~ ~ Toyota, and one of their main Japanese competitors Nissan, have been the most popular choice of vehicle for the Irish taxi-driving fraternity for about the past 15 years.
The main reason for taxi driver’s fondness for vehicles from the land of the Rising Sun is fairly simple to understand. They are reasonably priced, economical to run and maintain, spacious, and last virtually forever without breaking down. For a taxi driver, their trouble free record is one of their most important attributes. Time spent off the road can be irritating and inconvenient for the average motorist; for a taxi driver it’s disastrous, as it means a total loss of income!
~ ~ The latest model of the
Toyota Avensis follows admirably in the footsteps of its predecessor. In a previous incarnation, the Avensis was called the “Carina”, and even today you can still see hundreds of this excellent car, and the
old model Avensis, on the Dublin taxi ranks. The Avensis took over where the popular Carina left off, and the newest model to hit the showrooms will without a doubt continue to increase Toyota’s considerable share of Irish
new car sales. For 16 of the past 17 years Toyota has topped the charts in the family, fleet car, and public service market here in
Ireland.
~ ~ But while the old Avensis was/is a favourite buy of taxi drivers and cost conscious motorists alike, one area where Toyota could never boast of being market leaders was in styling. In the past, Toyota cars (with the notable exception of their luxury Lexus marque) have been bland to the point of being positively boring. They simply didn’t turn heads when you were stopped at the traffic lights, or draw admiring glances when parked in the supermarket or company car park. Reliable but non-descript would sum up their cars to a tee.
But with the new model Avensis, Toyota is in danger of challenging even Ford’s stylish Mondeo when it comes to good looks. They have taken the best design features of two of their main competitors, the Volkswagen Passat and the Ford Mondeo, and, in effect, created a “European” version of what was in the past an atypical, bland Japanese saloon car.
In recent years the Japanese have cleverly attempted to design their cars to cater for local tastes in different countries and regions. Hence the new “European” style Avensis, which will not, incidentally, be sold on either the Japanese or American markets. (at least not in this guise)
The new Avensis has far more “presence” on the road than any of its predecessors, and the back end has been both raised and made far larger, giving the car a far more substantial and bulky feel when driving.
~ ~ The Avensis’s interior has not been ignored either. The new model is 100mm longer, 55mm higher, and has had its wheelbase increased by 70mm. What this means to the customer is more interior space and legroom than most other cars in its class, and a totally cavernous boot (520 litres) which will swallow any amount of
luggage without complaint.
But the good news doesn’t stop there.
The car I tested was the 1.8-litre
petrol “Luna” model, which surprised and impressed even this hard-nosed taxi driver with its frugal fuel consumption. The officially quoted figures from Toyota claim a return of 39.1 mpg on a combined cycle. (a mix of urban, rural, and motorway driving) But the car that I drove continually informed me via its on-board
computer that I was achieving average consumption figures in the mid-40’s per gallon. This is good news for the economy conscious taxi driver, and indeed for any motorist who doesn’t want to be visiting the local
petrol station on too regular a basis.
It will also make the Avensis a very attractive proposition for fleet buyers, and no doubt you will be spotting thousands of sales reps belting up and down the highways and byways in their new Avensis company cars in the months to come.
~ ~ So how does the car handle and perform?
Through the gears, the car was lively enough, with a crisp, sure gear change. But I found third and fourth gears a wee bit on the sluggish side, and while adequate enough for day-to-day driving, I wouldn’t want to be caught out in an overtaking manoeuvre, as you’d find it difficult to get out of harms way in a hurry.
The engine is the old tried and trusted 1.8-litre, 16V four-cylinder DOHC VVT-I unit, which can develop 129 bhp at 6,000 rpm. I know this is probably double Dutch to all you non-techies out there, but what it all means in reality is that you have an ultra-reliable and economical engine that will take you to a top speed of 124 mph, and from 0 to 60 mph in just a tad over 10 seconds.
There are also 1.6-litre and a 2-litre models available in the range, as well as a 2.0-litre turbo diesel. Personally, I think I would like the bit of extra poke offered by the 2.0-litre model. But no doubt the two smaller engines will prove to be the big sellers, especially now that the Irish Government has hit the hard-pressed car driver (yet again!!) by increasing the totally iniquitous Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) for any cars of two litres or over. (Just a wee aside, but the price of a new car here in Ireland is a whopping 32% higher than the average price in the Euro zone. And all down to Government tax. Bloody robbers!!)
By the way, although the Avensis is a Japanese car, it is made and assembled in the UK, as all models of the Avensis are built at Toyota’s factory in Burnaston, Derbyshire and most have engines made in Deeside, North Wales.
~ ~ The car corners and handles well enough, and again, while adequate for the average motorist, you wouldn’t want to attempt any Michael Schumaker type cornering. (Not if you value your life, anyways!)
One fairly serious criticism would be the level of noise in the interior of the car. The engine was quiet enough, but the amount of rumble from the tyres when travelling at anything over 45 mph was very intrusive. If you like your sounds then you’ll likely find yourself reaching for the
volume control on the stereo at regular intervals. Talking of stereos, the Avensis comes with a
radio/CD player fitted as standard.
(But this is quickly becoming the norm these days)
Air-conditioning is fitted as standard, which may or may not be a big plus, dependant on whether or not the spell of good weather we are now experiencing decides to last through the summer or not! But even if the weather takes a turn for the worse, air-conditioning is a big plus factor when it comes to demisting your car windows.
Safety features are excellent, with front, side and curtain airbags fitted as standard, and an anti-lock braking
system (ABS) to help you out if you get into trouble.
This leads me to another little niggle I would have with the car. In common with most modern cars these days, the Avensis has an audible warning system to attract your attention if either the driver or front seat passenger omits to put on their
seat belt. In my own
Nissan Maxima, this is a discrete bleep, which automatically cuts itself off after a short period. But God help you if you forget to buckle up in the Avensis! A deafening siren immediately howls at a decibel level that wouldn’t be out of place on a old tug-boat, and is liable to cause the driver to crash the car out of sheer fright! BIG negatives from the mad cabbie for this so-called safety feature!
~ ~ The interior is functional rather than ostentatious, with the usual amount of hard plastic trim that you find on most Japanese cars. The seats are firm are comfortable, but yet another negative would be the distinct lack of storage space for all the wee bits and pieces that we taxi drivers (and lots of other people) like to carry around with us. (Pens, CD’s, loose change for tolls, etc, etc) You have a fairly small glovebox, and some storage space in the doors, and that’s your lot. Mind you, you could probably store quite a lot of gear in the massive ashtray in the central console, if you happen to be a non-smoker! And there is a distinct lack of cup-holders and flat space to put down your cuppa or sandwich, which necessitates a fairly hazardous juggling act on your lap, and which could easily see your “Crown Jewels” being badly scalded. (Oh God. The mad cabbie shudders at the thought!)
~ ~ So my final verdict on the new model Avensis.
Put it this way, I wouldn’t buy one for myself. While it is without question a well-built, totally reliable and functional vehicle, it simply fails to ignite any spark in the mad cabbie’s heart. Mind you, I have to confess to being a Nissan man through and through. And no other mid-level Japanese car has so far managed to hold a candle to my own much-loved Nissan Maxima.
If it’s economical and reliable motoring that you’re after, then you could certainly buy a lot worse than the Avensis. But in its market segment, I personally think that its competitors still hold the edge, with the
Nissan Primera, the Ford Mondeo, and the excellent
VW Passat all beating the Avensis in terms of both over-all performance and specification, and at a similar (or cheaper) price.
That said, a lot of Dublin taxi drivers would disagree strenuously with my assessment, and wouldn’t even consider buying anything other than a Toyota.
So the last word from the mad cabbie is simply to drive the new Avensis for yourself, and make your own mind up.
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Prices in the Republic of Ireland
Avensis 5 door 1.8-litre Luna A/C €28,050
Prices range from €24,250 to €39,830 depending on model.
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Prices in the UK
From £13,995 to £18,995 depending on model (Source – Parker’s Online)
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Copyright KenJ April 2003
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A Good Japper Made Here In The U.K. 
