Owners review

[yesMan]

Bought a 2016 Avensis estate with CVT after reading a lot of positive reviews from motor journalists.

Drove about 8000 miles before I could not handle it any more.

The car has one or two bright sides, like the CVT gearbox which is quite smooth, and the 1.8 petrol engine which fits the gearbox really good.

Everything else is just horror.

• Ride is painfully HARD even on high profile rims with low tire pressure. Every little bump or crack in road is transfered to your spine
• Media display and speedometer backlight are way too bright even at lowest setting. First time driving at night, I had a hard time seeing outside as display was like a high beam directly into my face.
• Seats are harsh, and can't be adjusted to a comfortable position.
• Nowhere to put your right foot when cruise control is activated.
• Low roof with to much curvature, which makes it hard to get in/out of car.
• Distance to opened boot cover is about 5.2 feet which smashes just fine into your scalp
• Cruise control does only engage 60% of the time when activated
• Cruise control lever does not make sense, a lot of pushes/pulls in 4 different directions .... ?
• All buttons takes ~800ms until car reacts, sluggish interface on touchscreen display
• Searching for a destination in navigation is tedious, first select country, then city, then street, otherwise won't navigation find your destination
• Road noise level is too high
• Air vents are too small, no air and a loud whoosh is all you get - like blowing air through a straw
• Auto high beam only functions as intended 50% of the time
• Road sign recognition is cool - but why isn't it used for something, like setting max. cruise control speed?
• Lane assist is beeping and beeping and beeping for just about anything except when you are driving into a ditch, then it is completely silent.
• Car beeps and warns for everything, and does not stop after three-four beeps.

 

Can't understand the positive reviews, and will never again buy a car based on reading car magazines alone.

I give this car a score of 2 of 10.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Did you not test drive the car before buying? At the end of the day, no car will suit everyone.

[RUToyota]

As above...can only suggest you actually try/drive the vehicle before you buy it.

The Avensis is generally thought of as being a very good car indeed..maybe you just got unlucky.

[yesMan]

8 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Did you not test drive the car before buying? At the end of the day, no car will suit everyone.

I did test drive it for ~10 minutes around the dealership were roads were newly paved with fresh tarmac. Noticed that it was stiffer than my previous car, a Mondeo, but due to time constrain from my job I did not have the time to fully test the car.

In hindsight - yes, I should have spent at least 1 hour with the car, driving on all types of roads before deciding. 😒

56 minutes ago, RUToyota said:

As above...can only suggest you actually try/drive the vehicle before you buy it.

The Avensis is generally thought of as being a very good car indeed..maybe you just got unlucky.

This is not "unlucky". This is Toyota tripping on the finish line, as T27 Avensis could have been an almost perfect car in my opinion. Toyota seems to have misunderstood the european market.

[yesMan]

... forgot some quirks and annoyances that should be in review above:

• Brake assist (collision assist) beeps and shows a red alert sign in display "BRAKE" when there is imminent danger. But, the system never does brake! I intentionally provoked the system by driving towards walls and parked cars at speed, system warned me to "BRAKE", but never did anything. Brake assist only distracts the driver in a dangerous situation, as you take your eyes off the road and look at a beeping and flashing display, instead of focusing on the real danger.  Better to brake for nothing twice, than crashing once.
• Luggage compartment floor is made of thin plastic parts which can't handle weight. I placed a few cement bags ~25kgs each in trunk and several of the plastic lids cracked.

 

Sorry for all my desecration of this car, but it really has been a nightmare.

 

[Catlover]

Roy, you listed 16(at least) reasons why you don’t like the car. I haven’t time to go through one by one even though I would like to.
However, you bought an estate car, which are usually used for carrying goods. Driven unloaded I would expect the ride would be firmer then say a hatch or saloon.                    
You say you cannot get the seat to be comfortable position. I bought a Hyundai i30, once covered 25 miles my right thigh was paining, so much that I had to sell after 6 months to a Qashqai, now Toyota Prius which is low to the ground like the i30, but never had the thigh problem. But I don’t knock the i30, still hold it as a good car, just not for me.                              
Cruise control, yes mine requires more then a few movements to use it fully, they are hand strokes you get to use without thinking. I now use cruise control more then ever, love it and wouldn’t like being without it.                Road noise, depends a lot on what type of road surface the council has put down, plus the characteristics of the tyre itself which is due to its manufacturer. Tyres do have a rating for quietness, economy, wet weather road holding.                                  
Media display too bright. Have you checked the menus to see if you can dim it.....I would be surprised if you cannot.                      
No where to put your right foot when cruise control set.  I don’t want my right foot to bee too far away from the pedals, if I need to I want to be able to accelerate quickly, or conversely, get to the foot brake quickly. Both those actions override the c/control. YOU must always be in control of the vehicle.        
And finally....... what are you doing driving into ditches???

[TonyHSD]

I would agree with the statement of the op. All European makes are quieter and more refined to drive than Japanese cars, auto journalists reviews are absolutely bs and very often sponsored reviews to promote sales, never take these as true but only watch for entertainment . Short test drive is never enough to get clear picture of the car and how it drives, perhaps renting one for a week will do it. Not only Avensis but a lot cars are made horribly to get in and out, seating position, visibility, practically, all affected by the “modern “designs, and I am also not kind of the new info screens that illuminate straight into your eyes in the night. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

At the end of the day if you dislike the car that much, change it for something else. No amount of member comments on here will substantially alter your opinion. It is what it is.

[AF557]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

Roy, you listed 16(at least) reasons why you don’t like the car. I haven’t time to go through one by one even though I would like to.
However, you bought an estate car, which are usually used for carrying goods. Driven unloaded I would expect the ride would be firmer then say a hatch or saloon.                    
You say you cannot get the seat to be comfortable position. I bought a Hyundai i30, once covered 25 miles my right thigh was paining, so much that I had to sell after 6 months to a Qashqai, now Toyota Prius which is low to the ground like the i30, but never had the thigh problem. But I don’t knock the i30, still hold it as a good car, just not for me.                              
Cruise control, yes mine requires more then a few movements to use it fully, they are hand strokes you get to use without thinking. I now use cruise control more then ever, love it and wouldn’t like being without it.                Road noise, depends a lot on what type of road surface the council has put down, plus the characteristics of the tyre itself which is due to its manufacturer. Tyres do have a rating for quietness, economy, wet weather road holding.                                  
Media display too bright. Have you checked the menus to see if you can dim it.....I would be surprised if you cannot.                      
No where to put your right foot when cruise control set.  I don’t want my right foot to bee too far away from the pedals, if I need to I want to be able to accelerate quickly, or conversely, get to the foot brake quickly. Both those actions override the c/control. YOU must always be in control of the vehicle.        
And finally....... what are you doing driving into ditches???

Coming from a family of estate owners, i actually find they ride softer than the saloon/hatchback counterpart as there’s more weight to dampen the suspension travel.

[Konrad C]

Most cars are not perfect for everyone! The OP had the latest face-lift version, so has different dash and display. I have talked about my car before, and recently being the estate version, has been doing good service. The ride is firm, but not uncomfortable. Toyota multi media has not been the best, but for me, I use a bluetooth USB adapter that gives me everything I want - good satnav, hands free and music options, all controlled by steering or voice commands. The main thing for me, is the car is easy to maintain and service, and works for me. The OP's car seems to have some glitches that need attention, and some features can be turned off or adjusted. Just read the owners manual. Being left-hand drive, I thought it would have an advantage for feet and pedal space. My right-hand drive manual is fine for footrest space, for my size 11's.

One thing I have noticed since I changed the Battery, nearly everything works nicely, except the occasional fast idle. 

The hard bit is what to replace my Tourer with, when the time comes?

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Konrad C said:

Most cars are not perfect for everyone! The OP had the latest face-lift version, so has different dash and display. I have talked about my car before, and recently being the estate version, has been doing good service. The ride is firm, but not uncomfortable. Toyota multi media has not been the best, but for me, I use a Bluetooth USB adapter that gives me everything I want - good satnav, hands free and music options, all controlled by steering or voice commands. The main thing for me, is the car is easy to maintain and service, and works for me. The OP's car seems to have some glitches that need attention, and some features can be turned off or adjusted. Just read the owners manual. Being left-hand drive, I thought it would have an advantage for feet and pedal space. My right-hand drive manual is fine for footrest space, for my size 11's.

One thing I have noticed since I changed the battery, nearly everything works nicely, except the occasional fast idle. 

The hard bit is what to replace my Tourer with, when the time comes?

If you after automatic car Corolla TS 2.0 Hybrid or 1.8 if you drive mostly in town. 👍

[Roy124]

On 3/26/2021 at 9:18 AM, yesMan said:

I did test drive it for ~10 minutes around the dealership were roads were newly paved with fresh tarmac. Noticed that it was stiffer than my previous car, a Mondeo, but due to time constrain from my job I did not have the time to fully test the car.

In hindsight - yes, I should have spent at least 1 hour with the car, driving on all types of roads before deciding. 😒

 

Actually that is all my dealer offered.  As we were doing a switch from a Mercedes E class and we had no preconceived idea what hybrid smaller car to buy he really needed to sell it to us.  We got to drive it for 4 hours and a good 80 mile journey.  Quite cheeky but we then visited the next town dealerships with different makes.  As it happens first test was best choice.  You miss a right foot rest, I miss a left foot one.  You find the cruise control fiddly, so do I after the Merc.  And so on.

[yossarian247]

A lot of this is 'horses for courses'. My wife has never really liked our Avensis and would probably agree with most of the OP's points. I on the other hand really like it and disagree with many of the OP's points, or at least aren't bothered by them! You can't please everyone..

[yesMan]

Thanks for all comments. 🙂

Havn't really seen anyone totally disagreeing with my review, so can't be that far off in my opinions on T27.

On 3/26/2021 at 10:55 AM, Catlover said:

Roy, you listed 16(at least) reasons why you don’t like the car. I haven’t time to go through one by one even though I would like to.
However, you bought an estate car, which are usually used for carrying goods. Driven unloaded I would expect the ride would be firmer then say a hatch or saloon.                 
 

Then why is an completely empty Volkswagen Transporter much smoother in ride?

Also, I've driven the Avensis with 4 adults and a trunk full of stuff, ride is still painfully hard.

If I take a firm grip on the roof rails and pull the car from side to side, I can see that there is no movement between body and rim. There is only movement between tire and ground. To me it looks like the only absorber/spring in action is tire itself. Car springs seems to be completely stiff.

When doing the same to for example a Mondeo, or Transporter, I can see that there is movement between car and rim.

Is there something wrong with my Avensis? 🤔

On 3/26/2021 at 10:55 AM, Catlover said:

And finally....... what are you doing driving into ditches???

Actually, I tested lane assistant on a road which had a lawn at same level(height) as road, and then made a simulated "ditch drive" by releasing steering wheel. Road had lines and car had locked onto lines. Still, no warning, nothing, car just drove off the road... 

 

On 3/26/2021 at 11:24 AM, FROSTYBALLS said:

At the end of the day if you dislike the car that much, change it for something else. No amount of member comments on here will substantially alter your opinion. It is what it is.

True, and I will.

Hopefully someone thinking about getting a T27 will read my review and not make same mistake.

 

 

[christopher40312]

On 3/26/2021 at 9:55 AM, Catlover said:

Roy, you listed 16(at least) reasons why you don’t like the car. I haven’t time to go through one by one even though I would like to.
However, you bought an estate car, which are usually used for carrying goods. Driven unloaded I would expect the ride would be firmer then say a hatch or saloon.                    
You say you cannot get the seat to be comfortable position. I bought a Hyundai i30, once covered 25 miles my right thigh was paining, so much that I had to sell after 6 months to a Qashqai, now Toyota Prius which is low to the ground like the i30, but never had the thigh problem. But I don’t knock the i30, still hold it as a good car, just not for me.                              
Cruise control, yes mine requires more then a few movements to use it fully, they are hand strokes you get to use without thinking. I now use cruise control more then ever, love it and wouldn’t like being without it.                Road noise, depends a lot on what type of road surface the council has put down, plus the characteristics of the tyre itself which is due to its manufacturer. Tyres do have a rating for quietness, economy, wet weather road holding.                                  
Media display too bright. Have you checked the menus to see if you can dim it.....I would be surprised if you cannot.                      
No where to put your right foot when cruise control set.  I don’t want my right foot to bee too far away from the pedals, if I need to I want to be able to accelerate quickly, or conversely, get to the foot brake quickly. Both those actions override the c/control. YOU must always be in control of the vehicle.        
And finally....... what are you doing driving into ditches???

Why belittle anothers opinion? Especially when uve never experienced the vehicle. Hope it made u feel taller!

[Heidfirst]

Tbh, I have only just read this as it has been raised from the dead ...

As an owner of a 2017 Avensis since it had 27 miles on the odo i don't really recognise the op's description. I am going to suggest user/settings error or something genuinely wrong with his car. Whilst mine has lane departure warning & road sign assist it doesn't have lane assist.

You can turn off lots of things & their attendant beeps..

 

 

[avensis_2018]

4 or 5 thigs are about cruse control, 1 or 2 about automatic stop of auto fixing starring wheel, noise ok you right i did a project to make it dead noise...not easy, multimedia bad Speakers bad, that's right and need to change them. 

• Auto high beam 
• Road sign recognition is cool - but why isn't it used for something, like setting max. cruise control speed?
• Lane assist

the avensis its kind of car that you learn  appreciate with time pass by... its simple, no electricity battery's  no turbo, most reliable engine of toyota + gearbox. all what you wrote make the car more and more non-reliable. you pay for it in the garage after.

but, its not for you if you are spoiled and love gadgets, more for the 80' of us move from corolla to avensis will be big wow!!! ... that's why you should sell it and buy audi or volvo, you will find there what you are looking for, but ... there is always but remember that!

 

[Willss]

I read the initial comments when they were written awhile back but showed restraint as there is no point in arguing with an opinion as who is to say who is right or wrong!  But now time has passed...... I've owned a 2017 1.8 manual from new and have done 80k+ miles in it on a mix of roads.  Will write a proper review of it one day as there are limited sources of these. 

However as per previous 2 comments I'd suggest it's a great car - dependent on your expectations.  It is remarkably fuel efficient (for its size and being non hybrid) 45mpg rural driving and if sat at 60-65mph on dual carriageways up to 55+mpg, it's comfortable, it's spacious, it's reliable, it has no turbo and limited technology.  Yes it's not very exciting but it is a great work horse and I enjoy being in it (did 1800 miles up to Scotland and back fully loaded for holiday earlier this month and it was joy to drive).  The front camera sometimes shouts that I'm about to crash when I'm not and I turned the lane warning off but other than that the technology is unobtrusive.

I keep contemplating changing it but when you get back in it you think why should I there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and it should just keep going! 

[avensis_2018]

About the camera try to clean the windshield, the sensors are on the front middle up of the windshield. Enjoy.

[Willss]

5 hours ago, avensis_2018 said:

About the camera try to clean the windshield, the sensors are on the front middle up of the windshield. Enjoy.

My screen is clean and I only have problems when I'm going round right hand bends and there are cars parked on the left. It assumes I'm not going to turn to avoid them and goes off. Also if I go down steep dips it shouts at me presumably thinking I'm going to hit the wall (rising road) which is in front!

Never had it actually brake and got used to the places locally where it does it!

[Heidfirst]

17 hours ago, Willss said:

I keep contemplating changing it but when you get back in it you think why should I there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and it should just keep going! 

I very much know this feeling ... !