The pricing for the hybrid variant of the Auris hatchback is surprisingly close to Toyota's dedicated Prius Hybrid which ranges from £19,505 to £22,610 and far more expensive than the Honda Insight that starts from £16,235.
For 2010, the Auris has been pepped up with a new front end that includes a restyled grille, swept-back headlamps, new bumper and revised bonnet profile, while at the back, the tail lamp clusters are revised and there's a new rear bumper with extended corner sections.
Programmed to be added to the European Auris line-up in July, the HSD will be Toyota's first hybrid model to be built in Europe at the firm's Burnaston factory in the UK.
Furthermore, Toyota revealed that the sales of the British-built full hybrid Auris HSD that shares its gasoline-electric drivetrain with the Prius Hybrid will commence in July. We expect to see the production version of the Auris HSD making its world premiere at the Geneva Show in March.
Toyota wants us to believe that Auris has been fully restyled on the outside, but fact is, we doubt that your average buyer will even notice the changes.
These include a new deep front bumper, reshaped headlamps, revised grille and bonnet profile with stronger crease lines plus newly styled 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels.
The revised tail lamp clusters, the new rear bumper with extended corner sections and the integrated turn indicators on the door mirrors complete the exterior makeover.
Inside, Toyota said (but did not show) that a soft-touch material has been introduced across the top of the instrument binnacle and around the glovebox, while the centre console has been revised with changes to the instrument design.
The new white illumination for the Optitron instrument dials and the new cloth upholstery designs round off the interior updates.
Toyota added that the it has also fine-tuned the Auris' suspension and steering systems to improve driver feedback and handling.
With the exception of the Auris HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) that will go on sale in July, the are no changes to the rest of the engine range that comprises a 1.33-litre petrol engine with Toyota Stop & Start technology, a 1.6 Valvematic petrol with manual or MultiMode transmission and 1.4 D-4D diesel, again with manual gearbox or Multimode.
In the UK, the revised Auris in three- and five-door body styles is on sale now with prices ranging from £14,463 to £16,495 - see detailed pricing in the list above.
2010 TOYOTA AURIS FACELIFT
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TOYOTA AURIS HSD HYBRID CONCEPT STUDY
Fast forward to 2010, and the Auris has yet to shake off its predecessor's bland-mobile reputation...
And while the subtle cosmetic makeover for the 2010 model year won't make the standard Auris any more interesting than before, the addition of a full hybrid version to the range is something that could very well capture the interest of European buyers.
Toyota's Spartan press release did not get into any details whatsoever, but the two official photos reveal that the 2010 Auris hatchback benefits from the same cosmetic changes as the JDM model that was introduced last October and almost the same styling upgrades as the Auris HSD Hybrid study that was presented at the 2009 Frankfurt Show.
On the outside, the 2010 model year Auris features a revised grille, reshaped front and rear bumpers, new headlamps, tail lights and alloy wheels plus a different bonnet design and new exterior mirrors with integrated turning signals.
We assume that the production Auris HSD (which stands for Hybrid Synergy Drive) will keep if not all, most of the exterior styling cues and aerodynamic tweaks such as the underbody panels of the concept study.
The Auris HSD's petrol-electric hyrbid drivetrain will be largely shared with the Prius meaning that the five-door hatchback can run on battery power alone in zero-emissions mode.
Full details and photos of both the standard and hybrid versions of the Auris are expected to be released closer to their official debut at the Geneva Salon in early March.
2010 TOYOTA AURIS FACELIFT
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TOYOTA AURIS HSD HYBRID CONCEPT STUDY
Toyota formally launched the mildly facelifted 2010 Auris hatchback in Japan today. According to the automaker, the 2010 model year Auris receives some minor exterior tweaks that include revised grilles (depending on the model grade), front and rear bumpers, headlamps, tail lights and alloy wheels plus a new hood design. Interior refinements come in the form of new color options, upgraded materials and improved standard equipment on certain models.In addition to the styling mods, the Japanese firm noted that the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine benefits from a revised variable timing system for both inlet and exhaust valves that improves fuel efficiency and power output.
Furthermore, all 1.8L models equipped with a CVT gain new steering-wheel mounted paddle-shifters that allow the driver to flip through the gears at the flick of a finger.
In Japan, the Ford Focus-sized Auris is also available with a smaller 1.5-liter petrol engine. Prices range from 1,622,000 Yen ($18,125 or €12,200) for the base Auris (1.5) 150X FWD to 2,331,000 Yen ($26,050 or €17,500) for the top-of-the-line Auris (1.8) S-Package 4WD.
