New Toyota Auris revealed UPDATED

The Toyota Auris has been given an extensive facelift, and these pictures show us how the new car will look.

It’s a more adventurous design than before and adopts a modified version of Toyota’s familiar front end. The company claims it offers stronger styling, higher levels of equipment and lower running costs than ever before. LED day-time running lights, a bold grille design and a low, sweeping profile give the Auris an aggressive look – while blacked out door pillars and a squat stance complete the revised styling.

Thanks to slightly longer front and rear overhangs, the Auris is more spacious and practical inside than its predecessor. The extended body has allowed a more driver- orientated design, with particular attention paid to the arrangement of the instruments and switchgear. Soft-touch plastics and silver-coloured trim give the Toyota an upmarket feel.

Improved aerodynamics and a lighter body help fuel economy, while a lower centre of gravity and increased rigidity mean the car now offers much more driver enjoyment. The new Auris will be offered with 1.3 and 1.6-litre petrol engines as well as a frugal 1.4-litre diesel and ultra-efficient 1.8-litre hybrid. The improved powertrains have helped lower emissions by 13 per cent across the range – with the Auris Hybrid managing 74.3mpg while emitting only 87g/km.

The new Auris will be available in four versions – Active, Icon, Sport and Excel, with on-the-road prices starting at £14,495 for the entry-level Active. The Auris Hybrid (£21,745) will be available in Icon and Excel specifications only. All cars will come with seven airbags, a new follow-me-home lighting system, hill-start assist, vehicle stability control and LED daytime running lights as standard. The Active model will also include automatic air-con, four-speaker audio system with USB, Aux and MP3 connectivity, electrically adjustable, heated, body-coloured door mirrors and electric front windows. The Icon (starting at £17,145) will add 16-inch alloy wheels (15-inch on the Hybrid), six-speaker audio system, DAB radio, multimedia touchscreen, Bluetooth, rear-view camera, electric front and rear windows, leather steering wheel and gear knob, and front fog lamps, with push-button start also available on the Hybrid. The Sport (starting at £19,245) comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, sports front seats, sports grille, rear diffuser and exhaust trim, and rear privacy glass. Lastly, the Excel (starting at £20,245) includes black velour upholstery, dual-zone climate controls, smart entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, electric-folding door mirrors, heated front seats and driver’s lumbar support.

For more money, you can upgrade the multimedia system on the Icon, Sport and Excel models to include sat-nav and increased connectivity, install a panoramic roof on Excel models and add a comfort pack to the Sport that bundles rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, smart entry and start and folding door mirrors.

A new touring body style has also been revealed at the Paris Motor Show, which makes the new Auris the first full hybrid estate version in the family car market.

You can order the new Auris from December.

To view the full Toyota range, visit the CarBuyer Toyota reviews page.