Written on October 25, 2011 – 1:00 pm | by GaryS |

The current model of the Avensis was launched in 2009 and the current price range is from around £18,500 to £27,300 and is fairly upmarket and not too far away from the somewhat more prestigious BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4. The latest Ford Mondeo is somewhere in that mix too. If you are willing to put aside the prestige of the BMW and Audi brands, then the Avensis provides a similar amount of car for a few dollars less.

The looks of the new Avensis are generally more sophisticated than the model it replaced and inside the quality is as high as you might anticipate from a high end Japanese car; it is equally as good as the BMW.

The entry level engine is a 1.6 litre petrol unit which develops 130 bhp and although a little sluggish is very economical with an average fuel consumption of 44 mpg. There are also 1.8 litre and 2.0 litre petrol engines which up the bhp and acceleration a bit, but they remain far from spectacular.

There are some good diesel engines available including a 2.2 litre turbo diesel with 175 bhp and a spritely performance with excellent torque right through the rev range. There are smaller diesel units too, and the most economical of these, the 124 bhp 2.0 litre, delivers a fuel economy of 55 mpg.

This is a great motorway car and ideal for a family and for the businessman who covers high motorway miles. On country roads it is not the best in terms of handling characteristics but it is quite obedient and very comfortable.

Equipment levels are quite high and there is generally a high quality feel to the car. It won’t set the world on fire, but for general all-round motoring it is a stylish answer.