Toyota Avensis Review (2003 to date)

Quick Summary

The Toyota Avensis was transformed in 2003. If you want a rugged, well built and beautifully specified used mid range model, the Avensis takes some beating. It may not be the most charismatic car in its class but it might just be the most solid.

Overall:

Models Covered:(4dr saloon 5dr hatchback / estate 1.8, 2.0, 2.4 petrol, 2.0 diesel [T2, T3, T3-X, T3-S, T4, T Spirit, T180])

SO SOLID DEBUT

Few cars have transmogrified in quite such a dramatic fashion as the Toyota Avensis. Once a rather lightweight and compact medium sized Mondeo challenger, the 2003 edition saw the Avensis undergoing a fundamental reappraisal of its place in the overall scheme of things. No longer was the car content to do battle with off the pace rivals like the Rover 45 and the Mazda 626. Now it was taking aim at the best cars in the class – models like the Ford Mondeo and the Honda Accord. With saloon, hatchback and Tourer models to choose from and an impeccable record for reliability, the 2003-onwards version of Toyota's Avensis is as close to a risk-free used bet as it's possible to get.
Used Toyota Avensis for sale

History of the Avensis

Toyota were faced with a dilemma when developing the 2003 Avensis. The market for mainstream medium range family saloons and hatches was shrinking fast with customers increasingly likely to downsize to a smaller hatch or try to preserve their investment by plumping for something with a prestige badge. Should the company make the Avensis a cheap and cheerful car that followed its predecessor's lightweight, low complexity approach or else make a serious commitment to moving upmarket with all the costs that entailed? Toyota took the gamble and pitched the Avensis at the quality end of the medium range market, covering their bets with a broad range that included a hatch, a saloon and a Tourer estate with a range of decent 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines. In November 2003, Toyota expanded the range with a clean D-CAT diesel engined version that used a revolutionary catalyst system to lower emissions still further. This initially sold alongside the less high-tech D4-D diesel engine that had been introduced to the range a few months earlier. A flagship 2.4-litre petrol model also joined the range at the end of 2003 and in early 2005 we saw a 148bhp 2.2-litre D4-D diesel introduced.The 2006 facelift brought a variety of changes to the Avensis although the styling remained fairly nondescript. Ride and handling issues were addressed through revised suspension and steering settings while D4-D 130 and D4-D 180 diesels were also introduced.
Used Toyota Avensis for sale

Toyota Avensis Road Test

Better sound insulation has reduced weight and decreased noise, but to give some illustration as to how seriously Toyota took refinement, they didn't choose the most refined car in the class – let's say the Vauxhall Vectra – as a comparison when developing the post-2003 Avensis. Instead they chose the Lexus LS400 as a benchmark and claim that even at 124mph, there is zero wind noise from the door mirrors. The Mondeo and the Peugeot 406 were identified as class leaders in the area of steering feel, handling and ride and Toyota have tuned the steering for better feedback. The compact strut front suspension is similar to that of the Corolla, but the rear is a modified version of the Celica's multilink system. One advantage of this is that it reduces intrusion into the luggage bay, the saloon version featuring a 520-litre boot.The 1.8-litre saloon will sprint to 60mph in 10.1 seconds and return 39.2mpg, making it quicker, more powerful and more economical than equivalent 1.8-litre variants of the Mazda6, the Renault Laguna, the Ford Mondeo and the Vauxhall Vectra. Unlike the D4-D range, the Avensis D-CAT range is only offered in saloon guise; liftback and Tourer buyers will have to kick their heels for a while. Only one variant of this diesel engine is currently offered, a 114bhp powerplant that delivers a decent slug of torque – 280Nm to be precise. Performance is reasonable, the Avensis hitting 60mph in 11.2 seconds and running on to a top speed of 121mph, but this car isn't all about straight line speed, instead offering a relaxed and flexible power delivery that means you won't have to frantically stir the stick whenever you need to make progress
Used Toyota Avensis for sale

Buying a Toyota Avensis

The Avensis has forged a reputation for monotonous reliability and while drivers of old Corollas may well have hoped in vain for a broken timing chain or an electrical fire to interrupt the car's clockwork tedium, there's no such issue with this version. As long as the service records have been properly adhered to, it's difficult to imagine a more trouble-free car in its class – a testament to both Toyota and the British workers. A 1.8-litre long term car we ran performed virtually faultlessly during a six month spell, the only minor complaint being a slight rattle from the rear tailgate.
Used Toyota Avensis for sale

Toyota Avensis Typical Pricing

Prices start at around £6,000 for the first of the 1.8-litre hatchback models with 2.0-litre versions commanding £7,125. Tourers start at £7,000 for a 1.8 T3 on an 03. The pick of the range has to be diesels. The 2.0-litre D-4D starts from £8,375 on 03 plates and goes up to around £8,950 for a 55-plate model.
Used Toyota Avensis for sale

Toyota Avensis Parts

(approx based on a 1.8 five-door T3) Although pitched a little above what you'd expect to fork out for Vauxhall or Ford spares, Toyota's parts pricing policy has come under the microscope of late with the result that many prices have been frozen or reduced. A clutch assembly will cost in the region of £160, whilst an exhaust is around £350. A new starter motor retails for around £175, although a replacement headlamp will be in the region of £220. Repair costs have been kept down with a consequent effect on insurance premiums.
Used Toyota Avensis for sale