Toyota: Auto whiteware at its best

Toyota's Avensis wagon is for the efficient, 'set-and-forget' type of driver. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Like many Toyotas, the Avensis wagon is a tad personality-challenged, so it's easy to overlook its talents.

You get in, pile people and stuff in it, drive home and get on with life. Nothing stands out - it does everything well, and nothing badly. It's automotive whiteware, albeit in the best sense of the term.

This third generation - and the second to arrive here - gets a new platform, with a wider track than before and a new double wishbone rear suspension. New Zealand sees only the Euro-sourced wagon, to supply the load-carrier missing from the Camry and Aurion line-up. In Europe, Avensis is available as a sedan with a range of powerplants - including a diesel, which is being considered for NZ.

We just get the 112kW/196Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine with variable valve timing, and a variable valve lift system to cut emissions and fuel consumption - by 26 per cent for the CVT we tested, says Toyota.

That may be true in terms of test cycles, and Toyota's 7l/100km claim might indeed be achievable. We saw a 9.3 average, found the engine performance over-relaxed even using the seven fixed points on the CVT transmission, and had to tap the sport button to hold the revs on a hilly commute.

It must be said that we weren't doing this to get a sporty drive. As you'll have guessed from the power figures, this is not a sporty car, and although it's controlled enough around bends, its approach is ponderous rather than lively, and definitely biased towards comfort.

As is everything else.

Got guff to carry? The boot will swallow 543 litres with the integrated luggage rails and moveable tie-down points keeping it all under control. Want more? Fold down the seats for a flat load floor and 1609 litres.

That floor is quite high - but under it are five cubbies. Wet wellies, valuable cameras, spare raincoats are easily tucked out of sight. The more we lived with this car, the more we appreciated the thought that had gone into it.

We also appreciated the extensive features list. Stability control is now standard, and includes steering torque assist to counteract yaw in a skid.

There are nine airbags scattered about, and anti-whiplash headrests.

There's park distance control, an array of useful cubbies, and a ski sleeve to the boot. There are steering wheel controls for the audio, cruise, etc - and voice control of Bluetooth, although it's not as intuitive to use as the more extensive set-up in Ford's much cheaper (and far smaller) Fiesta.

Avensis is roomy, well thought out and handsome in an understated way. It's exceptionally easy to live with and yet ... we yearned for passion.

We yearned for just one quirk to help us connect with this car.

If you like set-and-forget motoring, you'll love it. But otherwise this $49,990 Avensis is the MPV of the wagon world.

Efficient, worthy, and almost totally lacking in character.

TOYOTA AVENSIS

We like
Smart, very practical, effortless to live with, generous features list

We don't like
Character-challenged, engine too relaxed for our liking

Powertrain
1987cc in-line four, 112kW at 6200rpm, 196Nm at 4000rpm, seven-speed CVT auto drives front wheels

Performance
0-100km/h not available, 7.0l/100km (claimed)

Safety
ABS, ESP, nine airbags

What it's got
16-inch alloys, climate control air, cruise control, multi-function trip, leather trim and more

Vital stats
4765mm long, 543-1609-litre boot, 60-litre tank