When motoring journalists test-drive newly launched vehicles, they are given the cars for seven to 10 days. Usually, the cars are checked before being delivered to each journalist because they sometimes undergo fairly rigorous testing and manufacturers obviously wouldn’t want to deliver a faulty vehicle to a person tasked with evaluating it.
Given the short time frame for the evaluation, the vehicles are rarely put through their paces. As a consequence, the idea of long-term test vehicles originated so journalists could evaluate the vehicles over a period of six months or more to put enough mileage on the vehicles and thereby experience and scrutinise the quality of services, the availability of parts and such.
The Mail & Guardian launches its long-term test section with the Nissan Tiida 1,6-litre hatch (story below) and the Toyota Avensis D4D. The Avensis was a finalist in the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists Car of the Year competition, which was won by the Honda Civic sedan 1,8litre.
In the next six months, the M&G will hopefully put enough mileage on the vehicles to get a better idea of fuel consumption, build quality and services, and update stories will be written every month.
The Avensis, which was launched last year, replaces the Camry as Toyota’s family sedan.
My first impression of the Avensis was that it wasn’t a bad-looking vehicle. For a long time, it seemed as if the Camrys, much like the Cressidas they replaced, were not created with any particular attention being paid to aesthetics, but it’s fairly obvious that a great deal of thought went into the design of the Avensis as Toyota seems to be coming around to the idea that it’s no longer good enough to create cars that are just reliable and capable.
The Avensis somehow manages to hide its girth and it’s only when you’re inside the vehicle that you realise what a spacious family sedan it is. And it’s comfortable to boot.
The leather seats are soft and comfy and the fit and finishings are of the high standard we expect from Toyota.
It has everything you need — from electric windows, MP3 compatible CD player, multi-function steering wheel and loads more.
But it doesn’t have automatically-locking doors and that, for me, is an oversight of note.
I know I’m nit-picking, but that’s my job and, given that we live in one of the most violent countries on Earth and that our leaders are unwilling to do much to ensure the safety of their citizenry, we are tasked with protecting ourselves in whatever ways we can. Yes, we’ve become neurotic about our safety, but that’s just the way we are and we’re unlikely to change anytime soon.
The Avensis isn’t the only vehicle that doesn’t have automatically locking doors — I’ve come across several Japanese manufacturers who don’t see this as an important feature.
But after much scrutiny, that is the only fault I’ve discovered so far and I probably inspected the vehicle more thoroughly than I normally would simply because I settled into it easily and it grew on me very quickly, and this troubled me.
It troubled me because I never saw myself as the kind of person who would feel so at ease in such a huge family car, but I’m obviously growing up and appreciating the finer things in life — even if they’re larger than what I’m used to.
The Avensis, which has six airbags, ABS, EBD and traction control, feels secure on most road surfaces and the overall feel of the car is one of understated luxury.
The first impression it creates is that it’s the kind of car that every member of the family would appreciate, but it’s also the kind of car the person behind the wheel won’t easily get bored with.
Fact file
Model: Toyota Avensis D4D
Price: R268 000
Engine: 2,2-litre turbo diesel
Tech: 110kW, 310Nm
Top speed: 210kph
Tank: 60 litres
Services: 15 000km