Auris - Fighting It's Corner

[Nemotion]

I am writing this, purely to balance up to positive posts for the Auris of UK's Toyota Owners Club. I saddens me to see so many negative posts on the car's very own forum and it just isn't right.

So... first off. The Toyota Auris is superb. Why? No.1 it is a Toyota. No.2 it is a Corolla. Simple. A half decade ago the Badge sold 35 million units since its introduction to the market and the Auris lives up to that reputation built perfectly.

So why are Toyota owners acting like BMW owners? Who cares if the interior plastics mark easily and exactly what plastics are you expecting for a car that undercuts the Focus, Golf and Astra? It's a Toyota, they've always been cheap, but guess what? They'll never break, the controls never stuff up and they'll remain functional until the cockroachs bite the dust. BTW, they don't mark that easily, I don't know what some owners are doing in their cars...

So it has bland styling... guess what? It's a Toyota! Have you seen what previous Corollas look like? Dare I mention the late '90s model to grace Europe with it's pig ugly 4-eyed gawp! The Auris at least has a nice nose (the '07 model anyway). Ok, the rear is criminally boring but that is nothing new. Ok, the roof high enough to snipe from but some of my mates who can't fit in Mit****ty Shoguns can fit in my Auris. In fact my mate who does have problems with his Miss' Shogun was amazed to find he fit in my Mk1 MR2 easily, but I diverge.

All my mates love the adventurous (for Toyota) dashboard and I love all the pockets and stowage holes. If I wanted more storage I would've bought a silly Picasso or Multipla.

Economy is good but never impressive. I have one of the thirstiest models, 1.6 vvti petrol but I average 35mpg (London traffic). When I want to chill along the coast, I can happily sit under 2k/rpm in near silent mobility and the car will easily venture into 40mpg. On Sundays after Vettel has breezed yet another pole position, I can shoot around shifting up at 5.5k/rpm and the car actually sings (never in populated areas)! It handles confidently if not safely, but I do admit the steering is all but dead. But in my opinion all modern hatchbacks lack feel. If I wanted feel I'd get a Mk1 Escort or Alfa Sprint.

At the end of the day, the Auris will be the last standing among its competition. Why, because it ain't a car you fuss over with a shammy for 3hrs on the weekend. It's a car that starts every time and gets you to your destination either packed with people and shopping or with those lovely huge windows down (I got a 3dr with MASSIVE doors) while keeping the revs nice and high (which requires some work). An additional sporty cone air filter will add a gurgle while you're at it too. It is the jack of all trades, yet a master of none. Isn't that the description of a true hatchback?

As with any Toyota, the review should not be read a year or two or five after the model's release. They should be read 200k down the line, because they'll still be delivering in all areas that far on.

Long live Toyota...

...sweet is the Auris

[AURISTR01]

Well said! I agree it will solider on!

You dont get comission of Toyota do you? B)

[Roby72]

Oh yes...I love you nemotion...lol

I copy every single word you wrote! As every forum, also TOC is supposed to give voice to people that got problems with his/her own car. Of course you cam hardly find someone writing his/her car is just perfect because there's no need to write, nothing to ask about...

I remember when I decided to buy my Auris mmt, I surfed many forums just to read bad things about this transmission...you know what? I love it! Of course you need to understand it and learn to control it...but in few kms you'll have the full control...

In my face-lifted Auris I also love the external and internal design...it's extremely comfortable and...hey, what's about the plastics? Have you ever took place on a BMW 1 series? I have nothing to complaint about finish of my Auris.

Even though I think they did a very good job in the face-lift version...that's all, what can I say....I just love it.

Oh, yes, with Hamsar DRL kit it's just perfect!

[Grippen]

If some points can be questionable like the plastics quality on the dashboard you hit the jackpot when you mentioned something like the high roof. The Auris is in fact one of the most confortable car in the rear seats. I still remember the crapy Golfs where you could easily hit your head on the roof, plastics cheaping of on the handles, power window engines stopped working etc... still it sold like hell.

[Nemotion]

Btw, I'm not hating on the peeps posting their difficulties. Forums are where we swap tip-bits and fixes. My 'moan/rant' is a light hearted one.

Peace xD

...and my commission from Toyota is in the currency of 'satisfaction'!

[Jan&tone]

Well done! It makes a change to see praise...

You go to the dealers, you are happy with the car and the deal (or you wouldn't have bought it!

So why moan if the trim, which is the same in your car as the one you tested, marks?

Sorry, but if you ain't happy you don't buy it!

[Daveyonthemove]

Can't argue with the original post.

I've yet to mark the interior, and i've had my dash in pieces more than once. MPG could be better, but it's not THAT bad. Cabin space is very generous considering I'm 6ft, and my brother is 6FT 1", and he can sit behind my driving seat and still comment that its roomy.

Its not going to set the world alight on looks (inside or out) but thats another reason I like it. It doesn't look anything special, so its even more satisfying when it pulls away from cars that do look special.

Having owned my SR180 for 8 months, I can't think of a single problem that has arisen, and the niggles (like poor stereo etc) can be rectified easily.

Its not the most exciting car i have bought, but I have other priorities these days.

[atlantian]

Here here, and the the dealers are a hell of a lot better than others, a recent trip to sort out squeeky brakes the technician actually took me in the car so I could explain the noise, never had that had at vauxhaul or ford, and the technician actually deals with you, no spotty 13 year old behind a desk who doesnt have a clue, this is one of the reasons i stuck with Toyota when upgrading from a corrolla.

[shoney]

I've had mine a few weeks now and love it, I've got a Tspirit 2.0d4d, it's nice to have the auto lights, auto wipers and all the other toys, I changed from a corolla tsport and it's much higher quality inside.

[Norfolk n Chance]

My bro has an Auris 1.33 Optimal Drive....

To me it's slow and looks like a Corolla that's had too many pies!

Before i get flamed... that's just my opinion! The Auris is a decent car but people always try and compare it with cars of a much higher quality (and price tag!) just be happy with what you have!

[Jan&tone]

My bro has an Auris 1.33 Optimal Drive....

To me it's slow and looks like a Corolla that's had too many pies!

Before i get flamed... that's just my opinion! The Auris is a decent car but people always try and compare it with cars of a much higher quality (and price tag!) just be happy with what you have!

strange init, one man's meat and all that... Fww I wouldn't have a Rolls Royce if someone gave it to me, far too big and no fun at all to drive... Others drool over them!

It's nice to have the choice though.

[Mooly]

Nice post It needed saying.

I think the Auris is a great car... and I came to mine from 8 yrs in Corolla T-Sport, and you know what ? I'd take the Auris every time. Economy is good, currently I get around 48.5 to around 52mpg but that lower figure has been with a lot of hill climbing in the Pennines.

The "easily marked trim" comes up a lot and tbh I thought I had fallen victim to this. White scuff marks on the top panel. I find however that they do come off and that the plastic isn't marked at all. But it's not easy. Strange to say I find leather wipes work well (the lanolin maybe) and then finished off with really hot soaked microfibre cloth. It drys perfectly with not a single mark even under shallow angle light conditions. The interior is one of the Auris's nicest feature IMO

Having owned two new Audis I know all about superb German engineering/design and quality... in my experience it's a myth.

Post #2 here,

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=102760

Look at the number of "real" issues on this forum and then look at Ford/Audi/BMW etc etc etc... 'nuff said.

Critisisms of the 1.33 Auris. It has to be the stop/start technology. It lacks "customizability". I wish the S/S could be configured to cut the climate control after a user defined time rather than a maximum of 24 seconds before the engine restarts. Is there some technical reason for this... to prevent excessive thermal cycling etc.

[Bemused]

Agree entirely, I think Toyota now do provide value for money and make decent, reliable cars. And the dealer service is pretty good. Reading forums on other makes can be pretty horrific making comments on our forum mild in comparison.

Cannot resist this though, why can you not turn off the boot light on the Auris?

[daveybee]

You're right, too many Toyota bashers on the TOC forums (although, I contribute on one of the leading photographic forums and it's just the same over there - people run their cameras down). I love my HSD even though it's just thrown a bit of a wobbler whereby it won't recognise either key, nor will it lock nor unlock using either key fob. Mr. T thinks both fob batteries going together is unlikely - it's in to be looked at on Monday.

Just to finish on a positive note - my HSD is a fantastic car and even this little wobble can't dent my ongoing admiration!

[forevered]

ive complained about alot of minor problems with my car on this forum, but i must admit i think its a good looking car with sr trim.dont know about anybody else,but i think the facelift version looks crap from the front

[daveybee]

I must confess, it's not it's best point, and it wasn't until the HSD came along that I gave it another look... The other thing about the HSD is that it's 5mm lower than the norm, which, added to the lower chin of the HSD makes it look a whole lot better than the current SR (IMO, FWIW).

[Nemotion]

dont know about anybody else,but i think the facelift version looks crap from the front

I wouldn't have said it fist, but I agree lol. The Mk1 nose is much nicer... more like a concept never meant for production or failed experiment, yet better than something that looks like a cross between an Astra and a Hyundai as on the facelift; boring!

[jig]

ive complained about alot of minor problems with my car on this forum, but i must admit i think its a good looking car with sr trim.dont know about anybody else,but i think the facelift version looks crap from the front

Apart from the detail around the fog lights which looks better on the pre facelift, there is not a lot in it. So no, to answer your question.

[Crasstoe]

I agree partly with the OP. I like the Auris, and it is the best car I have had to date, however if someone was to ask if I would recommend the Auris, or any Toyota for that fact, I would say no. I felt that the product did not live up to the reputation of previous Toyotas, I may be biased because my car spent 3 months in with MrT over Xmas when I first bought it but thats still not the point, it simply shouldn't have happened.

I know that when you are making as many cars as Toyota that an occasional lemon will slip through (and I would be unlucky enough to get it) but the small niggles I have had since owning the car are the real deal breakers for me. If I didn't have the car on finance I would of gotten rid of it by now.

So to finalise, IMO, the Auris is NOT a bad car it just doesn't live up to the reputation which Toyota have worked so hard to create. And I fear that if they continue to release cars like the Auris (jack of all trades, but no defining features) then they will start to dwindle and eventually the cack will hit the fan.