Toyota Auris unveiled ahead of Paris Motor Show

Toyota has unveiled the new generation of its C Segment hatchback, the Auris ahead of the official debut at Paris Motor Show. Revealed in both European and Japanese form, the new Auris will be available from  1.33L to 1.8L in gasoline form and in 1.4L turbo-diesel form, depending either you are in its homeland Japan or in European countries. In tandem with Toyota going-hybrid model trend, the hybrid model is also available, which is the 1.8L petrol motor hooked to the electric motor.

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The new Auris ditched the current model conservative styling in favor of crisper styling features. This include an angular and razor sharp headlight cutlines, prominent "beak" front grille flanked by single horizontal chrome bar that character-fully run into the headlight graphic. It is a very far departure from the current Auris, as well as differs greatly from the more mundane Corolla Axio sibling, which is essentially should be almost common underneath the skin. The front bumper assembly is more in tune with the Prius family, with the large single bumper main opening, accompanied by the tear-drop shaped outer duct, housing the fog lamp. Other than that, the front end design is fairly clean with well stretched surface that is in tune with the recently-facelifted Wish MPV.

The side profile is more conventional, completely free of complex surface interplay. There is a faint character line that runs from the headlight all the way into the rear light. The only surface break is the gentle lower sill line that kicks-up slightly and ends just before the rear wheel arch. The glass house is entirely conventional in silhouette with reverse-raked C-pillar.

While the side profile is comparatively mundane compared to the front end, Toyota has injected the excitement back into the design of the rear end. It is slightly reminiscent of the early 21st century Caldina model, with long horizontal rear light assembly that bulging out proudly from the main bodywork. The rear light itself is very 3D, covering all the surfaces available on the rear fascia plane.

Exterior wise, the new Toyota Auris measures 4,275mm long, 1,760mm wide and 1,460mm tall. Wheelbase is class-standard at 2,600mm. Compared to the outgoing Auris, the new model is 30mm longer and 55mm shorter. The adjusted dimension not only give it a sleeker look, it is also sleeker to the air with 0.28 coefficient of drag. Despite the carry-over wheelbase, and running on a modified outgoing platform, cleverer packaging has yield an extra 20mm rear knee room, 90mm more load space length, and the boot now 10L more voluminous at 360L.

The interior carry the same concept as the Corolla Axio, albeit with sportier and "Euro-look" with an entirely new design. Elemental similarity stops at the slab-like dashboard fascia with prominent upright panel (similar to the Axio and 86), and the wide single-bar aircond duct with is plainly related to the Toyota 86 design. It is very likely this is the in-trend design right now as far as Toyota C Segment is concern. The door trim also is sportier compared to its Corolla sibling with more stylish grab bar instead of pull cup integrated in door arm rest. The driver environment is made of the distinctive arch that starts from the floor console before making a complete half-circle at the top of meter binnacle. Speaking of the meter binnacle, opting for S Package will give you a different meter design, a dual circular meter with colored dispay in between. Normal binnacle is 3 circle setup with small monochrome display.

The Auris RS "S Package" interior of JDM car

Multiple color combination is available, especially for the Japanese Auris, with the RS "S Package" is an all-black affair with red seat fabric insert on the semi-bucket seat, "S Package" is also an all-black item while X and G model gets the choice of either black or beige seat and door trim. For the instrument panel slab fascia, the RS trim gets carbon motif, the S Package gets the option of black metal grey or leather upholstered while the "normal" X and G is accentuated by only black metal grey trim. European Auris will get an all-black setup but the with the blue lighting on the centre console instead of the old-school green illumination of the Japanese car.

The engine selection is entirely different for the different zone. European car will be powered from the launch by 3 engine choices, namely 1.33L and 1.6L petrol engine, while the sole diesel variant displaced 1.4L. The hybrid is powered with 1.8L gasoline with electric motor, and powered by nickel metal-hydride battery.

Japan option mirrors those on Toyota Corolla Fielder, with 1NZ-FE 1.5L with 108PS@6,000rpm and 136Nm@4,800rpm and 2ZR-FAE 1.8L mill kicking 143PS@6,200rpm and 173Nm@4,000rpm. Opting for RS liberates extra 1PS and 7Nm. Transmission option is CVT only for the 1.5L (with FF or AWD option), while the 1.8L is also available with 6 speed manual transmission. The 1.8L is a front-driver only.

So now we have seen two derivative of Corolla hitting the market, first with the Axio/Fielder and now the Auris hatchback. Both sits on the same platfrom, but comes with entirely different exterior clothes and interior design. The next-up should be the US Corolla, essentially similar to the Corolla Altis the Asian countries is getting. Rumors say that it will be sharp-looking as the US Avalon. If the Auris is anything to go by as far aesthetic design is concern, we could be getting an interesting looking Corolla Altis! 

Small gallery after the jump, including some real-life photo of Toyota Auris JDM.

Toyota Auris - radical redesigned of Corolla hatch uncovered

Early in May MMN has covered the story of the next generation Toyota Corolla going radical, which is according to the Car and Driver Brazil. However, when the new Corolla Axio came out in mid-May, it was as radical as sardine can, so what's the earlier piece of news all about? Well, it could be this, the Auris. In Europe, Toyota has dropped the legendary Corolla nomenclature from the Auris, but some market still called it as Corolla Auris. Still based on the Corolla chassis, Auris comes only in hatchback form.

As can be seen above, Toyota has really sharpened the frond end of the Auris model. The slit-like headlight and grille is akin to the domestic Toyota Wish. The emblem is fitted to a stubby centre section, which hold the chromed grille bar that even joint the headlight internal graphic. Fog lamp housing is as per what we have seen on Prius/Aqua and new Camry, so is the lower grille treatment. The side profile is conventional, which just solitary sill line adorning the lower belt line. Glass house kick up at the C-pillar, nice and resembling the old legend Caldina in GT4 guise.

It is the rear end that is really prominent. The intricately styled rear lights protrude out from the body surfacing, lending it an aggressive outlook. The effect of distributed mass is also evident from the massaged-look tail gate garnish and punctuated bumper section housing the rear reflector.

In Europe, the car will be powered by 1.3L and 1.6L gasoline from the current car, but with an added environmentally-friendly device to boost economy. The diesel however will benefit from BMW technology for 1.6L and 2.0L.JDM Auris will be powered by 1.5L and 1.8L engine, mirroring those on the recently launch Corolla Axio.

In the European market, Toyota Auris will compete against the Honda Civic Euro,Ford Focus and VW Golf. They are typically made up a huge chunk of a family car sold over there. It is quite amusing when this kind of little car can be described as family car. Maybe their family is small, maybe they don't travel across the country or maybe their wife don't pack up the whole wardrobe for balik kampung trip. But when I learnt that these small cars can accommodate up to 480L of boot volume, I now understand why. Pity we don't have them here.

There's a bit more photos from leaked Japanese brochure. It gives the outlook of the non-hybrid model which is slightly different from the Hybrid. But changes are minimal, limited only to bumper and grille trimmings. Photos after the jump.

Second version of Toyota Corolla leaked - the Auris

First it was the Corolla Axio/Fielder duo, now the European version of the compact Toyota has been revealed, or more appropriately, leaked. From current generation onwards, Toyota has dropped the Corolla nameplate from its European mid-size hatchback, instead renamed it simply to Auris. Toyota Auris is also available in Japan since 2006 as a replacement for Corolla Runx. True to Toyota habit of re-skinning their car to create multiple version, Toyota Blade is the product of this philosophy. Larger externally, and featuring bigger 2.4L powertrain, it is the highest end among all the Corolla family traits.

The current Toyota Auris sits on the same platform as the Corolla Altis/Corolla Axio siblings. The wheelbase measured an identical 2,600mm, while overall length is shorter due to hatchback body style. It measures 4,245mm in length, against the 4.5m of the sedan version. Width and height are 1,760mm and 1,515mm respectively.

For the new generation Toyota Auris, Toyota has lengthened the car to 4,270mm while the wheelbase has been retained. While width also retained at 1,760mm, the overall height has been reduced to 1,460mm. The new Auris also bears a lot styling cues from the current crops of Toyota cars. The slim headlight and radiator grille opening is a reminiscent of the current Toyota Wish, while the front bumper is heavily Aqua/Prius C look alike, more so the side profile. The rear end however has gone distinctive, unlike the weedy looking Aqua/Prius C. The hatch is truncated in almost vertical fashion, while the flashy tail lamps and tail gate garnish complete the attractive look.

The interior adopts the latest theme pioneered by the new Toyota Yaris and Toyota Aqua/Prius C. Sticking true to the current Auris interior concept, the whole cabin is entirely different from the more conservative Asian flavored Corolla sedan. However, the towering gear console like the current Auris has been relegated to history  as the new layout is more conventional with the seat-level floor console. Toyota claimed an improved accommodation due to the repositioning of seats and dashboard.

The car is due to be out to the Japanese market in July. The powertrain line-up mirrors those on the current car, namely comes in 1.5L and 1.8L. While both engine are paired to CVT, the sportier 1.8L will also be available with 6 speed manual. This higher displacement model also will be fitted with double wishbones rear suspension, instead of a torsion beam setup of the lower powered version. This fitments is consistent with the current Toyota Auris. Some more photos after the jump.