Avensis dethrones Corolla as car of the year

For the first time in many years, Toyota Corolla has lost its coveted crown as Nigeria’s Car of the Year to another Toyota model, the Avensis.

This is the verdict of a team of assessors of Nigeria’s automobile products and personalities under the aegis of GMC, the organisers of the annual NAJ.

The Corolla has won the same award back to back for about three years, which also followed a global trend, on its account of popularity, fuel economy and ease of maintenance.

The team said, after a painstaking evaluation of the vehicles and individuals that ruled the nation’s auto space in 2013, it settled for the Avensis as the car of the year.

According to the report by organising committee, the 2013 Avensis beats two other contenders, the Honda Accord and Kia Rio, for the prestigious car of the year prize.

It states that the car’s popularity and the exquisite but simple design earned it the award.

The Avensis is a large family car built by the Japanese car maker, Toyota Motor Corporation, since 1997.

Experts see the Avensis saloon as a relatively spacious car that has a well-built interior and a solid choice for drivers who regularly drive long distances and want to do so in comfort.

It is the direct successor to the European Toyota Carina E and is available as a four-door saloon, five-door liftback and estate.

Although it is an extensive revamp of the previous generation Carina E, the only main common parts are the engines, with an all new style of body, reviewers note.

According to the manufacturer, the Avensis has been a sales success for the 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, Volkswagen Passat, Peugeot 508 and Skoda Superb.

Engine

The original Avensis had the option of four engines (1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre turbodiesel) and three body styles (saloon, hatchback and estate).

A summary of the Avensis range available in Nigeria is given by the Toyota Nigeria Limited thus:

“It comes in two leather seats and fabric seats options. Both come with audio screen, seven airbags, bluetooth and dual AC control systems. ,p>“It is a 2.0 litre engine sedan equipped with a six loader CD and control switch on the steering. It uses the push button instead of the conventional ignition system and has two halogen head lamps complimented with two fog lamps. The side mirrors have one indicator light each.”

The 2013 Avensis went on sale globally on April 1st. The British built Avensis has under gone a light make over for 2013, now all models include follow-me home headlights, DAB radio tuners are standard on Icon grades and above.

Depending on the engine, six-speed manual and automatic transmissions and Toyota’s Multidrive S CVT are available.

Its standard equipment comprise follow-me-home headlights, bluetooth, daytime running lights (halogen), leather steering wheel trim, air conditioning, CD player, electric front windows, multi-information display, active front headrests, seven airbags, VSC+ with steering torque assist and Heated door mirrors.

Other details of the Avensis are as follows:

Interior

The car has a soft ride with refined engines that make it perfect for longer journeys. Its cabin is well built and logically laid out. The seats are generally comfy. The back seats fold down easily with some handy one-touch controls and free up 1,320 litres of space. The interior has enough room to comfortably seat four taller adults.

Its big boot and practical interior make it a great choice for families.

Exterior

Its design has faint Lexus styling on the exterior;

As regards its exterior design, the car looks very elegant, vibrant and attractive, so say auto reviewers.

Safety

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.

The Avensis has not had any recalls or problems so far, and every car comes with a comprehensive warranty for peace of mind.

Safety is also high up on the Toyota’s agenda, with the Avensis securing a full five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

For rear collisions, active front headrests designed to help reduce whiplash are standard as well as brake lights that flash under emergency braking.

The car is also equipped with Vehicle Stability Control+ applying torque to the steering wheel to aid the driver in steering.

A Pre-Collision System is optional and includes Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist.

Price

The Avensis with leather seat is offered at N6.1m; while the fabric-seat version is sold for N5.35m.