Turbocharged Toyota Auris goes on sale in Japan

The partially redesigned Toyota Auris, offering a newly developed turbo engine and a brand new safety package, went on sale in Japan on Monday.

The 120T grade comes with Toyota's newly developed 1.2-liter direct-injection turbo engine (8NR-FTS), and also offers an extensive range of comfort-enhancing features.

• Peak torque is generated at a wide range of rpms between 1,500 rpm and 4,000 rpm. This, combined with Super CVT-i adjusted to bring out the best in the turbo engine, ensures responsive acceleration and smooth, exhilarating performance.

• Thermal efficiency has been improved by using an exhaust manifold integrated with the cylinder head, a larger variable angle VVT-iW (intake side), and an advanced D-4T1 fuel injection system. Additionally, the Stop & Start idling-stop function improves fuel efficiency.

• At 19.4 km/L, fuel efficiency(2) exceeds the Japanese government's 2015 fuel economy standards (as specified in the Act on the Rational Use of Energy) by at least 10 percent. Additionally, emissions are at least 75 percent lower than the 2005 standards set under the Japanese government's Approval System for Low-emission Vehicles. As a result, the 120T grade is eligible for the Japanese government's subsidies and tax incentives for eco-cars.

• Standard features include a specially designed instrument panel with wood-grain finish, and seat fabric made from a combination of Ultrasuede3, leather and artificial leather for a smooth feel. Driver experience is further enhanced other standard features such as cruise control, heated driver and passenger seats, an auto anti-glare inside rear view mirror.

As part of a multi-faceted approach to support safety on the road, the recently-announced Toyota Safety Sense C package uses both a laser radar unit and a camera to achieve high reliability and performance. The package comes standard on 1.2-liter turbo and 1.8-liter models, and is available as an option on 1.5-liter models.

-Pre-Collision System (PCS) uses a camera and laser radar to detect objects ahead of the vehicle, and when there is a possibility of collision it prompts the driver to brake with an audio and visual alert. If the driver fails to brake in time, the system automatically applies the brakes, reducing speed by approximately 30 km/h in order to prevent or mitigate the collision(4). The operational range of PCS covers speeds at which at least 80 percent of rear-end collisions occur (i.e. relative speeds of between approximately 10 km/h and 80 km/h).

-Lane Departure Alert (LDA) uses a camera to detect white and yellow lane markings. If the vehicle starts to deviate from the lane, LDA alerts the driver with an audio and visual alert.

-Automatic High Beam (AHB) helps ensure excellent forward visibility during nighttime driving. It uses a camera to detect the headlights of oncoming vehicles and the tail lights of vehicles ahead, and then automatically switches between high beams and low beams so as not to interfere with the vision of other drivers.

-A newly added special function alerts drivers with an audio and visual alert when preceding vehicles have started to move after waiting at a traffic signal. This is a standard feature on 1.2-liter turbo and 1.8-liter models, and is available as an option on 1.5-liter models.

Exterior -The Auris achieves a greater sense of presence thanks to an upper grille garnished with chrome to accentuate the headlights, a lower grille that expands to the corners of the bumpers, and horizontal rear bumpers. Additionally, a 55-mm increase in overall length gives the Auris more stylish, flowing proportions.

-The 1.8-liter, manual transmission RS grade boasts an exclusive, sporty design thanks to aerodynamic parts such as a honeycomb front grille, spoilers (front and rear bumpers), and side rocker molding.

Interior -An advanced, high-quality image is conveyed through the use of piano black and a satin chrome plated finish that accentuates contrast in the center cluster area. Additionally, four distinct types of instrument panel ornamentation are available to match each grade perfectly.

-The speedometer and tachometer combo5 offers style and visibility thanks to ornamental standout metal rings and a 4.2-inch color TFT multi-information display.

© JCN Newswire