Toyota Avensis 2.0 GLS Liftback (Toyota Avensis Liftback GLS)

Member Name: parva4

Product:	Toyota Avensis Liftback GLS
Date:	03/06/04 (4814 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Japanese reliability

Disadvantages: A little bland 2.0 model thirsty

Having traded in my Nissan Primera 2.0 for a Toyota Avensis 2.0 GLS 2001 model a few months ago I'm happy to report that I made a wise choice. I've driven Mondeo's, Scenic Megane's and even the new shape Vectra amongst others but the Avensis is definitely my favourite by far.

First things first, be sure you know which Avensis you are buying. The latest model is a horrible boxy looking thing, take a look at a Toyota main dealer website and you will see what I mean. Might be a nice car to drive but no style whatsoever.

Prior to the newest shape Avensis there were two very similar looking models but under the skin there are big differences. It pays to know which one you are actually buying! The most obvious differences between MkI and MkII are the MkI has a Toyota badge on the bonnet whereas MkII's is on the radiator grille, MkI has the usual red/amber/white rear light cluster but the MkII has a more 'smoked' cluster. The headlamps are also significantly different between the two models but you would need to see how each set differs for yourself to understand this, it's pretty difficult to explain it in text. :(

The Avensis MkII production spans from 2001 to around 2003 I believe, anything pre-2001 is probably an Avensis MkI - check the Toyota badge placement on the front of the car to confirm which version it is. Bonnet = MkI, Grille = MkII.

There are two main reasons to go for the MkII over the MkI. Firstly, the MkII gets a VVT-i engine. VVT-i stands for Variable Valve Timing intelligence apparently. Okay, it's all tech speak gobbledygook but in laymans terms it means that the power output is greatly improved over the pre-VVTi engine. Another (huge) benefit of the VVTi engine is that it uses a cam-chain rather than the cam-belt of the earlier engine. Cam-belt's need changing at set intervals (typically 40,000 miles/5 years) and this can cost £££'s, cam-chains never need replacing. A broke
n cam-belt can also cost you a whole new engine, cam-chains very rarely fail.

The second reason is that MkII Avensis' get satellite navigation as standard fit on GS models and upwards. More on this later......

Okay, my actual impression of the car. I bought the 2.0 model because I was used to the power of the 2.0 Primera and didn't want to compromise by buying a 1.8 Avensis. With hindsight that was probably a bad idea because the 1.8 is in a lower insurance group than the 2.0. I also find the fuel consumption of the 2.0 Avensis to be fairly thirsty - no more so than the 2.0 Primera it replaces but I was hoping it might have been marginally better. Having said that, my daily commute is only 6 miles there and 6 miles back and 3 miles in each direction is motorway so it gets hammered from cold.

Comfort levels are supurb. The drivers seat is firm but comfy, so much so that I can drive 200 miles without feeling uncomfortable. I've not had any complaints from passengers in that department either. Legroom in the rear is much better than the Primera and also Mondeo with the drivers seat set to my long-legged position. :) The boot is cavernous! I've not yet had cause to put the back seats down and use the car for load-lugging but I'm sure the 60/40 split would be handy if I needed room for four people and five suitcases. :) Engine noise is also kept to a minimum. I've lost count of the times I've had to look at the rev counter just to make sure that the engine is still actually running when I've been stood at traffic lights!

The one true boon on this model is the sat-nav. As I mainly commute to and from work I tend not to use it but on the odd trip to unknown territory the sat-nav has proved to be supurb. Programme your destination in and 'Cindy' (as we affectionately call her) will talk you through the journey right to the door! Missed the turn? No problem, 'Cindy' calculates the easiest way
to get you back onto the correct route. It's not something I particularly need and rarely use but it's damned handy to have for the odd occasion that you venture outside known roads. Enter a city/street name/house number and you are literally guided to the front door!

In typical Japanese style, the car fires up first time everytime and I expect that I could say exactly the same thing in three years time - breakdowns are almost non-existant.

If you are looking for a 2nd hand family car then I can strongly recommend the Avensis. Try a Mondeo, try a Vectra then try an Avensis. If the superior ride doesn't grab you, the reliability of it will! Buy, buy, buy!
Update:

I've now owned this car for two years and have just today put it through the second MOT it's had while I've owned it. It passed, no work necessary just as it did last year! I asked the mechanic if there's anything that I need to get sorted in the next few months and he said nope, everything's fine.

So, in two years of ownership and 26,000 miles it's cost me the following (discounting normal services) :-

Two MOT's
Two sets of pads front, one set rear
Two front tyres, two rear tyres (fitted these a couple of days ago as the pair it had on when I bought it were at their limit)
A set of wipers
One halogen headlamp bulb

And that's it! It starts consistently in all weathers, it goes like sh** off a shovel when I want it to and it's always ready to serve its master despite being generally used and abused.

The fuel consumption is still as bad as it was when I bought it but much of this is down to my very heavy right foot and the fact that it tends to do a lot of short journeys from cold. Considering the reliability of it and lack of maintenance costs I'm happy to pay for more petrol in the knowledge that it's great for carrying loads and it goes like the clappers when I want it to. Swings and roundabouts spring to mind.

Summary: Reliability, Ooomph, Space, Boys Toys

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