T180 Reviews Are Starting To Come Out

[OldSkoO1]

Autocar and Autoexpress both have them already - both 3 out of 5

One this is for sure the T180 is getting similar reviews to the basic Auris despite its engine, improved handling and all its kit. It gets criticised for its appearance both interior and exterior.

I can understand why too. Its pitched against the Type-R / GTI / Focus ST and VXR let alone the vRS and TR hot hatches. Its going to loose out because it isn't a petrol revving red-lining hot hatch with a body kit to suit but its priced similar.

It gets stick because it is quite expensive but really it is loaded with everythign other than leather, it has great handling and i personally love the engine. It is as fast as the petrol hot hatches but only when moving which is what really matters - its more comfortable too.

Really tho its out on its todd, there Seat Leon has a fast diesel, so does the golf 170 tdi but they aren't criticised because both manufacturers have sport petrol hot hatches to take all the heat, toyota should release a TTE version. However for someone like me the T180 fits in very nicely, lots of power similar performace when going yet still cheaper to fuel than a petrol hot hatch on my long daily commutes. Thats a very easy trade off.

[Fizz]

well hello again... :P

[OldSkoO1]

hey fizz :D

I'm spreading the seed :) I'm so close to buying a T180 - really want to hear others opinions - value them more than the critics because i can completely discount some cars on a personal taste and requirements basis.

:D

[chatman]

hey fizz :D

I'm spreading the seed :) I'm so close to buying a T180 - really want to hear others opinions - value them more than the critics because i can completely discount some cars on a personal taste and requirements basis.

:D

Some of the RAV4 T180 owners are having issues with the EGR valves..... might want to mosey over into the RAV forum....I'm still on the fence over it's looks....

[GreyRacer]

I collect my silver five door T180 at 09:30 on Sat. Need the extra doors now over the T-Sport. Only option I went for is the rear spoiler. This weekend will do a couple hundred slow miles in the Borders, then wife will commute Mon-Thurs before I set of for Newbury Fri morning back early hours Monday morning. That alone will cover 900 miles, about 750 on M-ways so by Tues 24th. we should have covered 1400 miles of all roads. Let you know how I feel after. Will run it in nicely so no maxing till after 14K-15K. 80MPH on the Ms down south and back is going to put me to sleep. Be my first time on the M6Toll.

Be sorry to put my T-Sport in. Will miss the DarkSide of 6,200. 44,000 miles covered in 2.5 years and not a foot out of step. It was my second as well, so all in all that's five years of high lift. No wonder I'm deaf.

And just out of interest, having kept a reasonably close check on my fuel cons with the second one, the car averaged 28mpg for the 44k or £5657, of petrol and three full sets of tyres and I'm a private motorist.

[OldSkoO1]

Please post a pic if you can :) - i'm torn between silver and black, intially wanted a change from silver but i think a silver one with privacy glass and a spoiler would look nice - and keep clean better.

Did you drive the T180 before you bought it?

[GreyRacer]

Please post a pic if you can :) - i'm torn between silver and black, intially wanted a change from silver but i think a silver one with privacy glass and a spoiler would look nice - and keep clean better.

Did you drive the T180 before you bought it?

Yes, several times. My wife and my son (28) also test drove one. My wife has never been keen on our T-Sport lift and noise and has found the mid range power of the T180 more to her liking. My son was just gobsmakked at what a modern diesel can achieve. I'll try and host the pictures on my Webpage by Monday.

[OldSkoO1]

Brilliant thanks - hope you enjoy it! :D it should run in nice - lexus 220d owners say once the engine is run it its much better.

On the go that T180 should be faster than your t-sport - the one i drove certainly had bags of power and at low revs felt like the compressor, if you can get the gearing correct it can gives as much thrill too. Compressor is very linear in power delivery like the t180 but T180 more practical car, the cts lift has more characteristics of a VW diesel injection system. T180 bit of a license looser though - i think more usable power than say a type-r, by the time its vtec punches out its full power you are already going too fast.

Britain and fast cars dont mix.

[bhinderharminder]

Brilliant thanks - hope you enjoy it! :D it should run in nice - lexus 220d owners say once the engine is run it its much better.

On the go that T180 should be faster than your t-sport - the one i drove certainly had bags of power and at low revs felt like the compressor, if you can get the gearing correct it can gives as much thrill too. Compressor is very linear in power delivery like the t180 but T180 more practical car, the cts lift has more characteristics of a VW diesel injection system. T180 bit of a license looser though - i think more usable power than say a type-r, by the time its vtec punches out its full power you are already going too fast.

Britain and fast cars dont mix.

i test drove a 2.0d4d and it had no power around 1000/2000-rmp, is the T180 the same?

[OldSkoO1]

Starting off in 2nd gear in the T180 is roughly the same as starting off in 1st gear in the 2.0d. At 1.8k rpm you can physically feel a mountain of torque and power waiting to be unleashed and it just keeps going till 4.5k rpm - drive one warmed up and you'll feel the car wanting to "go" at 2k rpm.

That should give you some insight into the extra power the t180 has

..... technically i was reading up on the d-cat engine and i think the extra shift is due to extra pressure injection based on 2nd gen common rail fuel injection. Also its a similar concept to the heavyweight BMW diesels, the time between pre-injection and the main injection is incredibly short therefore you get more shove low down. The T180 has little or no turbo lag - much much better than the lull on the 2.0d; much quieter engine too.

[OldSkoO1]

My 2nd review of the T180

Just had another test drive in the T180 - can't really fault it with anything. Sat in the back this time, bags of room and it has rear reclining seats. Boot is actually bigger than i thought and i can comment on ride comfort better now. Better than the corolla, feels much smoother but that could be the rear multilink suspension the T180 has.

Engine wise, i can see exactly where the reviews are coming from really. Its the complete opposite to a petrol hot hatch. Being diesel you dont get that revving petrol thrill you'll get from say a GTI from a stand still (only). Instead it really is just like driving a fast (very fast diesel). It wont set you on fire with its performance from a stand still like a GTI would. But i will counter that statement. You never burn off from a standstill, its rather silly and only boyracers do it. However, once going the T180 is phenomenally fast.

I safely recorded some times with help on an old tarmac strip nearby.

30-50mph (3rd) - 3.5secs (maybe a little generous)

50-75mph (4th) - 6 secs (Toyota claims 8.4secs, so don't know how i managed this)

In gear performance is blazing and the torque is very plentiful. However i did struggle from a standstill. I'm new to diesel's and i couldn't get a decent gear change between 1st and 2nd and 0-60 was the claimed 8secs. I only tried twice because its a pointless measurement but highlights its not your typical petrol hothatch because its difficult to do from standstill which is probably why the magazines see its not really a hot competitor. However once moving its easily as fast.

Braking seemed very good (thanks to the larger blocks) so very pleased overall. Unfortunately it has been grouped with the hot hatches and it isn't a true, true hot hatch but once going its easily as fast, easily as much fun, very safe, more comfortable, will cruise 10x better on the motorway than a loud hard hot hatch drive (the compressor was awful on the motorway), should be extremely reliable, cheap to run and best of all it will give you 45mpg! Oh and the T180 has a very quiet engine for a diesel, better engine too than the Audi sportback 140ps i drove last weekend.

[MattyD]

Hi All

The Auris T180 is a great car in its own right, the only trouble with the car is that it is being compared to hot hatches. its not really a hot hatch to be honest. its more of a long distance tourer. the engine itself is great too, you really do get pushed back into your seat when it hits about 2000 to 2500 rpm. the independant springs on the back also give it brilliant handling around bends tho it can sometimes feel like its rolling a bit.

and to the bad stuff, its pricey for what it is, which is why its being compared to the Golf GTi, Civic Type R and Megane 225. hopefuly when its being around a bit the price will be dropped a few hundred quid at least to make it more competative. the only other major problem is the styling. the Auris is a good looking car on its own but for a sports model, its pretty bad that a spoiler is only an option, there is nothing to set it apat from the rest of the Auris range, save some big wheels and dark headlight surrounds.

overall the Auris T180 is a great car and very solidly built. if you want a high performance diesel, you cant get better!

[OldSkoO1]

Bit annoying - Top Gear writing about the latest hot hatch for Renault - the Megane DIESEL!! Saying it is faster 50-75 than its petrol equivalent. Theres no surprise. Quite a few sub 8 second (0-60) diesels are quicker than (6 - 7sec) petrol hot hatches in gear.

What strikes me is its classification as a hot hatch, the T180 gets relegated to the warm hatch league yet its faster and has more torque than Renaults latest offering; despite v.fast operating performance. I've driven a load of cars now and the T180 is quicker than all the others (all VAG units at least). I reckon performance wise there would be little in it between the T180 and the compressor and i've driven both a lot.

http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/1761/

I agree Matty - driving it, its not a screaming petrol free revving car with dynamic extra sporty styling. If you want a diesel with sporty styling and a better exhaust note the leon FR TDI 170ps is a very nice car. However the T180 is easily much quicker than the Leon and it as quick as a hot hatch if not quicker!

[GreyRacer]

Bit annoying - Top Gear writing about the latest hot hatch for Renault - the Megane DIESEL!! Saying it is faster 50-75 than its petrol equivalent. Theres no surprise. Quite a few sub 8 second (0-60) diesels are quicker than (6 - 7sec) petrol hot hatches in gear.

What strikes me is its classification as a hot hatch, the T180 gets relegated to the warm hatch league yet its faster and has more torque than Renaults latest offering; despite v.fast operating performance. I've driven a load of cars now and the T180 is quicker than all the others (all VAG units at least). I reckon performance wise there would be little in it between the T180 and the compressor and i've driven both a lot.

http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/1761/

All that French tin will see is my rear T180 badging

[OldSkoO1]

:D :P lol thats true! the "french tin" :) will probably torque steer itself into a lampost before it can get its power down; and thats with less torque than the t180