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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