07 Auris Tr - A General Moan

[ZaphodB]

Hello all!

I recently bought a '07 Auris 1.6 TR; prior to that I owned a 2001 ("facelift") Corolla 1.6 for several years until I sadly waved goodbye to it on the back of a recovery van after someone thought it would be a good idea to park on a motorway ramp at rush hour.

I chose a used Auris based on a good amount of research but only having had one brief test drive in town. Incredibly stupid I know, but I needed a car again for work (40 mile commute) and so simply didn't have the time or means to travel round the country taking different vehicles for test drives. Ultimately my thinking was: It's taller (good news) and the gear stick is easier to reach, but otherwise they've taken the Corolla and improved it over two generations, so I can't go wrong, right? Well...

After a little while living with the car I do appreciate the extra headroom and higher gearstick, and I get about 4 more mpg. But pretty much everything else about the car feels inferior to the 14-year old Corolla. I had disregarded the reviews that called the Auris incredibly dull to drive, since these were exactly the same comments made about the Corolla so I put it down to the usual irrational anti-Toyota bias - except with the Auris, they're entirely true.

The steering is not so much vague as completely abstract. The level of roll on roundabouts suggests it was designed in a country where all roads are straight. I feel absolutely no connection at all to the road, and this might be nice and calming if it were accompanied by good insulation from road and engine noise - instead as soon as I reach motorway speeds I can barely hear myself think. Which brings me to performance - apparently 0-60mph is achievable in 10 seconds. Maybe so, but roll-on to 70 takes about a week. Once it gets there it sits above 3500rpm and doesn't sound especially happy about it. Fuel economy doesn't seem to be affected too badly but I get the distinct feeling the car wants me to get off the motorway as soon as possible. This from a 1.6.

It's tempting to think that this is simply my unfamiliarity with a new car and expecting it to handle the same as the Corolla - but with hire cars over the years I've driven many cars, including some like the Focus C-Max which being tall should suffer the same problems as the Auris, but for all their faults each of them felt like a car which I was driving - the Auris feels like a bus someone else is driving while I drift off until engine noise or body roll bring me back to reality.

As I said, I was hasty in buying the car so I truly deserve every bit of abuse coming my way. And having bought it I will have to live with it and no doubt come to appreciate its qualities (er, it has a lot of cup-holders). In the meantime I look longingly at passing Civics and idly wonder how soon I can afford to sell. But I can't believe this was made by the same company who made the Corolla which I put 70,000 miles on including driving through floods and over snow with absolute confidence. So I would really like to know if any other Auris owners share my complaints at the car or if I just have a bad example.

Cheers for letting me whinge, do let me know your thoughts (or just call me an idiot)!

[smudge-1991]

Tbh the body roll thing I have never had an issue with as I have had to Sr models ... I have noticed tho it is tyre sensitive for noise on the motorway especially ( I cover the best part of 30,000 miles a year on them)... I also think that the 1.6 is a little small for such a big car ... And I'm guessing then if you have 3500 revs at 70 suggests it has a five speed box ... I know what you mean about that as the last 1.6 I owned and was on the motorway it was the same revs and ot was painful admittedly it was an 80s escort but I understand .... One of the mates I work with has driven my car and has a civic and is always wanting to swap it for mine he says the same things about his civic that you are saying about yours... And the civic is nowhere near as nice inside as the Auris .... It looks fancy but it feels cheap

[FROSTYBALLS]

I moved from a 2006 Corolla to a new Auris back in 2009. Whilst the interior finish is slightly cheaper, has harder plastics and has less attention to detail (similar to when Mazda changed from the 323 to the 3), in my opinion, the increase in room, etc made up for this.

Yes there is some more body roll than the Corolla - but the Auris is larger and about 35kg heavier than the equivalent Corolla.

Just a thought, yours is 7-8 years old - are the shock absorbers past their best?

The Civic (2006-2011) did suffer a number of build quality issues, including cracking of structural glass, poor bonding, etc.

The C-Max is an MPV so isn't directly comparable to the Auris - compare it to the Verso.

[yossarian247]

Generally speaking I really like my Auris and am quite often surprised at the poor reviews they got in the motoring press when new. Mine is a 2009 model built just after the 'Optimal Drive' malarkey so perhaps improved a bit from the original model?

Although it does have a soft ride I find the handling pretty good. The Skoda Octavia I owned previously had a very harsh crashy ride without actually managing to go round corners any better than the Auris! I've owned quite a few Citroens in the past and the Auris is on a par with them for ride quality, admittedly with similar body roll.

Mine has the 6 speed box which I'm sure helps with refinement at higher speeds, it's a surprisingly refined motorway car, and far quieter and more comfortable at speed than the Octavia, despite being a bit smaller.

The engine is odd, (1.6 Valvematic in mine) quite gutless at low revs but pretty quick if you're prepared to rev it. It seems to start off in granny mode but comes alive after about 3000rpm! That has taken some getting used to as my previous cars were mainly turbo diesels with lots of low down torque.

A couple of things I really don't like about it are the notchy gear change between 1st and 2nd when cold, reckoned to be normal on these Toyota 6 speed boxes. Another is the poor quality of some of the seals. I've fixed a leaky boot and a whistling door mirror with bathroom silicone sealant! Also I've fixed a noisy drivers door seal with the old backstreet bodyshop trick of opening the door, winding the window fully down and pulling like crazy on the top of the door to bend it in slightly. No more whistling!

One annoyance is a clicking noise from the steering column when turning the wheel anti clockwise at parking speeds. A Toyota dealer looked at it and said 'they all do that sir...' and showed me two other Auris on the forecourt doing exactly the same thing. Apparently if the original owner had complained in the warranty period they would have fixed the noise for free with a complete replacement column, but as it's not a safety issue they advised ignoring it.

Other than that, mechanically they seem bulletproof which is what encouraged me to buy a Toyota in the first place. I'd had enough of the tedious and expensive faults on some of the VAG cars we've owned previously. I really don't know why people think VWs are reliable....

[smudge-1991]

I love having a six speed box don't think I could go back to 5 now .... I do worry about scratching the plastics a lot tho

[Darksta]

For the body roll, I've fitted a rear anti sway bar to counter the body roll and is it worth it? Oh yes it is.

[ZaphodB]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies so far.

smudge, regarding engine power it's all relative of course but IMO a 1.6l should be adequate to pull a hatchback at a respectable pace - the car isn't really that large compared to other in the class and others of the same engine size don't feel this gutless. The biggest issue I have is that the Corolla felt much more powerful with the same engine size - yes the car weighed 80kg less but always carried more than that. It helped that you could actually go over 4000rpm in the Corolla if you needed to "make progress" - in the Auris it feels like the engine will explode. You are correct though - it desperately needs a 6th gear; as it stands I don't know how it got past testing in a country where speed limits of 60-70mph exist.

Frostyballs, my Corolla was a 2001 model (ie facelift of the 1997 model) which could never be accused of having a luxurious interior, but the '07 Auris takes hard plastics to a new dimension - it almost wants to be scratched. That model Corolla being particularly low had far, far less body roll, and I'm sure your newer Auris has it under control to a better degree than the '07. As for the shock absorbers, thanks for the suggestion - I'm no mechanic but have done the bounce test as best I could - I can get little to no bounce at all, although admittedly I'm being careful where I apply pressure for fear of causing damage whereas on the more solid metal of the old car I could happily jump up and down on the corners. I'll ask the garage to check it out but highly doubt this is covered under their warranty so I can't face a large bill now - I'll just have to take every corner and roundabout like a short-sighted nun.

(Ps you are right that the C-Max should be compared to the Verso instead, but that's precisely my point - the C-Max drives more like a small hatchback than the Auris!)

yossarian247, I'm convinced the 2009 model must be improved in almost every way, based on what I'm hearing from owners. Improved handling, 6th gear, better materials etc. It's entirely normal for the second generation to improve on the first - it's just a shame so many areas needed improvement. As for the notchy gearchange from 1st to 2nd when cold, this applies to the earlier 5-speed model too - however subsequent shifts are nice and smooth, one thing I do like about the car. Also no problems found on the seals on mine yet. Every cloud...

Darksta, I can believe adding a bar would make a big difference. Can I ask what this cost you in total (you say you fit it yourself?) Of course it wouldn't improve other areas of handling but might be worth investing when I have the cash it if I'm going to live with the car long term.

[yossarian247]

One thing worth checking is the type and condition of the tyres. Rubbish tyres can make even the best handling cars handle like crap. Dealers often seem to put the cheapest possible budget tyres on just to sell a car, and previous owners will sometimes leave borderline illegal tyres on if they know they are moving a car on.

[ZaphodB]

One thing worth checking is the type and condition of the tyres. Rubbish tyres can make even the best handling cars handle like crap. Dealers often seem to put the cheapest possible budget tyres on just to sell a car, and previous owners will sometimes leave borderline illegal tyres on if they know they are moving a car on.

Excellent point. I also ride a bike (not the lycra and pedestrian bothering variety) so know it's true that the rubber things that connect you to the road make all the difference. The ones fitted by the dealer are Marangoni (budget brand) but with good tread and the pattern isn't that bad - I have driven cars with far worse Chinese rubbish on the wheels which handled better. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[FROSTYBALLS]

The 2009 models introduced Toyota's Optimal Drive across the range (improved engine efficiency, six speed gearboxes, etc) - changes to the suspension and steering came with the 2010 mid-life facelift.

As I said about the interior plastics, Toyota followed other manufacturers in adopting harder interior plastics (Mazda, Ford, etc). Having said that, I didn't have any problems with the 2009 interior (other than a broken dash mounted cup holder that was replaced under warranty). The 2010 facelift brought some softer feel plastics to the upper glovebox lid and the top of the instrument binnacle.

Back in 2003 we bought a new Mazda 323 1.6 and a new Mazda Premacy 1.8 MPV on the same day. The Premacy despite being heavier, larger and having more roll, was a lot more eager to drive despite producing the same amount of power as the 323. In the Premacy it was just too easy to get up to and cruise at around 100mph. Both cars were based on the 626 floorpan.

[ToyotaAuris]

I must admit with the car being really dull to drive at lacks power but
my 1.3 gets to 70 in decent amount of time. Its not a sports car,
compared to my old Golf its really slow but I like it. I normally do
motorway miles, 400 mile run every 3 weeks, I fill in £25-£30 of fuel
and gets me there and back with about 100 miles still left on the
computer! I really like the look of the car too, looks beautiful in the
colour I have (other colours look soooo ugly in my opinion). The lack of
power and being dull inside ruins the whole car, cheap interior is a no
no for me. I found a way to get rid of the scratches from inside using
WD-40 and alot of elbow grease but I cant blame it, its a Toyota. If I
was to buy a up market German car with all the nice kit, amazing
interior and powerful drive it comes with tonnes of problems which
German car owners will tell you (reviews are really biased and always
say their reliable, ive had 15 Germans over the past year, all rubbish).
I have my Auris for sale but today I really thought about if I should

Also about that steering knock I have it too, I was going to book it in next week for that but seems normal.
sell it or not, I cant let go of it, its too good.

[smudge-1991]

I get outstanding mileage on the motor way it is a little bumpy but when I get into Cornwall and off the motorway onto the twisty b roads it's a bit of a gem with handling .... Sport suspension and some v good tyres help tho .... I would love a rear sway bar tho where do u find one of those .... I agree a 1.6 should pull but I also have a 1.6 87 Ford escort with 115 bhp and it is adequate for that but it only ways 800kg ish .... The Auris weight and height especially compromise the handling but it is outweighed by good comfort ... The trim thing is my biggest bug and then it's followed by seats that aren't quite supportive enough ... the fact that trim is super easy to break or scratch but you can't remove to get at things cos it's in properly tight .... Also the turning circle on the Sr anyway is huge for such a wheel base and my boss has a facelift model and his turning circle is much tighter .... I think my dad's Volvo estate has a better turning circle .... I have had both the 2.0 and the 2.2 tho had both for a long time till recently sold the 2.2 but the issues are the same ...

[ToyotaAuris]

I like the chrome colour but the plastic makes it look like a £20 interior, cheap plastic which can be brought and made to measure and fit it in. Germans have soft touch quality all over the interior, makes you feel like your sitting in a luxury car even though its a normal hatchback. I have a photo of my old VW interior and compared to my Auris interior picture, can show you if you want, its a big difference.

[yossarian247]

Excellent point. I also ride a bike (not the lycra and pedestrian bothering variety) so know it's true that the rubber things that connect you to the road make all the difference. The ones fitted by the dealer are Marangoni (budget brand) but with good tread and the pattern isn't that bad - I have driven cars with far worse Chinese rubbish on the wheels which handled better. Thanks for the suggestion though!

For yours to be handling as bad as you describe I really do wonder if there is something wrong with it?

From what Frosty mentioned it appears that the handling improvements didn't come in until a year after my car was built and I wouldn't describe the handling of mine anyway near as bad as you mention. Although it isn't up to the standard of say, a Focus, I've certainly driven plenty of worse handling cars than the Auris.

[Darksta]

I think I brought my Cusco rear sway bar for £120 at the time and attaching it is pretty straight forward.

Tools needed was a allen key, socket wrench, suspension spring compressor and the obvious jack and jack stands.

[smudge-1991]

I've just struggled to find a rear sway bar

[Darksta]

I've just struggled to find a rear sway bar

You should be able to order one from rhdjapan if you prefer the Cusco version.

[ZaphodB]

Also the turning circle on the Sr anyway is huge for such a wheel base and my boss has a facelift model and his turning circle is much tighter .... I think my dad's Volvo estate has a better turning circle

It's not just the SR. I didn't bother with any real parking maneuvers on the test drive (again I figured why would it be any worse than the Corolla?) and was pretty shocked the first time I took it into a multi-storey. The turning circle is stupidly large for a car this size.

[smudge-1991]

My boss has 2010 model and he can almost turn inside my turning circle

[ToyotaAuris]

2011 turning circle is decent, not bad.

[ZaphodB]

I think I brought my Cusco rear sway bar for £120 at the time and attaching it is pretty straight forward.

Tools needed was a allen key, socket wrench, suspension spring compressor and the obvious jack and jack stands.

Thanks! I may give this a go when I can afford it