Toyato Auris 1.8 HYBRID ICON

1 owner

Something of a rarity in this class is the petrol-electric hybrid version, which combines a 1.8-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. Business users in particular favour this option, because its low CO2 emissions keep benefit-in-kind (BIK) costs low.

In the main the Auris rides pretty well. Around town it smoothes away most surface imperfections, and it is comfortable enough on country roads and motorways.

You and your front-seat passenger will find getting in and out of the Auris is no problem thanks to the wide-opening front doors. Once in, you have a similar amount of head- and leg room as in most of the Toyota’s various rivals, so all but the tallest adults should have enough space. Storage space is generally good. There’s a large glovebox, two cupholders next to the handbrake lever, and the front door pockets, although short, are shaped to hold a small bottle of water. There’s also additional storage under the centre armrest and a glasses holder above the rear-view mirror

Every Auris has seven airbags, including one to protect the driver’s knees; this is something that rivals such as the Kia Ceed and Nissan Pulsar don’t have. All models also have stability control and hill-start assist as standard, with tyre pressure monitors fitted to all but entry-level Active versions. The optional Toyota Safety Sense package is well worth going for. It includes a collision-alert system with automatic emergency braking to help avoid or lessen the impact of an accident, should you fail to react in time. Also included are a lane departure-warning system, headlights that automatically switch between dipped and full beam, and road sign assist, which displays the current speed limit on the dashboard. The Auris was awarded a maximum five-star rating in its Euro NCAP crash test in 2013.