The secret of Avensis's uniqueness lies not so much in the eternal "price-quality" formula, but in something else: even at a respectable age, the previous generation held its position as one of the leaders in the Russian segment. In other words, even if the Japanese had not initiated a model change, we would not have noticed the difference — the previous car would have continued to be readily bought.
However, customer preferences in a particular country are one thing, but marketing is quite another. Therefore, the time had come for radical changes for the Avensis. They immediately rejected the frightening word "facelift" — they decided to fire from all guns and rolled out a completely new car. In the brand's European design center, under the leadership of indefatigable Japanese, they worked in two shifts: disappointing a client is worse than death. But at the "Edisquare" center, they know their business well, and as a result, we got a fresh, modern, and even flashy car.
Meticulous connoisseurs will find hints of Camry and "something from Auris" in its appearance. And those who were simply waiting for this model do not bother with such reasoning. It is enough for them that in front of them is a Toyota they longed to see.
The interior has also transformed, but has not lost its functionality and convenience. The instrument panel with a reddish "optitron" backlight reads effortlessly and provides exactly as much information as needed to avoid eye strain. Friendliness has always been the brand's trump card, so the number of dials has been reduced to a reasonable minimum. The central console is also laconic — without a palisade of buttons and controls. As for the quality of trim materials, the Japanese have remained true to themselves — everything is at the level, without discounts on the generally low price.
It is precisely for this that last year twenty thousand of our compatriots chose the previous Avensis! For the fact that with this car you do not need to learn to find a common language. It always speaks the owner's language — whether he is French or Russian. The Avensis is brought to Russia only with petrol engines, in sedan and station wagon bodies. In Europe, the station wagon optionally gets a panoramic glass roof. But our car will come with a suspension adapted to our potholes, so the glass roof is not available to Russians. The Japanese abandoned the hatchback altogether — and it would look strange here...
We will definitely meet the new Avensis again. And it will happen very soon.
Maxim Rakitin.
 | FINALLY! Navigation has appeared in the Avensis, and maps for Russia are already ready. True, in the homeland of Pushkin and Tolstoy, this pleasure will not be cheap, although there is nothing surprising about it. |
| SEDAN IN FAVOR Statistics are a stubborn thing. Russians, with the persistence of a shunting locomotive, buy sedans. The trunk volume of this version is 509 liters. Not bad! |  |
Manufacturer's data
■ ENGINE
1598 cm³ petrol,
4 cylinders, 132 hp at 6400 rpm,
160 Nm at 4400 rpm
■ TRANSMISSION
Manual, 6 gears,
front-wheel drive
■ DYNAMICS
max speed — 200 km/h
acceleration 0-100 km/h — 10.4 s
■ DIMENSIONS (mm)
length — 4695
width — 1810
height — 1480
■ ECONOMY
average consumption — 6.5 l/100 km