TOYOTA has introduced an estate version to its popular Auris line-up for the first time in the shape of the new Touring Sports model.
It is also the first model in its class to offer the choice of a full hybrid powertrain.
And as the hybrid battery is located beneath the rear seats, there is no compromise in the size of the load space or its luggage capacity.
Built exclusively at Toyota’s Burnaston factory in Derbyshire, the Auris Touring Sports has the same 2,600mm wheelbase and 10.4 metre turning circle as its sister hatchback, but is 285mm longer overall – all dedicated to the extended loadspace.
With the rear seats in place the load area is 1,115mm long and 1,452mm wide, giving a capacity of 530 litres, an amount that increases to 1,658 litres with the rear seats folded.
Useful features like a one-touch Easy-Flat folding rear seat system, a dual-level loadspace floor and a two-way tonneau cover - standard on Icon, Sport and Excel grades – add to the car’s appeal.
And a roller-type luggage net, shopping bag hooks, aluminium roof rails and a 12V power outlet in the boot, are also part of the deal.
As for styling, the low-slung Tourer shares the same front end treatment as the Auris hatchback, with a deeply raked windscreen, which flows into an extended roofline with aluminium roof rails and an integral rear spoiler. Some versions will also be available with a Skyview panoramic roof.
The engine line-up comprises 1.33 and 1.6-litre petrol units, the 1.4-litre D-4D diesel and the full hybrid – a first in the family/compact estate car market.
The latter’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system features a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, giving a maximum power output of 134bhp, enabling 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 112mph. CO2 emissions are a class-leading 86g/km.
Full specification and pricing has yet to be released.
