PERHAPS it was the combination of a new name and new styling, or maybe it was the premium price that made the Avensis sell in smaller quantities than it deserved. Answers on a postcard, but it does make for an excellent used purchase as it has a compact body that suits the needs of the vast majority of South Africans and delivers great handling manners by contrast with the “Yank tank”-style Camry that the Avensis replaced.
WHICH MODEL?
The line-up included a 2,0-litre petrol model with 108 kW and 196 N.m of torque, available with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, plus a larger 2,4-litre petrol offering 120 kW and 230 N.m with the auto transmission only. Then there was the flagship diesel with a 2,2-litre D-4D turbocharged engine producing 110 kW and 310 N.m of torque. CAR tested only the D-4D (in December 2006) and it drew favourable comment from the team. The boot is quite large with a volume figure of 384 dm³ and, unlike some compact saloons, the rear seats fold to allow a useful utility space of 1 056 dm³.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
ENGINES
For one unlucky owner a cylinder gasket blew leading to a top-end overhaul. Perhaps more worrying was some owners of 2,2-litre diesel models complaining of excessive oil consumption – figures mentioned were in the region of one litre per 5 000 km with the perennial problem that the car’s owner’s manual states that up to one litre per 1 000 km is acceptable – acceptable to the manufacturer, that should say, definitely not to the customer…
The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve can give problems, as with so many other vehicles, but only a few owners expressed problems here. One was replaced at about 95 000 km but sometimes all an EGR needs is a good clean-up to get rid of carbon build-up. One engine fault was initially wrongly diagnosed as an ECU failure instead of the EGR valve.Throttle body malfunction can be the cause of loss of power.
Although most Avensis diesel engines seem to be trouble-free, there was a case of high oil consumption followed by a turbo replacement – reported at only 16 000 km. All Avensis engines use a chain to drive the camshaft.
TRANSMISSION
One owner covered over 300 000 km before a new clutch was needed. Later, a front wheel bearing gave up. (His only other replacements were tyres, brake pads and filters.)
SUSPENSION, BRAKES AND WHEELS
Brake squeal was mentioned by a couple of owners. Premature front tyre wear was also mentioned by some with one motorist having to replace the rubber at only 25 000 km!
STEERING
No problems with the hydraulically-assisted steering system were reported.
ELECTRICAL
One car’s engine warning light kept illuminating intermittently but otherwise the electrics seem sound.
INTERIOR
There were numerous complaints about the quality of the plastics used being cheapish and a few creaks were reported from the interior fittings.
BODYWORK
More than a few owners mentioned faulty headlamps that required replacement, with one specifying moisture ingress. A couple said that the paintwork was not up to standard – one vehicle suffered from peeling paint.
GENERAL
With regards to fuel consumption, expect 10,3 litres/100 km from the 2,0 litre, 10,7 from the 2,0 litre automatic, 11,2 from the 2,4 automatic and around 7,5 litres/100 km from the diesel model.
SUMMARY
We believe the Avensis is a very sensible buy by virtue of Toyota quality plus good road manners and enough space for most. They’re not easy to find, but a good example should provide enjoyable motoring for years.