Despite The Crtitsms, Who Loves Their Auris?

[bobbo7070]

I've read fair few critisms on this forum regarding the Auris, but would like to know who loves their Auris, and what are the aspects you like the most?

I've owned quite a few cars by several manufacturers over the years and I reckon my T180 is the finest all-round car I've ever owned.

The styling is absolutely beautiful and the performance is brilliant for a car which doesn't cost the earth to insure and maintain. It sees off most of the boy-racer hot hatches :D , and driving it is always a pleasure!

Being a late spec T180 mine's got all the toys I could hope for, and the only thing I could really fault is the rather basic (for the 21st century) standard fit radio/CD player.

[Beretta]

Out of all the cars I have owned, the Auris is the one I can never say I have loved, or ever will.

Its a good all round work horse, with loads of room inside, but high fuel consumption, together with low quality build components, and niggles that a Toyota should never have, took the potential for any long lasting joy away.

Would I buy another one................................Never, as I will go back to VAG.

[Aurissimo]

I like the fact that the powetrain feels like it will last, they have kept the standards in this vital area.

And so, i have no doubt my car will always start and never breakdown. It is the reason i went for a Toyota so I am happy on that respect.

It is a shame the "living with it" aspect, could be better.

[dawesy]

cant say that fuel consumption is high really. its more ecconomical than the 2.0 D4D tspirit i had last year.

if i drive sensibly (which dosnt happen very often) i can easily get 45mpg, normal drive like i stole it mode i get about 35mpg. i do 46 miles on national speed limit roads a day though so maybe the sr is suited to this type of driving.

like mine for the handling most, not quite as good as the last model corolla but a lot better than the normal auris. also the ease of driving too.

[tavy]

... and what are the aspects you like the most?

- driving position

- interior comfort

- materials' quality

- fuel economy

- how EBD&BA works

- simple and cheap maintenance

- interior space

...

I've owned quite a few cars by several manufacturers over the years and I reckon my T180 is the finest all-round car I've ever owned.

The styling is absolutely beautiful and the performance is brilliant for a car which doesn't cost the earth to insure and maintain.

You are absolutely right, I compare my car with another 12 cars

... and the only thing I could really fault is the rather basic (for the 21st century) standard fit radio/CD player.

I like my audio system that has 6 Speakers, mp3 player, it's clear and loud enough...

[Rick D4D]

I realy like our T180 even through I don't drive this everyday as the wife uses this for work (I have works citreon van) but as for the best, If I had never owned the Civic Type R then it would be a clear yes and in own criteria the T180 is the best but its horses for courses and all that. The CTR was a great A&B road car and drove brilliant with loads of power and grip but then it would as it was an hot hatch but stick it on a motorway for an hour and you have a lot of road noise from the rear tyres (punishment for the grip) no cruise control and to be honest not in the same league as the T180 but then again this is what the Auris is designed for, a small medium sized family cruiser not an hot hatch. Like I said its horses for courses and if I was to say what is the best car I have ever owned is then it would be

HOT HATCH CIVIC TYPE R, to be fair this was an ultimate play thing / toy

BEST ALL ROUND SENSIBLE CAR (NOT HOT HATCH TOY) TOYOTA AURIS T180, this was exactly what we wanted sensible (diesel is a must with road tax now), quick, quite and loaded with all the toys

Its just a shame the MPG has not been as good as we expected, I thought we would get 50+ on a run and 40 worst around town etc but to be honest we are about 6mpg short of this in the summer.

Now for the worst car I have ever owned means we are on the subject, this prize goes without doubt to 2001 Mercedes A Class 170TDI Avant Garde (21k new in 2001) by far the worst car I have ever owned and that includes original Mini's this is worth the read and this problem is very common and also effects Mercedes Vito and Sprinter as well as others http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/mypage.98.htm. When this car went I swore I would never buy a diesel again but so far Toyota / T180 has convinced me this is not a problem.

[bobbo7070]

Out of all the cars I have owned, the Auris is the one I can never say I have loved, or ever will.

Its a good all round work horse, with loads of room inside, but high fuel consumption, together with low quality build components, and niggles that a Toyota should never have, took the potential for any long lasting joy away.

Would I buy another one................................Never, as I will go back to VAG.

Sorry to hear you're dissappointed with Mr T's offering Beretta.

I know Toyota's reputation for making "soulless cars that never break down" (was it the venerable Mr Clarkson who said that???) has been getting a bit of a hammering in recent years, but I think this is a result of the times we live in. Nowadays everything seems to be designed with a bl**dy accountant or a member of the 'green team' looking over the shoulder of the engineers responsible. I speak with authority on this as an owner of a month old Aygo!!!

It seems to me everything I buy, from a tin of beans to my new lcd tv has had corners cut in design or production. If you look at any owners club forum you'll find people complaining about faults with there cars. I don't think Mr T has more than others.

I'm not excusing poor design or build quality, just putting forward the point that nothing is made 'properly' nowadays.

I find my Auris a pleasure to drive; and I need to, because I put a eighty miles a day on the clock just going to work and back, a combination of rural country lanes and motorway. I suppose I'm a bit luckier than some, I managed to get a last production model T180 with ultra low mileage and every option installed (apart from the overrated sat nav & dvd screens) so I've got a ton of toys on mine which make it a far more attractive package to me.

I personally haven't had any problems with poor build/design quality apart from the washer jets (yet?!?).

BTW Rick D4D, that CTR looks sweet!

[illegalhunter]

Mines been ok apart from the auxillary belt tensioner being replaced twice.

[Paul Mack]

I've read fair few critisms on this forum regarding the Auris, but would like to know who loves their Auris, and what are the aspects you like the most?

I've owned quite a few cars by several manufacturers over the years and I reckon my T180 is the finest all-round car I've ever owned.

The styling is absolutely beautiful and the performance is brilliant for a car which doesn't cost the earth to insure and maintain. It sees off most of the boy-racer hot hatches :D , and driving it is always a pleasure!

Being a late spec T180 mine's got all the toys I could hope for, and the only thing I could really fault is the rather basic (for the 21st century) standard fit radio/CD player.

Love mine, Looks the DB's (imo) love nearly everything about it, but totally agree with you regarding the radio, its naff.

Would I buy another Toyota?

YES.

Best wishes

Paul

[Rumbly]

TBH this is a question I won't really be able to answer properly for hopefully another 10 years or so! Basically if nothing expensive and inconvenient break in that time I'll be well pleased if it does I won't. Had my last car for 12 years without any actual breakdowns or emergency repairs. Yup some things went wrong but nothing that interupted a journey, had to be sorted out right now this minute, or was really horribly expensive.

That said .. things I like ....

It's very roomy and comfortable.

It's relaxing to drive, I enjoy every journey.

Carries 4 full size adults in comfort.

Controls are well placed, gear lever in particular is a joy.

Carries loads of heavy stuff ... bricks. sand, cement, from B&Q etc. without complaint.

Tows a trailer stuffed with building materials a treat.

Servicing is reasonable and there's no expensive cam belt needs changing.

I like the looks ... don't care a hoot if you don't

The price, compares very favourably with the competition for what you get for the money.

Performace is quite adequate for my needs, if the traffic in front is going fast enough to be difficult overtake it's going fast enough for me anyway

It's not regarded as a hot hatch & doesn't generally get good reviews in the motoring press so no self respecting thief is going to want to steal it, and it's not favoured by "dodgy types". I can do without being left stranded and losing a fortune cos insurace companies are seriously reluctant to part with the the true cost of a replacement thanks.

Basically it's a great day in day out workhorse and I can't think of anything else I'd rather have for the same money.

[Exmeg2]

The festive holiday has given me a good opportunity to complete the evaluation of my new Auris TR 1.6 Valvematic by engaging in several long distance motorway journeys with back seat passengers. Sadly the experience did not have a positive outcome. Road noise levels, which I have always felt were too high even on fairly low speed local journeys, were so intrusive at motorway speeds that it was uncomfortable and eventually I settled on 55 - 60 mph as being more or less bearable for any length of time. Of more concern was the reaction of back seat passengers who were very unhappy with the noise levels. The car seems to pick up every deformity in the road and the constant thump, thump, thump over corrugations was something that I have not heard in a car in a long time. I realise that in the absence of sound measuring equipment any observations must be subjective and based on experience. In my case I have driven several hundred cars and travelled in excess of one and a half million miles.

I am not quite sure what my next step will be other than experimenting with tyre pressures and, if it can be arranged without having to resort to buying a new set, try a different make and pattern. Interestingly I have two friends each of whom has a top of the range Yaris and they are both highly critical of road noise.

Does anyone else have this problem or am I asking for the moon?

[Rick D4D]

The road noise in our T180 is non existent so I am shocked by this, do you have Bridgestine tyres fitted as I used to have these on the CTR and they do give off a lot of road noise

[Exmeg2]

The road noise in our T180 is non existent so I am shocked by this, do you have Bridgestine tyres fitted as I used to have these on the CTR and they do give off a lot of road noise

My tyres are Continental ContiPremiumContact 2.

Literally minutes ago I climbed out of the car after a 45 miles journey on dual carriageway with a new passenger and he, politely, mentioned the high level of road noise!

[GregP]

My tyres are Continental ContiPremiumContact 2.

I had the same tyres and road noise is big disadvantage- just read any online, user review. I had 2 front replaced few weeks ago and now it is much quieter inside on motorway :)

My answer to topic question: not sure if I love the car but I really like it. It has few nibbles but nothing painful. Toyota does good job in terms of customer service. It is just reliability matter now.

[bobbo7070]

The road noise in our T180 is non existent so I am shocked by this, do you have Bridgestine tyres fitted as I used to have these on the CTR and they do give off a lot of road noise

I agree with Rick. The road noise in mine is almost non existant too...???

I had a noise problem with the tyres on the new Verso I bought five years back, but as soon as I replaced them (which was abouut every twelve months for the front!) the noise went away. I'm pretty sure the tyres on mine are original factory fit, I would go out and look, but it's raining cats an dogs and blowing a gale :P .

I particularly like the fact that when I load up my T180 with 4 adults it still drives a treat, plenty of power etc. If I put a matchbox on the back seat of my Aygo it needs pushing uphill :D (Still love the little thing though!).