Toyota Auris 1,6 Valvematic – Middle class

Toyota Corolla has been one of the most popular models in its segment for many years. She looked solid, solid, but stylistically did not distinguish her in any way, especially in the previous generation. This style had a lot of followers, but after the success of the hugely attractive Honda Civic, Toyota decided to change things up. Except that the car was almost ready, so it came down to styling details and renaming the hatchback Auris. Somehow the result did not quite convince me to this day. Another Corolla, oh sorry Auris, I ride well.

The car has a compact silhouette, 422 cm long, 176 cm wide and 151,5 cm high. After the latest upgrade, we can find similarities with Avensis or Verso in the headlights. The large rear lights feature a white and red lens system. After the modernization, Auris got new, much more dynamic bumpers. There's a wide air intake at the front with a spoiler at the bottom that seems to take air off the pavement, and at the back there's a diffuser-style capped cutout. In the test car, I also had a tailgate lip spoiler, seventeen-inch alloy wheels and tinted windows for the Dynamic package. The interior was upholstered with leather side seat cushions. The driver's seat is comfortable, ergonomic, with easy access to the most important controls.

I like the center console only in part. The top half suits me. Not too big, quite simple and well organized, easy to use. The stylistic appeal is enhanced by the control panel for a dual-zone air conditioner (optional, it is standard manual), with a round set of switches in the middle and slightly protruding buttons in the form of wings. They look especially attractive after dark, when their shape is emphasized by broken orange lines along the outer edges.

The lower part, which turns into a raised tunnel between the seats, is a waste of space. Its unusual shape means that there is only a shelf underneath, which is difficult for the driver to access. At least for tall riders with knee problems. In addition, there is only a small shelf on the tunnel, which can accommodate a maximum of a vertically placed phone. The only positive is the high location of the gear lever, which makes it easier to shift gears from a precise gearbox. Fortunately, there is a large storage compartment in the armrest and two lockable compartments in front of the passenger. Quite a lot of space in the back and a folding armrest with two cup holders. The 350-liter luggage compartment has a place to attach a net, as well as straps for attaching a warning triangle and a first aid kit.

Under the hood, I had a 1,6 Valvematic gasoline engine with a power of 132 hp. and maximum torque of 160 Nm. It does not stick into the seat, but it makes it quite pleasant to ride, which is facilitated by the rather stiff Auris suspension. However, when looking for dynamics, you need to choose lower gears and keep the engine rpm at a fairly high level. It reaches maximum power at 6400 rpm, and torque at 4400 rpm. Auris with a 1,6 Valvematic engine has a top speed of 195 km/h and accelerates to 100 km/h in 10 seconds.

The second face of Auris comes when we start to pay attention to the arrows between the dials of the speedometer and tachometer, suggesting when to shift gears. By following them, we keep well below the RPM at which the engine reaches its maximum RPM and shift gears somewhere between 2000 and 3000 RPM. At the same time the unit works silently, without vibrations and economically. With fuel prices above the limit of PLN 5 per liter in everyday use, and moving around the city does not require high speeds or dynamic accelerations, it is worth keeping an eye on. If necessary, we simply drop the gear two or even three positions down and move on to the sportier character of the Auris 1,6. According to factory data, the average fuel consumption is 6,5 l / 100 km. I have a liter more.

In this case, the concept of a middle-class car has its justification. Auris is a car that did not let me down, but did not seduce me either.