I've had 3 rental cars here in NZ recently from 3 different rental companies, and they've all been a 1.8 petrol Corolla (or Auris in the UK for some ridiculous reason). Toyota must have flogged loads of them to the rental fleets out here, and they buy them back after 2 years and recondition them for private sale as "Toyota Approved" etc.
Anyway, willing enough engine and quite a spacious car, but:
- isn't that flying buttress central console a huge waste of space?
- horrible cheap shiny fake metal paint finish to said buttress and the interior door grabs
- huge radio controls - for the short-sighted pensions who generally run these cars?!
- tiny boot on the '10 facelift model: full-size spare underneath the floor I guess
- no cruise control or radio buttons on steering wheel.
- interior plastics OK, but not streets ahead of my KIA.
All-in-all fairly underwhelming for what is such a huge global seller, and dare I say a car that some might see as being one of the more "premium" choices in this segment?
Feel quite pleased with my KIA when I get back to the airport car park: 20% cheaper, 2-litre, alloys, cruise,...
Gimme a Focus any day!
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The Auris hasn't been a success in UK, apparently sales are less than 10% of those for the Focus. The recently-released hybrid version with the Prius drive-train may be popular with people not wishing to shout their green credentials
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>> Toyota must have flogged loads of them to the rental fleets out here
>>
Avis guy told me they had got 500 in South Africa
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>> - isn't that flying buttress central console a huge waste of space?
Including the odd handbrake poking up in the air
>>
>> - horrible cheap shiny fake metal paint finish to said buttress and the interior door
>> grabs
with lots of reflections.
>> - huge radio controls - for the short-sighted pensions who generally run these cars?!
Horrible instruments and a hidden fuel guaged of my KIA.
>>
>> All-in-all fairly underwhelming for what is such a huge global seller, and dare I say
>> a car that some might see as being one of the more "premium" choices in
>> this segment?
>>
As I have stated before the brand new auto version I had was so bad I drove back to the airport the next morning and got something else.
I nearly got whiplash at every auto gear change and it would not climb our access road without several, attempts and lots of wheelspin
>>Gimme a Focus any day!
>>
at the time I was happy to swop to a slush box Chevvy badged Aveo
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We had one of those in NZ earlier this year. Saw a lot in hotel/motel carparks.
I chose it over an older budget car due to the large mileage we covered.
Very relaxing to drive and good handling.
Other than a bit sluggish the autobox was fine.
The boot was too small. One of the suitcases had to go on the back seat.
Great cup holders :o) A bottle of L&P chilled nicely by the side vent.
The rental companies do tend to get low or mid spec cars. The high end models do have cruise and climate.
I did manage to turn it from white to brown on the untarred roads through Whirinaki Forest Park. Found out the hard way that this means loose gravel for 100KM+.
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I don't think anyone ever bought a Corolla in all its previous manifestations for its handling qualities or performance. They were bought for their rock solid reliability by people who just wanted a car that would always start and get them to their destination. The current model does the same job. Driving my daughters 2010 Corolla I found it to be a perfecly pleasant if somewhat unexciting drive. Interior typically Japanese. Nicer than a Kia but sub Golf or Focus to drive.
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In Germany the Auris is more expensive than an equivalent Golf or Focus. I guess someone has to pay for all the marketing. It hasn't been a success.
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I'm not sure about the original Auris, but I've had an Auris II 1.6 petrol TR since early May and I've been pleased. It's very quiet, rides well, the interior quality is good, it's comfortable, reasonably spacious and still fairly compact.
Performance is fine and economy currently 43 mpg. One big factor was very positive feedback about the dealership from local people. Sam Grey at Listers Stratford upon Avon was the perfect salesman.
We're trying to live a more simple life now and so far the Auris has been very suitable.
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I'm with you on that great big centre console, complete waste of space and restricts left leg movement too much.
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I've only sat in a showroom Auris, so I don't know how well it works ergonomically. That's what lets down our Corolla-based Verso - it looks superficially good but is full of controls and displays you can't see or reach, or which work in counter-intuitive ways.
I'll endorse Paul's recommendation of Listers in Stratford, though - very good people to deal with.
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We hired one in NZ in early 2009 and quite liked it: it was a 1.8 automatic. (Two actually - one in North, one in South.) No lurching between gears as it was a proper auto - have they gone to ghastly semi-automatic now like the Yaris?
I have never understood, or seen an explanation of, why Toyota call the Corolla the Auris in UK - it's still Corolla in NZ and elsewhere and is just a facelift of the previous Corolla. I also can't understand - particularly if it's not selling well here - why they won't import the 1.8. Good power-to-weight ratio and quite lively, even as an automatic.
Last edited by: Avant on Thu 16 Sep 10 at 23:33
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"Toyota Australia and Toyota New Zealand resisted suggestions from Toyota Japan to adopt the new European Auris name for the Corolla." Wikipedia
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It's a proper automatic, nice and smooth gear changes. But not a huge surfeit of power available with the 1.8 on hilly Kiwi roads. As a general rule, Kiwis err towards 2-litres as a minimum...
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Toyota Auris - aka Corolla - not that special is it? - lancara
