Toyota Avensis
Encyclopedia
The Toyota Avensis is a large family car
Large family car
A large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...

 built in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 by Japanese carmaker Toyota since 1997. It is the direct successor to the Carina E
Toyota Corona T190
The Toyota Corona T190 was launched in March 1992. The exterior dimensions and engine sizes remained in compliance with Japanese size regulations so as to continue to offer a product for Japanese buyers wanting to reduce their annual tax liability...

 and is available as a four-door saloon, five-door liftback and estate
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...

. A large MPV
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....

 called the Toyota Avensis Verso (Toyota Ipsum
Toyota Ipsum
The Toyota Ipsum, Picnic, SportsVan or Avensis Verso is a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle produced by Japanese automaker Toyota.- First generation :...

 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 and previously the Toyota Picnic
Toyota Ipsum
The Toyota Ipsum, Picnic, SportsVan or Avensis Verso is a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle produced by Japanese automaker Toyota.- First generation :...

 in other markets) is built in Japan on a separate platform. The Avensis is the basis for the youth-oriented Scion tC
Scion tC
The Scion tC is an automobile manufactured and sold by Scion, a division of Toyota. Introduced in the United States in June 2004 and Canada in 2010. The name tC does not fit in with its stablemates the xA, xB, and xD, because the name XC designation has already been used by Volvo for its lineup of...

, which is produced for the US market.

The Toyota Avensis was introduced in 1997, to create a more modern name when compared with the reliable, but dull Toyota Carina E
Toyota Corona
The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"...

/Toyota Corona
Toyota Corona
The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"...

. Like its predecessor the Avensis was reliable, and proved a sales success for Toyota Europe. Over the years, the Toyota Avensis has advanced in size, technology, power, and economy to challenge its worldwide-known rivals, such as the Mazda6, Ford Mondeo
Ford Mondeo
The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...

, Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...

, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia
Opel Insignia
The Opel Insignia is a large family car engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement for the Opel Vectra. Opel launched the vehicle at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London as the Vauxhall Insignia, reflecting the...

, Citroën C5
Citroën C5
The Citroën C5 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since early 2001. The C5 replaced the Citroën Xantia in the large family car class.-First generation :...

 and Peugeot 508
Peugeot 508
The Peugeot 508 is a large family car launched in 2010 by French automaker Peugeot. It replaces the Peugeot 407 as well as the larger Peugeot 607, for which no more direct replacement is scheduled...

.

First generation (1997–2003)

Toyota introduced the Avensis nameplate on its new model, which was launched at the end of 1997. Although an extensive revamp of the previous generation Carina E, the only main common parts were the engines, with an all new style of body. The car was built at the Burnaston factory in Derby. At the same time, production of the five-door Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...

 also started at the British plant.

The original Avensis had the option of four engines (1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...

) and three body styles (saloon, hatchback and estate). The station wagon was essentially the Japanese-market second generation Toyota Caldina
Toyota Caldina
The Toyota Caldina is an automobile manufactured by Toyota for the Japanese market and was released in 1992. It replaced the Toyota Carina Surf....

. All of the range gave solid build quality, excellent reliability, a spacious comfortable interior, generous equipment, smooth ride quality and good refinement, but very little in the way of excitement. A facelift in mid 2000 (which saw the engines fitted with variable valve timing
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...

) made little difference to this, although a sporty Avensis 2.0 L SR with bodykit and tuned suspension did become available.

Engines

  • 1.6-litre 4A-FE 75 kW
  • 1.6-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     3ZZ-FE 81 kW
  • 1.8-litre 7A-FE 81 kW
  • 1.8-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     1ZZ-FE 95 kW
  • 2.0-litre 3S-FE 85 kW
  • 2.0-litre D4 VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     1AZ-FSE 110 kW
  • 2.0-litre TD 2C-TE 66 kW
  • 2.0-litre D-4D 1AD-FTV 81 kW

Avensis Verso

The Avensis Verso large MPV was introduced in 2001, with room for seven occupants and 2.0-litre engines only. The Verso's platform previewed the Avensis second generation. The Avensis Verso won Australia's Best People Mover, where it is simply called Avensis, the other variants unavailable to that market.

Second generation (2003–2008)

The second generation Toyota Avensis (model code T250) was launched in early 2003 in an all-new format; this time it offered more in the way of driver involvement and visual appeal. Like the Toyota Echo and Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...

, it was penned by the company's design studio in France. The 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...

 engines were carried over from the previous Avensis, and the 2.4-litre four-cylinder from the Camry was also added to the range. This was the first Avensis to be exported to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Due to the Camry Wagon ending production, the Avensis Wagon is exported to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, in both 1.8 and 2.0-litre forms. In Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, there were no 1.6 versions available.

In the 2004 European Car of the Year
European Car of the Year
The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto , Autocar , Autopista , Autovisie , L'Automobile Magazine , Stern and Vi Bilägare .The voting jury consists of motoring...

 contest, the Avensis was just edged out by the top three, Fiat Panda
Fiat Panda
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was introduced in 1980, and was produced until 2003 with only a few changes. It is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "New Panda"...

 (Winner), Mazda3 (2nd Place) and the Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...

 (3rd Place).

However it won the 2004 Semperit Irish Car of the Year
Semperit Irish Car of the Year
The Semperit Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978. It is organised and judged by the Irish Motoring Writers Association . It is sponsored by tyre manufactuer Semperit and specifically by their brand - 'Semperit'....

.

What Car?
What Car?
What Car? is a long-running UK monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Fowler and published by Haymarket Motoring. First published in 1973, it is intended primarily as a magazine for consumers rather than dedicated automobile enthusiasts...

 also awarded the Avensis as the "Best Family Car" for 2004 and 2005.

Following the withdrawal of the Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...

 in 2004 (2005 in Switzerland), the Avensis became the largest Toyota saloon sold in Europe.

Trim levels in the UK are the T2, T3-S, T3-X, T4, T Spirit, T180 and the TR. There is also a special edition, based on the T2 called the Colour Collection. In Ireland there were five trim levels - Terra, Aura, Strata, Luna, and Sol.

The original 115 PS (85 kW) D-4D Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

 has been complemented with a 2.2 L D-4D in 136 PS (2AD-FTV) and 177 PS (2AD-FHV) versions. Newer versions have dropped the "D-4D" and "2.0" badging from the front wings and tailgate respectively.

In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, the Avensis is sold as 2.0 Xi, 2.0 Li, and 2.4 Qi. Only the base model 2.0 Xi is offered with 4-wheel drive.

In 2003, the Avensis became the first Japanese vehicle to receive a rating under the Euro NCAP's redone testing, with 34 total points it also became the highest rated vehicle they had tested. The 2003 Avensis also became the first vehicle sold in Europe with a knee airbag.

This is first and only one generation of Avensis sold in Egypt and Morocco, not in Persian Gulf countries.

The Avensis Verso continued to be available alongside the new Avensis until 2006. A replacement to take over from the Avensis Verso, Toyota Previa
Toyota Previa
The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990...

 and Toyota Sienna
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna is a family minivan currently manufactured by Toyota at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Princeton, Indiana, United States for the North American market. It replaced the first-generation Previa van in 1997 with a more conventional front wheel drive layout and shares a heavily...

 has yet to be unveiled, but is rumoured to feature Toyota's 2.2-litre D-4D engine.

The new facelifted Toyota Avensis became available in June 2006. Some changes from the old model are the inclusion of turn signals in the side mirrors, an MP3/WMA/ASL-ready audio system, new front bumper, and a new grille. Interior materials and cloth seats have also been changed for 2006. Its multi display with on-board computer will be integrated in optitron display and is navigation ready. Also added are automatic headlights and a height-adjustable front passenger seat.

The most notable mechanical difference is the addition of a 124 bhp D-4D engine. This, coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox, has lowered fuel consumption, emissions, and gives a quoted 0-60 mph time of 10.5 seconds.

Engines

  • 1.6-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     3ZZ-FE 81 kW
  • 1.8-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     1ZZ-FE 95 kW
  • 2.0-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     1AZ-FSE 110 kW
  • 2.4-litre VVT-i
    VVT-i
    VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota, similar in performance to the BMW's VANOS. The Toyota VVT-i system replaces the Toyota VVT offered starting in 24 December 1991 on the 5-valve per cylinder 4A-GE engine. The...

     2AZ-FSE 120 kW
  • 2.0-litre D-4D 1AD-FTV 93 kW
  • 2.2-litre D-4D 2AD-FTV 110 kW
  • 2.2-litre D-4D 2AD-FHV 132 kW

Third generation (2008–present)

The third generation Toyota Avensis (model code T270) was revealed at the 2008 Paris Motor Show
2008 Paris Motor Show
The 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles , a tectonic shift that led a New York Times blogger to ask, "Who killed the non-electric cars?".-...

, before going on sale in January 2009. Like the previous model it is built at Toyota's Burnaston plant in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

Toyota ED2 initially designed the Avensis giving it a more sleek and athletic stance. Coefficient of Drag (Cd) figures are 0.28 for the sedan and 0.29 for the wagon body. Other design goals were to create the most comfortable suspension in its class while still offering sporty handling. The Avensis continues to use front McPherson struts and rear double wishbones. Unlike previous Avensis models, there is no five-door hatchback in this line-up.

Major options include bi-xenon HID headlamps, Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), and adaptive cruise control.

For safety, seven airbags are standard, including two front row side torso airbags, two side curtain airbags for both rows, and a driver’s knee airbag. For rear collisions, active front headrests designed to help reduce whiplash are standard as well as brake lights that flash under emergency braking. Vehicle Stability Control+ (VSC+)
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...

 applies torque to the steering wheel to aid the driver in steering. A Pre-Collision System (PCS)
Precrash system
A precrash system is an automobile safety system designed to reduce the severity of an accident. Also known as forward collision warning systems they use radar and sometimes laser sensors to detect an imminent crash...

 becomes optional which includes Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
Lane departure warning system
In road-transport terminology, a lane departure warning system is a mechanism designed to warn a driver when the vehicle begins to move out of its lane on freeways and arterial roads. These systems are designed to minimize accidents by addressing the main causes of collisions: driver error,...

.

The Avensis received a five star rating under the latest Euro NCAP ratings scheme with an 81% overall score and a 90% score for adult occupant safety.

The Avensis wagon began being imported again to Japan in mid 2011, with the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine and CVT transmission.

Engines

The Avensis offers three petrol and three diesel engine options. The new engines feature more power and lower CO2 emissions.

The new ZR engines
Toyota ZR engine
The ZR engine family, introduced in 2007 by Toyota Motor Corporation, uses a DOHC 16-valve cylinder head with a 4-cylinder die-cast block. Engines displace either 1.6 liters, 1.8-liters or 2.0-liters. All engines in this family are equipped with Toyota's dual VVT-i technology that optimizes both...

 became the first to introduce Toyota's Valvematic technology. (Correction needed)
  • 1.6-litre 1ZR-FAE 132 hp
  • 1.8-litre 2ZR-FAE 147 hp
  • 2.0-litre 3ZR-FAE 152 hp
  • 2.0-litre D-4D 126 hp
  • 2.2-litre D-4D 150 hp
  • 2.2-litre D-4D 177 hp


All engines are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission while the 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol engines are available with a Multidrive S CVT transmission. The 2.2 litre D-4D 150 hp engine is available with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Motorsports

On 2 August 2010 it was announced the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...

's NGTC prototype car will be built around the Toyota Avensis.

Series organiser TOCA
TOCA
ToCA are the organisers and administrators of the BTCC and the supporting series of the BTCC. The BTCC is the UK's biggest motor racing championship and one of the world's most highly respected motor racing series ....

, which will fully introduce the new low-cost NGTC technical regulations in 2011, said that the Japanese manufacturer would supply a donor car and a new body shell to the programme.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK