Toyota's new Avensis, now on sale on the Irish market, has an entry-level price of €24,250 ex-works: that's for the 1.6 litre Aura saloon. It represents an increase of €600 on the equivalent outgoing model but Toyota Ireland managing director Dave Shannon says the increase doesn't even cover the enhanced specification that is offered on the new car. Andrew Hamilton reports.
Standard features on all Avensis models include air conditioning, a sophisticated eight-speaker stereo system and nine airbags with one specifically for the protection of the driver's knees in an impact. There's an uprated suspension layout with a double wishbone arrangement at the rear.
Shannon expects that the new prices for Avensis will maintain the model's domination of the highly competitive D segment. Avensis and its Carina predecessor has led the segment for 18 out of 19 years. Toyota in Europe is now hoping that this kind of popularity will extend to its new arrival in other European markets.
The entry-level €24,250 tag compares with other entry-level competitors' prices such as €25,680 for the Volkswagen Passat, €26,500 for the Renault Laguna and €24,080 for the Ford Mondeo. Best sales year for the Avensis was 2000 when 6,300 were sold. Toyota Ireland predicts 5,500 to 6,000 sales of the new car in a full year.
The 110 bhp 1.6 litre petrol version is expected to account for around three quarters of all Avensis sales. Significantly however, the bigger 129 bhp 1.8 litre is only €900 extra. Three levels of specification are offered, Aura, Luna and Strata, while there are, as before, three body styles, saloon, liftback and tourer in estate. A 2.0 litre diesel and a 2.0 litre petrol, both with direct injection, follow in June and September. Prices here have yet to be announced.
Toyota expects that Avensis will match its D segment rival with a top five-star safety rating in the NCAP test. The results will be out next month.
There are impressive claims too for lower maintenance and ownership costs. Because Avensis comes with a crushable zone, the cost of repair for a modest impact is reduced from €3,000 to €1,300 at the front and in a rear shunt the reduction is said to be from €2,600 to €900.
Toyota here has also launched the 11th generation Land Cruiser. It's a workhorse nearly as famous as the Land Rover.
It began life in 1951, the first customers were the Japanese police and it made an early name for itself climbing Japan's holy mountain, Mount Fuji, going where no vehicle had tread before.
The new Land Cruiser comes in a mix of short and long wheelbase models with both commercial and passenger application. Irish ex-works prices run from €32,590 for the short wheelbase GL commercial to €63,950 for the luxury spec long wheelbase GX passenger model.
Only one engine is available, the 3.0 litre D-4D direct injection turbodiesel with 163 bhp.