At the ongoing Geneva Motor show Toyota has revealed the new Auris. The new-gen hatchback will be available with a choice of petrol hybrid engines, but it will have no diesel options. Speaking at the launch, Johan Van Zyl, boss of Toyota Motor Europe said that the decision to remove the diesel version was based on consumer demand, noting that 41 percent of Toyota’s European sales in 2017 were hybrid models.
The new Auris will be offered with three engine choices. The only standard option is a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor producing 116hp, while the other two are hybrid motors – the 123hp, 1.8-litre motor currently used in the C-HR and Prius, and a new 2.0-litre engine that makes 180hp.
Speaking about the decision to detach the diesel engines from its passenger cars in Europe, Van Zyl said, “Customer demand is a clear sign that our petrol-electric hybrids are a strong and popular alternative.”
The new Auris is underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. Van Zyl said, “TNGA gives the car rigidity and a low centre of gravity. These are the qualities you need for outstanding comfort, handling and driving pleasure.”
The hatchback is 4,370mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,435mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,640mm. The new measures makes it 40mm longer and 30mm wider than the outgoing hatch, but makes it 25mm lower, then the outgoing model.
The new front of the hatch features a grille that Toyota says is shaped like a catamaran hull, and it also features new LED headlights and daytime running LEDs (DRLs). At the back, the rear windscreen gets an increase in rake and a roof spoiler that is standard on all trims.
The new-gen Auris will be built at Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, UK. Last year, Toyota invested £240 million to prepare the plant for the transition to the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform.
The new Auris may also share a bunch of its characteristics and features with the upcoming Corolla ( Toyota’s luxury sedan) that will also be sold in that market.
