Tell me about the Auris Touring Sports please

[Guest]

Hello Auris Club,

I'm the proud owner of a 2009 Auris TR (VVTI 1.3 with 6-speed) and, maybe unfortunately, someone shared a site with me where it uses AI on the car's MOT data to predict how many years a car's got left in it! Well the predictor site, https://autopredict.co.uk/ says my poor little car is probably on its last legs so I have started a succession plan.

I'm researching all kinds of Japanese cars I can get at a good price on auction and then ship here for UK modification and registering. The best fitting candidates for import are the Lexus CT 200h, the Japanese Auris hybrid with chassis ID ZWE186H, and the sort of weird Toyota Sai or Lexus HS 250h. Meanwhile, another excellent fit for my requirements is the Auris Touring Sports, for example this model which has leather seats and cruise control: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208138758401 Interestingly, the Touring Sports doesn't seem to have been sold in Japan (or I can't find it by its alternate names).

And in case anybody is curious, my requirements are car size (as I like fitting in the UK parking spaces), better fuel economy, optionally more storage space, and finally, cruise control and leather seats - two things I sorely miss in my 2009 TR.

• Lexus CT 200h - primary advantage is cost over the identical UK car. Con is I don't get a large boot. I would have to install a fog light, for which of course the lens is readily available here.
• Japanese Auris - fog lamp lens probably available from the equivalent UK model... lower cost from Japan. Maybe more troublesome to service in the UK though?
• Toyota Sai or Lexus SH 250h - greater boot space, but the rear fog light doesn't even seem to be an option on those cars, so a lens housing won't exist and I would have to install an ugly bolt-on lamp somehow. I might also have to apply for an individual car type certificate with the DVLA. If all of that pays off well, then I'd be left with the dicey prospect of getting the weird car serviced. Maybe it's easy, maybe nigh impossible...
• UK Auris Hybrid Touring Sports - looks like an excellent option to tick all my boxes. More boot space, better consumption, upgraded creature comforts from my 2009. Only problem here is I think the purchase cost is a little high. And I haven't been able to find an equivalent car available on the Japanese auction market. Can anybody speak to that?

My closing questions:

Q1: Does anybody know, how does the Auris Hybrid Touring Sports differ from the Corolla Hybrid Touring Sports? 

Q2: Does anyone know what might be the model code of the equivalent car on the jp market? (Corolla Estate maybe??)

Q3: How do you like the Hybrid Touring Sports as an owner? Anything in particular I should watch out for in the test drive? I'm looking for a roughly 30K miles car.

Thank you for reading this far. I can appreciate I've asked 1000 questions; if you can answer just one I'd appreciate it.

[Guest]

If you're curious to know how the Japanese auction process works, I set a budget perhaps 1M yen which is about £6K. For that I can buy a used car like:

• Good condition 2011 Lexus LS 600h AWD saloon (100K kms / 60K miles)
• Excellent condition 2014 Camry Hybrid with leather seats (50K kms / 30K miles)

Next step, pay a handling agent a 17% uplift for their translation and bidding; and about £1600 for shipping to a UK port.

Next step is months later when the car arrives. I pay 30% tax on that shipped cost £8620 + 30% = £11206. And then fit a rear fog light, and any further repairs to pass an MOT, I estimate £1000 but of course I could get burned worse, or get lucky.

But for the cost of £12K I now have a great car that's selling on eBay for £17K - £22K, with a full Japanese service history and a condition report that's comprehensively, well, Japanese.

I'm aware a buyer can get burned by the auction intermediary... would be interested if anybody has guidance on that aspect.

[FROSTYBALLS]

23 minutes ago, Douglasheld said:

• UK Auris Hybrid Touring Sports - looks like an excellent option to tick all my boxes. And I haven't been able to find an equivalent car available on the Japanese auction market. Can anybody speak to that?

The Auris Touring Sport was specifically designed for the European market, and wasn't sold new outside Europe.

As regards the JDM equivalent, that would probably be the Corolla Fielder.

[Saxmaniac]

If you're simply replacing ut because of some AI prediction, you might be better to make a decision based on the condition of your individual car. You may of course simply want a newer car anyway, the Auris TS is great though you might want to test drive a hybrid to be sure you like how they drive. Others can comment on the Corolla which is an update on the Auris 

[FROSTYBALLS]

30 minutes ago, Saxmaniac said:

Others can comment on the Corolla which is an update on the Auris 

Completely new model compared to the Auris (type approval of which dates back to 2007). Physically larger. TNGA platform. Longer wheelbase in both hatchback and touring sport/saloon forms. 2.0 hybrid system option, etc.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

TNGA platform.... 2.0 hybrid system option

What is TNGA? And what is 2.0 hybrid? If I want it, how would identify whether that's what I'm looking at? Etc.

[FROSTYBALLS]

TNGA - Toyota New Global Architecture which is a modular platform that Toyota can use across models. First introduced with the 4th generation Prius, and subsequently used for the C-HR, Corolla Corolla Cross, and Rav4. The current Yaris, Yaris Cross, and Aygo X use a smaller version.

2.0 hybrid - uses a new 2.0 engine and hybrid system. Used in the 2019 Corolla and later versions of the C-HR, as well as the older 1.8 hybrid system.

[Saxmaniac]

The new Corolla 2.0 will have more performance, the 1.8 more economy. It apparently has sharper handling and steering and reliability is rock solid, (I'm not speaking first hand here, when I bought Auris TS I went for the outgoing model as a bit cautious about buying the first of a brand new model, but I was probably wrong! Absolutely nothing wrong with Auris though)

[TonyHSD]

I like that prediction site, just had  run my member plate and it shows expected life 2-3 years , lol more than I was hoping for.

Thanks for sharing  👌😊

[AisinW]

On 8/27/2022 at 6:43 PM, Douglasheld said:

What is TNGA? And what is 2.0 hybrid? If I want it, how would identify whether that's what I'm looking at? Etc.

It depends on your budget. Auris Touring Sport is station wagon version of Auris 2013-2018, with 3rd gen Hybrid.  It uses very similar suspension setup like CT200h with independent rear suspension. The 2019 Corolla TS use 4th gen Hybrid like Prius 2016 and improved TNGA platform. 

Auris 0.28 has better drag coefficient than Corolla 0.30. The 2023 2.0L is 189 HP, and the updated 1.8L is 134 HP, 1.7s quicker than the previous year 1.8L hybrid and use Lithium Battery. Auris and 2.0L corolla use NiMh Battery. 

I recommend Auris 2015 or newer with Safety Sense (sign recognition, accident Avoidance) or better build Corolla.  Toyota updated piston and piston rings on 2ZR-FXE 1.8L engines.