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Interior Design

Avensis's cabin is already notable for its comfort, roominess and practicality. Now it benefits from higher perceived quality across the range, with upgraded upholstery offered in new colors, and the introduction of Toyota Touch and Go Plus, the most advanced yet affordable touch-screen satellite navigation system in the D-segment.

The appearance and feel of the entire dashboard have been improved. The centre console has been redesigned to improve the layout and operability of the switchgear. The central air vents have also be re-shaped and share the same new metal paint finish of the centre console, and the side vents gain a chrome trim.

The tactile quality of frequently handled parts such as the door grips, switchgear and front console all gain higher quality trim. The instrument dial backlighting has been changed for amber to white, and leather has been introduced to cover the rear console box lid.

The front seatbacks have been redesigned to offer better lateral support and comfort, and the upholstery has been upgraded across the range, with new colors available, too.

New Avensis benefits from Toyota's range of affordable, touch-screen multimedia equipment: Toyota Touch, and the Toyota Touch and Go and Toyota Touch and Go Plus navigation systems.

Toyota Touch and Go Plus

Making its world debut in new Avensis, Touch and Go Plus adds numerous, additional advanced technology features to Toyota's touch-screen multimedia system.

It features advanced voice recognition for navigation address input, one-shot destination entry, music search and play, and phone contact search and call. It also incorporates email send and receive, a text-to-speech message readout facility, a calendar and, through a Gracenote database, a 'Play More Like This' music function.

Enhanced satellite navigation mapping incorporates 3D city modelling and landmarks, and an additional Traffic Patterns database showing the average speed on road sections of a programmed route, according to the time, day and month. The system includes three years' free map and software updating.

Improved 2.0 D-4D Engine

The 124 hp 2.0 liter D-4D turbodiesel engine has been extensively revised, with the introduction of a new turbocharger, extensive combustion chamber modifications and improved glow control. As a result, torque delivery is more linear, fuel efficiency has improved and CO2 emissions have been reduced by about 15 per cent - from 139 to 119 g/km - in both saloon and tourer models.

This marked reduction in CO2 emissions has significant total ownership cost implications. A taxation threshold of 120 g/km is established in almost a third of all European countries, and the revised 2.0 D-4D unit's 119 g/km CO2 figure will thus deliver tax benefits for both private and fleet drivers.

In addition to the revised 124 hp 2.0 D-4D, the new Avensis' powertrain range further comprises a 148 hp, 2.2 D-4D unit available with either a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) or a Diesel Particulate and NOX Reduction filter (DPNR); a 145 hp 1.8-liter Valvematic petrol engine is also available.

All engines are matched to six-speed manual transmissions. The 148 hp 2.2 D-4D DPNR unit may be optionally equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, and both 1.8 and 2.0-liter petrol engines may be fitted with Toyota's Multidrive S continuously variable transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifts.

New Avensis retains the proven front MacPherson strut and rear double wishbone suspension layout of its predecessor, but improvements to the platform, chassis and powertrains deliver greater ride comfort and handling agility.

Driver Assistance Systems

New Avensis shares the world-class safety performance of the previous generation model, which was awarded a maximum, five-star rating in the 2009 Euro NCAP crash test program.

Toyota is committed to achieving the highest levels of active, passive and pedestrian impact safety, and took the lead in the development of advanced safety technologies such as pre-crash safety, lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance systems.

Advanced Pre-Crash Safety System

An Advanced Pre-Crash Safety (PCS) system is available as an option on new Avensis (according to grade). It uses a millimetre-wave radar sensor to scan the road ahead, recognising potential hazards and assisting the driver in reducing the chances of a collision.

If there is a high possibility of a collision, PCS will alert the driver and, when he or she begins to brake, provide braking assistance to supplement the braking effort, simultaneously activating the seatbelt pretensioners. If the driver does not brake and a collision is inevitable, the system will automatically apply the brakes to reduce impact speed.

Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) works in tandem with the PCS system. It will automatically maintain a selected distance from the vehicle in front. Once the road ahead is clear, the vehicle automatically returns to its original cruising speed.

Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist

PCS is further complimented by Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) systems.

Using digital camera technology mounted behind the rear-view mirror, these systems can help to prevent unintended lane changes by first giving an audible and visual warning and then applying corrective steering torque to help the driver remain within a chosen lane.

Additional Active Safety Systems

All new Avensis versions are fitted, as standard, with ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TRC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC+).

Adaptive Front Lighting

New Avensis models equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps are fitted with an Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS). Calculating where the vehicle will be in three seconds' time according to steering operation and vehicle speed, the system swivels the low beam projector headlamps in response to steering input, helping to light up a bend as the driver steers into it.

AFS is also equipped with a dynamic leveling function, which automatically maintains a constant beam height. The combination of these two functions achieves optimum light distribution in all driving conditions.

Toyota Avensis: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications