Toyota has introduced two versions at the opposite ends of the automotive spectrum of its compact Auris hatchback. The first, the Auris HSD, shares its hybrid drive system with the company’s Prius, and the other, the supercharged Auris TRD, attempts to revive the TRD nameplate in South Africa.
After having sampled the HSD in the morning – be sure to catch our driving impression of this hybrid tomorrow – after lunch it was time to get behind the wheel of the much-anticipated Auris TRD. This is the first Toyota since the RunX RSi of 2006 to get the TRD treatment in South Africa and, to say the least, the Auris has big shoes to fill.
The TRD is based on the current Auris Sport X and makes use of the same in-line four-cylinder 1,6-litre petrol engine but, crucially, with the added benefit of a locally fitted traction drive, centrifugal supercharger.
The result is 132 kW at 6 400 r/min (up from 97 kW) and 203 N.m of torque (up from 160 N.m). The car will reach 100 km/h from standstill in about 9,0 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h. It returns a combined fuel consumption figure of 7,5 litres/100 km. Its CO2 emissions figure is 180 g/km.
Each car is dyno-tested before it is sold and, as part of its development, it underwent rigorous testing. Before starting on our drive, the men from Toyota pointed out that the Auris TRD was quicker around Zwartkops Racetrack in Gauteng than the RunX RSi (in fact, so much quicker that if the two cars were to run side-by-side for an hour, the RSi would have been lapped twice by the TRD). This is sure to get the attention of the guys at the TRD club…
We didn’t have the opportunity to drive the TRD on any track, but on the road the car fared well enough, but did leave us with more questions than answers. The engine is powerful and responsive, but also very peaky and requires a lot of revs to really get going. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a high-revving engine (as Honda fans may tell you), but low-down the TRD felt restrained and it was only close to its rev limit (at just under 7 000 r/min) where it really came into its own.
Keep it in this sweet spot and the TRD turned out to be a very capable sportscar, but we have to wonder if TRD diehards will welcome this latest derivative with open arms. That said, the TRD offers the most driver enjoyment that I’ve sampled from a Toyota in a long time. According to Dean Meiring, Toyota’s man in charge of the project, the brief was clear: the TRD had to be fun to drive, be responsive, but also needed to be fuel efficient. Other than its engine modifications, the car also utilises a TRD suspension set comprising of shock absorbers, springs and coils as well as the addition of an anti-roll bar up front.
The result is a car that, compared with the normal Auris, sits 35 mm closer to the ground and offers very good dynamics. There is very little body roll exhibited through tight corners and the 16-inch alloys (fitted with 205/55 Continental rubber) offer good amounts of grip. The steering is well-weighted and direct, and despite some understeer through corners (to be expected from a front-wheel drive car), very easy to drive in a spirited fashion.
I was also very impressed with the car’s ride quality. Despite the car’s firmer suspension, the Auris never really crashed over road imperfections (of which there were many on the launch route near Kommetjie in the Western Cape).
So, the TRD impressed with its handling and dynamics, but the engine did leave us to ask if the Auris TRD is a “true” TRD. It certainly doesn’t offer the same radical difference from its donor car as an Opel OPC or RenaultSport, but does have enough performance to keep most drivers happy. Only 200 examples of the Auris TRD will be produced and are, for the most part, already sold out. Pricing for the TRD is yet to be announced, but expect stiff competition from the likes of the Ford Focus, VW Golf and Opel Astra.
It comes standard with seven airbags, stability control and all the comfort features we’ve come to expect from a C-segment hatch.
Prices:
Pricing of the Auris TRD to be confirmed.
The car comes standard with a five-year/90 000 km service plan as well as a three-year/100 000 km warranty. Service intervals are every 15 000 km.