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our test drives or view them all

Toyota Avensis two-litre D-4D T4 Tourer

LIKE most of the industry’s big movers Toyota has had to take the hard decision to increase prices – but the good news is that you still have time to order a new Avensis at the launch cost.

Prices are due to rise from February 25 but order one and register it before March 15 and you can save a packet – up to £1000 on one of the best models in the range.

That’s the incentive to go out and buy the third-generation Avensis I had on test last week – the silky-smooth two-litre D-4D turbodiesel Tourer estate in luxurious T4 trim. Buy it now and it has a list price of £20,700, but leave it a few weeks and you’ll be shelling out another grand at this level and an extra £800 on entry-level saloons that currently cost £15,760.

It’s a classic symptom of the global economic crisis. You would have thought car manufacturers would be doing all they could to reduce prices. And they are – but such is the weakness of Sterling that Toyota is following Ford, Vauxhall and Audi and has no option but to lift prices to stay viable. Others are bound to follow.

The T4 two-litre turbodiesel Tourer is one of 19 saloon and estate models in the new line up – all very impressive and undoubtedly Toyota’s best ever mid-range car.

Built at Toyota’s Burnaston plant near Derby, it’s an archetypal product of the better mass producers – superbly built, light-skinned, dynamic, safe, energy-efficient and very clean.

With credentials like that added to Toyota’s enviable reputation for reliability, the new Avensis is set for as healthy a production run as it’s possible to get in these hard economic times.

To survive in the current cash climate car manufacturers have to build the best – best quality, best value and best efficiency. Buyers are now, more than ever, looking for all-round value and longevity. The new Avensis is in with a better shout than many.

Compared to the other front runners it is not as sharp a drive as the latest Ford Mondeo or as spacious as the new Vauxhall Insignia – but for me it’s more desirable than either.

The lively 124bhp two-litre D-4D turbodiesel is a dream. Smooth and quiet it is blessed with excellent pulling power and fuel economy that will make your eyes stand out on stalks.

Bearing in mind it’s quick, great to drive and agile I was surprised to see my average fuel use driving around Moray and into the Highlands was 51mpg. That’s astonishing for a full five-seater with a big cargo area that, despite an efficient lightweight build, still tips the scales at just over 1.6 tonnes. Interestingly this model will also tow its own weight – and that makes it an attractive caravan tug.

Round town the D-4D was still sipping diesel and stayed well above 40mpg even grinding through slow traffic.

How? Toyota engineers have invested massively in efficiency research – and it’s paying off. Not only is the two-litre D-4D, with 228lb.ft of torque between 1800 and 2400rpm, a willing puller on long hills, but thanks to a new six-speed manual gearbox it slices through the ratios. And if you don’t like manual a new automatic costing around £1000 is on its way this summer.

At the launch of the new Avensis in Italy last year I was impressed by the car’s lively performance. Acceleration was as I remembered it – brisk. Rest to 62mph is dusted off in just under 10 seconds while the more important mid-range overtaking spurts are an effortless affair with a relaxed growl from under the bonnet.

The car is substantially more exciting than the boring model it replaces. Significant improvements in dynamics and handling coupled with excellent advances in performance and clean burning engines have transformed the third-generation Avensis. Across the range Avensis can claim to be environmentally efficient.

The car’s new style is fresh and edgy. Designers have moved the A-pillar forward 11cm to increase interior space and give the Avensis Tourer and saloon a rakish screen. The new front-drive estate is marginally longer than before but far better looking with deep Audi-like flanks and an attractive teardrop profile that encloses a cabin that is airier with increased front and rear headroom.

The dash is a transformation. The design is fresh and traditional rather than modern, but as such it will not date. Toyota has avoided the trap of spreading too much aluminium finish around the dash and restricted brightwork to the steering hub.

The instrument panel is clear and crisp, well lit, beautifully switched and is offered with a top quality soft-feel trim. Highlights include a new finisher material that is supposed to represent traditional Japanese Takesumi bamboo charcoal – something it does more successfully than you might think despite perhaps appearing a bit on the funereal side.

Toyota’s stock in trade is quality finish and reliability. The latter is almost a given thanks to excellent engineering and outstandingly well-built petrol and turbodiesel engines.

Some external panels have a light feel. But low weight is simply Toyota doing what it does best – maximising efficiency while doing nothing to compromise strength or safety. But one pound-saving item spoils the mix – the obviously plastic grille that dominates the nose with a hideous grin. At least you can’t see it from the driving position!

The car is amazingly well assembled. It feels substantial, despite its lightness. There’s plenty of space for passengers and the seats are among the most supportive and comfortable I’ve experienced in a car from the Far East. And while it’s not the sharpest handling mid-range car on the market there’s a calming feeling of competency from the Tourer on a twisty Moray road and a very relaxed feel at A96 cruising speeds.

All models come with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, seven airbags, advanced ABS and active headrests. But the T4 test car is a classy member of the Avensis family with tasteful satin alloy body trim.

Standard equipment includes electrically adjustable and heated leather seats, climate control, keyless entry, 17-inch alloys with comfortable 55 section tyres, electronic stability programming, four powered widows, central locking, alarm, split and fold rear seat, front pre-tensioners, cruise control, well-balanced power steering and electric door mirrors.

At the launch the car’s chief engineer, Takashi Yamamoto, told me: "We are keeping the Avensis in the mainstream section of the D-segment but have worked hard to keep in elegant and simple."

So no nonsense there – a refreshingly honest description of a new model lacking the hype some manufacturers embarrassingly heap on their latest creations.

Recession or not, the future looks bright for Avensis.

Rating: 8.5/10

FINAL THOUGHT: Quality and safety is class-leading, equipment levels excellent and while the Avensis Tourer will never match A4, 3 Series and C-Class estates as a premium car, it is remarkably satisfying and relaxing to drive, great value for money with genuine practicality and outstanding comfort. But of all the attractions of this new Toyota the biggest is its engines. Incredibly clean without needing to resort to daft extremes like hybrid power, both petrol and diesel are frugal, brisk and smooth.

Toyota Avensis two-litre D-4D T4 Tourer

• Price: £20,700 (£21,700 from March)
• Capacity: 1998cc
• Power: 124bhp
• 0-62mph: 9.7 seconds
• Maximum speed: 124mph
• Economy: Combined 54.3mpg; Urban 42.8mpg
• CO2 emissions: 136g/km
• ESP: Standard VSC+
• Insurance: Group 7