Avensis 2.0D Tr-Likes And Dislikes

[Galad]

Into my 4th week with my new (2013) Avensis TR; I previously owned a 2007 petrol version which was a great all-rounder. My old car was a hatchback and SWMBO loved its capacity for lugging everything from IKEA! The saloon is not nearly as flexible though plus the wheel arches protrude into the boot making it narrower. Dealer told me that Toyota stopped making the hatch as the saloon was most preferred throughout Europe - can't say this applied to the UK socially given the popularity of the Avensis amongst mini-cab drivers.

So here is my list of likes and dislikes with the new car:

Likes: great torque from the diesel unit - much safer feel for overtaking; interior courtesy lights much improved in terms of brightness and the fact that front and rear are illuminated when unlocking; equipment levels are very good (excellent touch and go sat nav and Bluetooth) and there's a quality feel about the interior; overall, it's refined with just a little tyre noise; too soon to comment on fuel economy; the absence of a transmission tunnel make it a good five-seater; reversing camera is a novelty but I can't get used to the image which gives me a false impression of how much room I have backing into a tight space.

Dislikes: as a 6 foot 2, my left leg gets stuck under the steering wheel getting into the car so I have to push the seat back first - very strange design flaw for such a large car; it's also hard for me to achieve a good driving position; the recirculation switch comes on automatically on start-up of LOW is selected on the air-con which is annoying; the side vents look great with the chrome surrounds but they reflect in both door mirrors; the electronic parking brake is a pain and I have to look for and reach down for the switch below the dash to apply and release; electric windows only work with ignition on.

[alan333]

Into my 4th week with my new (2013) Avensis TR

So here is my list of likes and dislikes with the new car:

Dislikes: as a 6 foot 2, my left leg gets stuck under the steering wheel getting into the car so I have to push the seat back first - very strange design flaw for such a large car; it's also hard for me to achieve a good driving position; the recirculation switch comes on automatically on start-up of LOW is selected on the air-con which is annoying; the side vents look great with the chrome surrounds but they reflect in both door mirrors; the electronic parking brake is a pain and I have to look for and reach down for the switch below the dash to apply and release; electric windows only work with ignition on.

I'm 6 foot 1 and don't have the foot jammed thing or the problem finding a good driving position. I think my seat is a few "ratchets" up from the bottom and a couple of clicks from farthest back. Maybe try playing around with yours a bit more.

I find the climate control the best I've used in a car. I always use mine on AUTO and rarely need to change the setting below about 20 deg, the car does the rest for me. If the car is very hot the recycle comes on so that the air con doesn't need to work so hard as it's recycling already colder air (ie not necessarily by setting heater control to lowest).

I would also prefer a traditional parking brake but I've got used to leaning forward to apply it. I assume you know you don't need to manually release it to move off - you just pull away using the accelerator a little, along with letting the clutch out, and it releases for you automatically.

The electric windows on just about every car I've owned only work with the ignition on, but I am jealous of folks with the "remote windows down" function. However, you can operate the electric windows for a period (30 secs maybe?) after switching ignition off, but only if you haven't opened the drivers door.

[simon1959]

I too have had my 2013 2.0D-4D Tourer Icon (the TR replacement) for about 4 weeks, my previous company lease vehicle being a 2010 Tourer TR Nav with the similar diesel engine.

It took me a few weeks in the 2010 model to get used to the electronic parking brake, but now I find I am reaching under the dashboard for the brake even when driving my wife's Yaris . I take the lazy option and let the brake release itself when the clutch engages rather than reaching under the dash to release it manually, probably not good for the clutch but given this is a lease vehicle it doesn't bother me :D .

There isn't much difference between the 2013 and the 2010 model I had, however I quite like the fact that on the 2013 model the brake automatically applies when the ignition is turned off. The improvements to the engine are less obvious, but I think it is a little quieter than the old model and is supposed to be more efficient - time will tell. I haven't really played with the Touch and Go system yet but the sat nav seems as good or as bad as any other - much better than having to attach a portable unit every time I need help.

So, what do I dislike:-

The reversing camera view takes some geting used to as you have found - I have test driven a Hyundai i40 and their camera had yellow and red boxes imposed on the picture to clear show you how close you really were to any objects which I found much easier to use (but the car had other failings so I stuck with Toyota).

Automatic front wipers - why do they never seem to trigger to the speed needed. Whatever setting I put them on they either fail to trigger often enough or end up going too quickly. I talked with the dealership about this but according to them the sensor is a sealed unit with no facility to adjust this.

The chrome air-vents surrounds reflecting in the door mirrors (that you already mentioned).

The two plastic compartment dividers for the wheel arches in the boot are not supplied as standard which means most things end up rolling around if you do not tie them down to one of the rails.

[Pedal Head]

2012 TR D4D 2.0 Tourer 17k miles

Likes

Economy - much better than the 1.6 TDCi 115 PS Focus it replaced. 53 - 54 mpg is the norm & I've seen 63 on a run

Performance is pretty good

Comfort.

Load carrying capacity

£30/year road tax

Fuel cap on the left - there's nearly always a pump free

Dislikes

Road noise. Not really acceptable on a car of this quality, my '06 Astra estate was quieter

Lack of brake assist, it would be much better if it held the foot brake on a hill

Position of electric hand brake.

Too many rattles and squeaks

Reflection from chrome vent surround in the door window

Sat nav redirect upon slow traffic can't be trusted. Touch and go is good though and it keeps the dash tidy

[Galad]

Still can't get into the driver's seat without my knees catching the steering wheel - I'm convinced the wheel is sitting too low on this car. I can't recall having this access problem on any other car I've owned and most have been super-minis! Just discovered that the boot open button function on both remotes don't work but I can live with that - odd though as in my experience Toyota electronics are normally bomb-proof.

[alan333]

Still can't get into the driver's seat without my knees catching the steering wheel - I'm convinced the wheel is sitting too low on this car

Just discovered that the boot open button function on both remotes don't work.

I'm sure you know the steering wheel can be adjusted for height and reach?

On mine (2009) the boot button unlocks the boot, doesn't pop it up.

[Galad]

Steering wheel is at highest setting. A work colleague who is a foot smaller than me also commented on how close the wheel is to his knees. As I said, both of my remotes don't unlock the boot.

[giffardo]

just bought a 2012 avensis tourer, coming from a Citroen C5. I must say I notice that there is more tyre noise in the avensis but I think that may be due to the tyres fitted...

also the the radio is poor sound quality

[Devon Aygo]

The remote keys only unlock the boot when the car is locked as when the car is unlocked you don't need to unlock the boot again. You have to press and hold the unlock button on the key which will make the hazards flash and just the boot will unlock, the boot will not lift or open on its own

[Galad]

Sorry guys - I'm not making myself totally clear. Nothing happens when I press and hold the boot unlocking function on both remote keys. I've tried very variation. The car locks and unlocks as normal, it's just the boot unlocking function that doesn't work at all.

[Druid Boy]

Um, reference the steering wheel and your knees: how high to you have your driver's seat set? I like mine nice and low but it rises up quite a long way.

[Valvematic]

One suggestion about the boot. When locking the car are you issuing a double press on the key lock?

If so my boot wont unlock, I think it activates the deadlocking mechanism.

If I lock the car with a single press the boot unlock button works fine.

[Whitewagon]

One suggestion about the boot. When locking the car are you issuing a double press on the key lock?

If so my boot wont unlock, I think it activates the deadlocking mechanism.

If I lock the car with a single press the boot unlock button works fine.

Yes that now works for me too but it seems a little pointless, to keep the car as secure as possible deadlocks should be engaged surely?

[Galad]

So that's how it works! Pointless though, as Whitewagon says, I always double lock my car. If some low-life should smash a window the deadlocking means that the doors can't be opened. I would be concerned that my insurance company might take a dim view of me choosing not to deadlock my car simply because I wanted to unlock the boot separately!

[Valvematic]

I am making sure I am deadlocking at the moment, car is parked in Boscombe.

[Istari]

After 10 years and 130k plus of virtually trouble free motoring in my 2002, 1.8 petrol VVTI Avensis hatchback, great car, I decided it was time for a change. I went for a 2012 ,2L, Diesel Avensis, a TR saloon with 19k on the clock.

The new car feels very premium by comparison, a lot has changed in 10 years; fast, comfortable and lots of mod cons. Incidentally the 'touch and go' Display/Nav' dims when the lights are on, this is a major flaw as you can't see the screen if driving in daylight, for example in heavy rain! Unforgivably stupid not to be able to disable this in my opinion, more than happy for someone to prove me wrong on this? Otherwise Software update please Mr T?

I recently drove down to Cornwall, from Birmingham, which was my first long motorway run. The car ate up the miles comfortably, cruise control was a godsend for aching legs. I was curious to see what my mpg would be as I have been unable to get above 49.7, that with me driving like a Nun with brittle bones. Unfortunately we hit massive summer holiday traffic jams in both directions, before hitting the first one I had 52.4 on the display, this was the highest I have ever managed. Admittedly this was doing 80 max where possible.

Though I love the car with hindsight I would have looked for a petrol model. I have driven many diesel fleet cars on trips for work and have always got much better mpg than this without even trying. I have OEM tyres inflated to pressures on the door sill and have been using Shell V power fuel, I also know how to work out mpg correctly.

If this turns out to be as reliable as my old car I will be happy though.

[giffardo]

you can disable the screen dimming....Settings, Display, day mode off. also for the dash lights there is a brightness adjuster on the bottom right of the dials.

[Istari]

Hi, the settings menu on my dashboard display has no day mode option, the Touch And Go unit has options for screen off and brightness/contrast.

[Devon Aygo]

Turn your headlights on then press SETUP, The press DISPLAY, then press DAY MODE. For the day mode to appear in the menu you must have your headlights on.

[Istari]

That works, thanks. I have been through that menu so many times and would never have thought of the lights affecting the options.

I came across a large discussion on this issue somewhere online whilst trying to solve it myself, the conclusion was that it was an design fault.

[AvyTR]

Avensis Tourer TR 2.0 D4D 2009

Had the car for just one week so likes and dislikes will be minimal:

Like:

Good space

Rear seats fold completely flat

Good economy, better around town than expected

Dislike:

Drivers door 'squeaks' over bumps

Wind noise (possibly from the drivers side door?)

Tyre noise on rough surfaces

So for a long distance motorway driving type of car I think the level of noise is bad.

Time will tell though if I'm just over reacting :)