The is a

mid-size Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in t ...

large family car The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category us ...

built in

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...

, United Kingdom by the Japanese automaker

Toyota is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...

from October 1997 to August 2018. It was the direct successor to the European Carina E and was available as a four-door saloon, five-door

liftback A liftback is a variation of a hatchback car body style, with a more gently sloping roofline, roughly between 45 and 10 degrees, whereas traditional or archetypal hatchback designs tend to use a 45 degree to near vertical slope on the top-hinged ...

and

estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representativ ...

. The Avensis was introduced in 1997, to create a more modern name when compared with the Carina E. The "Avensis" name is derived from the

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

term ''avancer'', meaning "to advance" or "move forward". The Avensis was not sold in North America, and it is related to the

Scion tC The Scion tC is a compact car manufactured by Toyota under its Scion brand from 2004 to 2016 over two generations: ANT10 (2004–2010) and AGT20 (2011–2016). Both generations were built in Japan. The tC was introduced first in the United State ...

coupé. It also shared a platform with the Allion and Premio and was available at Japanese dealership network ''

Toyota Netz Store Toyota vehicles in Japan are distributed to numerous dealership chains throughout the country. Up to May 2020, each dealership chain had a different product offering, with some models restricted to one chain to maintain exclusivity. Since May 2020 ...

''. An MPV called the

Avensis Verso The Toyota Ipsum, Picnic, or Avensis Verso is a car produced by the Japanese carmaker Toyota from 1995 to 2010. It is a compact MPV with standard three-row seating. The Ipsum, like many Toyota products, was shared as a trio of the Toyota Gaia, and ...

( Ipsum in Japan and previously the

Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors (Al fresco dining, ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event su ...

in other markets) was built in Japan on a separate platform. __TOC__

First generation (T220; 1997)

Toyota introduced the Avensis nameplate on its new model, which was launched at the end of 1997. The car was actually an extensive facelift of the previous generation Carina E, with the platform and engines carried over, and a restyled body. The car was built at the Burnaston factory in Derby. At the same time, production of the five-door

Toyota Corolla The is a series of compact cars (formerly Subcompact car, subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has bee ...

also started at the British plant. The first generation Avensis had the option of four engines (1.6-, 1.8- and 2.0-litre

petrol Gasoline (North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formul ...

and a 2.0-litre

turbo-diesel The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output, ...

) and three body styles (saloon, hatchback and estate). The station wagon was essentially the Japanese-market second generation

Toyota Caldina The is an automobile manufactured by Toyota for the Japanese market from 1992 to 2007. It replaced the Corona and Carina wagons, and was sold at ''Toyota Store'' and ''Toyopet Store'' locations in Japan. While the Caldina has never been offici ...

. All of the range gave solid build quality, excellent reliability, a spacious comfortable interior, generous equipment, smooth ride quality and good refinement, but very little in the way of excitement. The model received a facelift in August 2000. The engines were fitted with

variable valve timing Variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a Poppet valve, valve lift event in an internal combustion engine, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combina ...

, satellite navigation was included as a standard feature along the range and the sporty Avensis 2.0 L ''SR'' (with body kit and tuned suspension) was added but overall sales remained low. The Avensis was also sold in South America. In Argentina and Brazil, it was sold as the Toyota Corona (as seen on brochures), but in Chile and Peru, it was sold as the Corona Avensis. In Greece, the Toyota Corona model name had long been synonymous with "taxi", so Avensis' sold for taxi use received "Toyota Corona" badging until the 2000 facelift. Models for private use and post-facelift taxis were Avensis, just like in the rest of Europe. File:2000 Toyota Avensis GS 1.6 Rear.jpg, Liftback (pre-facelift) File:1999 Toyota Avensis GS 1.8 Rear.jpg, Saloon (pre-facelift) File:1998 Toyota Avensis CDX Estate 2.0.jpg, Estate (pre-facelift) File:Toyota Avensis liftback 1794cc registered January 2001.jpg, Liftback (facelift) File:Toyota Avensis liftback (rear).jpg, Liftback (facelift) File:Toyota Avensis I rear 20100327.jpg, Saloon (facelift) File:2002 Toyota Avensis GS VVT-i Estate 1.8.jpg, Estate (facelift)

Engines

Petrol

*1.6-litre 4A-FE *1.6-litre

VVT-i VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing petrol engine technology manufactured by Toyota Group and used by brands Groupe PSA (Peugeot and Citroen), Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Daihatsu, Subar ...

3ZZ-FE *1.8-litre 7A-FE *1.8-litre VVT-i 1ZZ-FE *2.0-litre 3S-FE *2.0-litre D4 VVT-i 1AZ-FSE

Diesel

*2.0-litre TD 2C-TE *2.0-litre D-4D 1CD-FTV

Second generation (T250; 2003)

The second generation Avensis was launched in February 2003, in an all new format; this time it offered more in the way of driver involvement and visual appeal. It was launched in Japan in saloon and estate form in October 2003, replacing the V50 series Vista and Vista Ardeo. Like the Echo/Yaris and Corolla, it was penned by the company's design studio in France. Production officially began on 6 January 2003. Following the withdrawal of the

Camry The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Cam ...

in 2004 (2005 in Switzerland), the Avensis became the largest Toyota saloon sold in Western Europe. Trim levels in the United Kingdom were T2, T3-S, T3-X, T4, T Spirit, T180 and TR. There is also a special edition, based on the T2 called the Colour Collection. In Ireland, there were five trim levels – Terra, Aura, Strata, Luna and Sol. In Japan, the Avensis is sold as 2.0 Xi, 2.0 Li (later replaced by 2.4 Li) and 2.4 Qi. Only the base model 2.0 Xi is offered with four-wheel drive. This is first and only generation of Avensis sold in Egypt and Morocco, not in Persian Gulf countries. In the 2004

European Car of the Year The European Car of the Year award is an international Car of the Year award established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organising media of the award are '' Auto'' (Italy), '' Aut ...

contest, the Avensis came in fourth place behind the

Fiat Panda The Fiat Panda is a city car manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles, Fiat since 1980, currently in its third generation. The first generation Panda, introduced in 1980 as the Mk1, was a Car body configurations#Two-box design, two-box, thr ...

(winner),

Mazda3 The (known as the in China and Japan (first three generations), a combination of "accelerate" and "excellent") is a compact car manufactured by Mazda, available as a 5-door hatchback and 4-door sedan across all generations. It was first in ...

(second) and the

Volkswagen Golf The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/ small family car ( C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplate ...

(third). However, it won the 2004

Semperit Irish Car of the Year The Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978 based on similar Car of the Year awards. It is organised and judged by the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI), comprising journalists across the country. The award ...

. ''

What Car? ''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Media Group. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil Wi ...

'' also awarded the Avensis as the "Best Family Car" for 2004 and 2005. File:2003 Toyota Avensis T3-X 2.0 Rear.jpg, Liftback (pre-facelift) File:Toyota Avensis (II) – Heckansicht, 1. September 2013, Münster.jpg, Saloon (pre-facelift) File:Toyota Avensis Wagon 001.JPG, Estate (pre-facelift) File:Toyota Avensis Innenraum.jpg, Interior

Facelift

In 2006, the Avensis received a mid-career facelift. Exterior cosmetic changes include a slightly redesigned logo, a new front grille with double concave lines (including a new darker grille treatment on higher trim levels), new headlamps and rear combination lamps, revised front bumpers and front fog lights, door mirror with turn signals adoption, new tyres, a new wheel design (in two colours) and a new wheel cap design, and five changed body colours. Toyota describes the cosmetic changes as strengthening the family connection with the Corolla and Yaris, and allowing the Avensis to maintain a premium look while giving it a sportier appearance. Inside, the dashboard materials are revised, the beige interior is replaced by a new grege interior, the instrumentation is revised, the design of the switches is changed, the passenger seat is now height adjustable, alcantara seats are available, and the seats become 60:40 split folding. The Hi-Fi, which previously had a CD and tape player, now only accepts CDs but also plays MP3s. The central screen containing the information of the on-board computer has been removed in favour of a compartment (as on the previous entry-level) and is now integrated into the meters facing the driver. From a structural point of view, the underbody is reinforced. Finally, the 2.0L D4D diesel engine is replaced by the 2.0L D4D engine. This, coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox, has lowered fuel consumption, emissions, and gives a quoted time of 10.5 seconds. File:Toyota Avensis T250 sedan facelift front (cropped).jpg, Saloon (facelift) File:Toyota Avensis T250 sedan facelift rear (cropped).jpg, Saloon (facelift) File:2006 Toyota Avensis-wagon 01.jpg, Estate (Japan; facelift) File:2006 Toyota Avensis-wagon 02.jpg, Estate (Japan; facelift)

Safety

In 2003, the Avensis became the first Japanese vehicle to receive a five-star rating under the Euro NCAP's redone testing, with 34 total points it also became the highest rated vehicle they had tested. In 2003, the Avensis also became the first vehicle sold in Europe with a

knee airbag An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate in milliseconds during a Traffic collision, collision and then deflate afterwards. It consists of an airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, an ...

Engines

The 1.6-, 1.8- and 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre

engines were carried over from the previous Avensis, and the 2.4-litre four-cylinder from the Camry was also added to the range. This was the first Avensis to be exported to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Due to the Camry Wagon ending production, the Avensis Wagon is exported to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, in both 1.8- and 2.0-litre forms. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, there were no 1.6-litre versions available. The original 115 PS (85 kW) D-4D

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...

has been complemented with a 2.2 L D-4D in 136 PS ( 2AD-FTV) and 177 PS ( 2AD-FHV) versions. Newer versions have dropped the "D-4D" and "2.0" badging from the front wings and tailgate respectively. From 2005, the 2.4 L version was fitted with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Petrol

*1.6-litre

3ZZ-FE *1.8-litre VVT-i 1ZZ-FE *2.0-litre VVT-i 1AZ-FSE *2.4-litre VVT-i 2AZ-FSE

Diesel

*2.0-litre D-4D 1CD-FTV (Pre-Facelift Only) *2.0-litre D-4D 1AD-FTV (Post-Facelift Only) *2.2-litre D-4D 2AD-FTV *2.2-litre D-Cat 2AD-FHV

Third generation (T270; 2009)

The third generation Avensis was revealed at the

2008 Paris Motor Show The 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris expo Porte de Versailles. This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), that led a blogger with ''The New York T ...

. It went on sale in January 2009. Like the previous model, it is built at Toyota's Burnaston plant in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. This generation is available in saloon or estate styles only. The third generation Avensis full-year sales goal was of 115,000 vehicles. Toyota ED² initially designed the Avensis giving it a more sleek and athletic stance. It has a for the saloon and for the wagon body. Other design goals were to create the most comfortable suspension in its class while still offering sporty handling. The Avensis continued to use front

MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles. The name comes from American automotive engineer ...

s and rear double wishbones. Unlike the previous generation Avensis models, there is no five door hatchback body style in this lineup, in favour of saloon and estate body styles. Major options include bi xenon HID headlamps,

Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...

, and

adaptive cruise control Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is a type of advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As of 2019, it is also called by 20 unique names that ...

. The Avensis wagon began being imported again to Japan in mid-2011, with 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine and CVT transmission in Li and Xi variants. The Avensis wagon was discontinued in Japan on 27 April 2018. File:Toyota Avensis rear 20090814.jpg, Saloon (pre-facelift) File:Toyota Avensis Combi III 20090314 rear.jpg, Estate (pre-facelift)

First facelift (2012–2015)

The Avensis underwent a facelift in January 2012. This included a revised front grille and modified tail lamps. The changes were first shown in September 2011 at the

Frankfurt Motor Show The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility trade fairs. I ...

before sales started in January 2012. File:Toyota Avensis Combi (III, Facelift) – Frontansicht, 1. April 2012, Essen.jpg, Estate (first facelift) File:Toyota Avensis Combi (III, Facelift) – Heckansicht, 1. April 2012, Essen.jpg, Estate (first facelift)

Second facelift (2015–2018)

A further facelift was shown in March 2015 at the

Geneva Motor Show The Geneva International Motor Show was an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show was hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon was organised b ...

. The facelifted vehicle was officially launched in June 2015. This included a revised front grille, rear view, headlamps and taillamps and a new interior. In addition to the new "

Toyota Safety Sense A collision avoidance system (CAS), also known as a pre-crash system, forward collision warning system (FCW), or collision mitigation system, is an advanced driver-assistance system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. In ...

", new engines were also shown. The 1.6-litre diesel replaces the previous 2.0-litre engine. File:2017 Toyota Avensis Business Edition facelift 2.0 Front.jpg, Saloon (second facelift) File:2017 Toyota Avensis Business Edition facelift 2.0 Rear.jpg, Saloon (second facelift) File:2018 Toyota Avensis Business Edition Valvematic facelift Estate 1.8 Front.jpg, Estate (second facelift) File:2018 Toyota Avensis Business Edition Valvematic facelift Estate 1.8 Rear.jpg, Estate (second facelift)

Safety

For safety, seven airbags are standard, including two front row side torso airbags, two side curtain airbags for both rows, and a driver's knee airbag. For rear collisions, active front headrests designed to help reduce whiplash are standard as well as brake lamps that flash under emergency braking. Vehicle Stability Control+ (VSC+) applies torque to the steering wheel to aid the driver in steering. A Pre-Collision System (PCS) becomes optional which includes Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA). The Avensis received a five-star rating under the latest

Euro NCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven, Belgium. Formed in 1996, the first results were released in February ...

ratings scheme with an 81% overall score and a 90% score for adult occupant safety.

Engines

The Avensis offers three petrol and four diesel engine options. Petrol engines are sourced from Toyota's Deeside Engine Plant. The new engines feature more power and lower emissions. The new ZR engines became the first to introduce Toyota's ''

Valvematic VVT-i, or Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, is an automobile variable valve timing petrol engine technology manufactured by Toyota Group and used by brands Groupe PSA (Peugeot and Citroen), Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Daihatsu, Subaru, Asto ...

'' technology.

Petrol

*1.6-litre 1ZR-FAE 2008–2018 *1.8-litre 2ZR-FAE 2008–2018 *2.0-litre 3ZR-FAE 2008–2018, 2008–2011 (Germany)

Diesel

*1.6-litre D-4D 1WW 2015–2017 *2.0-litre D-4D 1AD-FTV 2011–2015 *2.0-litre D-4D 1AD-FTV 2008–2011 *2.0-litre D-4D 2WW 2015–2018 *2.2-litre D-4D 2AD-FTV 2008–2015 *2.2-litre D-4D 2AD-FHV 2008–2015 All engines are mated to a six-speed manual transmission while the 1.8 L and 2.0 L

engines are available with a ''Multidrive S'' CVT transmission. The 2.2-litre D-4D 150 hp engine is available with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Motorsports

On 2 August 2010, it was announced the

British Touring Car Championship The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), officially known as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by ...

NGTC Next Generation Touring Car, also known as NGTC and by its Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) designation TCN-1, is an FIA and TOCA specification and classification for production based race cars. The specification covers nation ...

prototype car would be built around the Toyota Avensis. Series organiser

TOCA TOCA, formally trading as BARC (TOCA) Ltd, is an organiser of motorsport events in the United Kingdom. The company organises and administers the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and the support series to the BTCC, sometimes known as the ...

, which would fully introduce the new low-cost NGTC technical regulations in 2011, said that the Japanese manufacturer would supply a donor car and a new body shell to the programme. The Avensis was used by

Speedworks Motorsport Speedworks Motorsport is a British motor racing team based in Great Budworth, Cheshire. The team was formed in 2005 by Christian and Amy Dick. They are best known for competing in the British Touring Car Championship since 2011, and since 2021 ...

, driven by

Tom Ingram Tom Ingram (born 20 August 1993) is a British racing driver, currently racing in the British Touring Car Championship for Excelr8 Motorsport, Team VERTU. Having won the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2010 and the Ginetta G50, G50 class of the ...

, until the end of the 2018 season.

Discontinuation

The Avensis was discontinued in the United Kingdom in August 2018 and across Europe in late 2018. It was partially replaced by the slightly larger XV70 series Camry, which is based on the TNGA-K platform.

Nameplate usage for other models

Avensis Verso

The

was a large MPV introduced in 2001 using the Avensis nameplate, with room for seven occupants and only initially available with 2.0-litre engines. The Avensis Verso's platform preceded the second generation model. The Avensis Verso was the back-to-back winner of Australia's ''Best People Mover'' award in 2002 and 2003. The Avensis Verso continued to be available alongside the second-generation Avensis until 2006.

References

External links

{{Toyota road cars timeline, 2010–present Cars introduced in 1997 Cars discontinued in 2018 2000s cars 2010s cars All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars of England Euro NCAP large family cars Front-wheel-drive vehicles Hatchbacks Mid-size cars Sedans Station wagons Touring cars

Avensis The is a Mid-size car, mid-size/large family car built in Derbyshire, United Kingdom by the Japanese automaker Toyota from October 1997 to August 2018. It was the direct successor to the European Toyota Carina E, Carina E and was available as a ...

Vehicles with CVT transmission

First generation (T220; 1997)

Engines

Petrol

Diesel

Second generation (T250; 2003)

Facelift

Safety

Engines

Petrol

Diesel

Third generation (T270; 2009)

First facelift (2012–2015)

Second facelift (2015–2018)

Safety

Engines

Petrol

Diesel

Motorsports

Discontinuation

Nameplate usage for other models

Avensis Verso

See also

References

External links