changed is the roominess. It's one of the reasons why secondhand Avensises are so popular with the taxi trade. And with people as big as me—there's no compromise on elbow room. Though I did find the driver's headroom a little short, simply because of the design of the seat and its raise/lower mechanism. I did have adequate headroom, but my line of view through the windscreen was a little close to the top. That said, the overall driving position was pretty nice, giving me a good view of the close road.
The core engine for Avensis here has long been a 2.0 diesel. It still is, though improvements for this year have extended the fuel economy by 13 percent. It now returns more than 61mpg equivalent. And related CO2 emissions are now down to 120g/km, making it a Band A big car. The output is a fairly mild 125hp. You can have a 2.2 diesel and a 1.8 petrol if you want. More power, but less economy.
The shifter on the 6-speed gearbox, well, there's nothing I can say about it. Like with all Toyota manuals, over very many years, it does exactly what it should do, no fussing. Not even noticeable.
'Steady as she goes' might well be the Toyota slogan. Even in its innovation the company takes the long view, doesn't rush things. Driving the Avensis reflects this ethos. It isn't a sports car, doesn't try to act like one. So you'll remember it for its comfort rather than dynamic performance.
You'll also remember it for a good sense of build quality. Never mind all that hooha over the last couple of years about Toyota's recall problems—they were more badly handled than reflecting any real issues.
Avensis prices these days start at a little under €26,000. Nobody buys that. This one rolls out of the showroom at just under €31,000. Somewhere in between is a happy medium, and you'll find that in your local Toyota showroom.
There are reasons why it is still Ireland's best selling medium family car.
