TOYOTA Auris Hybrid Review

Nonetheless, such cars are meant to arouse your eco senses. Well, here’s something to tell a Prius owner at the traffic light: official figures place the Auris Hybrid a bit ahead (7-8%) of its more famous relative.

For instance, Toyota claims 3.8 l/100 km (62 mpg) inside the city, while the Prius comes with an official figure of 4 liters (59 mpg) flat. Well, our Auris Hybrid test car averaged about 4.5 liters / 100 km (52 mpg) but the best “session” saw the display showing 3.6 l/100 km (65 mpg). We feel the sweating scooter rider next to us starting to get annoyed.

Of course, this requires a bit of a switch in the driving style. The car comes to help with a “B” mode for the eCVT, which is its way of saying “engine braking”.

While green-keen drivers will update their reflexes pretty quick, the eco driving style can be fun even for the more... ahem... throttle-happy guys. All the light pedal play is a bit like planning your racing line in a low-HP kart.

Outside the city, both models come with a figure of 3.8 liters per 100 km (62 mpg). Providing that you stick to the speed limits, your average will stay below 6 l/100 km (39 mpg).

Oh, by the way, the all-important CO2 emissions sits at 85 grams per km. An excellent value for saving some money on taxes while not feeling too guilty about contributing to global warming.

Out on the open road, the Auris proves it has what it takes to sustain trips up to a medium length. The compact hybrid feels decently stable and quiet for such uses. The ease of use we mentioned above is maintained. The only thing limiting a full family experience is the luggage capacity, the rest of the car is just fine with your loved ones.

This may not seem like such a big deal, but it’s not like you have much else to pay attention to. The experience is voided of any connection. This car does what it has to do, leaving you to mind your own in the process.