Review of the new Toyota Auris 1.33 VVT-i

Toyota's Auris is one of those family hatchbacks that gets better the closer you look at it. That's certainly the case with the advanced 1.33 Dual VVT-i petrol engine with Stop&Start technology installed. Most buyers in this sector who prioritise low emissions and economy will look to diesel engines but the Auris presents a viable petrol powered alternative.

Excitement can be overrated. After all, new car sales figures suggest that most family buyers take the safe option - a car that prioritises sensible virtues. A car in fact, like Toyota's Auris, a family hatchback that concentrates on getting the basics right. With a 1.33-litre VVT-i petrol engine and Stop&Start technology, it's more sensible still.

Toyota has been positioning itself at the forefront of the drive to lower fuel consumption and emissions in our cars. It pioneered petrol/electric hybrid technology with its Prius but in recent times, its efforts have been overshadowed somewhat by other marques leaping aboard the green bandwagon in their droves with environmentally-focused models of their own. Toyota's response is what it calls Optimal Drive Technology, a programme to be implemented across its model range (rather than being restricted to specific derivatives) which uses various measures to improve efficiency. The Auris 1.33 VVT-i uses Optimal Drive Technology and Toyota's Stop&Start system to boost its green credentials.

For reasons that may not be immediately apparent, Toyota would like us to refer to its 1.3-litre Dual VVT-i engine as a 1.33-litre. This reluctance to round down is rooted in a desire to underline the fact that this is a modern powerplant developed specifically to work in tandem with Toyota's Stop&Start system and not merely Toyota's old faithful 1.3 with Stop&Start bolted on. In the Auris range, it actually replaced a 1.4-litre VVT-i unit but engineers have concentrated on reducing its size and weight to the extent that it's similar in size to the three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine fitted to the Aygo and iQ citycars. That this 1.33-litre unit is also available in the iQ illustrates just how little it is. The engine develops 100bhp and a maximum torque output of 132Nm at 3,800rpm, which equates to an impressive 100Nm per litre. The 0-60mph performance of 13.1s isn't stellar but neither is it the point of this Auris.

"Good-sized family hatchbacks like this with petrol engines capable of nearly 49mpg aren't too common."

We've seen elsewhere in the automotive world how much can be achieved in terms of efficiency gains when a number of apparently small improvements are made to work together. The 1.33-litre Auris certainly has a big collection of small improvements in its locker. Its cylinders have been specially designed and weigh just 180g each compared to 280g in the old 1.4-VVT-i engine. The air intake channel has been streamlined to optimise air flow, the intake manifold is made of lightweight resin and the camshaft profile was tweaked to cut weight and friction. On top of all that, there's Toyota's Dual VVT-i intelligent variable valve timing technology and, of course, Stop&Start.

When it comes to styling and design with this Auris, practicality is everything. The car's platform has an overall length of 4,220mm incorporating a 2,600mm wheelbase. This means that the wheelbase represents 61.6 per cent of the car's total length. The higher the percentage, the more space is afforded to people rather than oily bits. By contrast, the current Ford Focus, a model which is generally seen as an exemplar of smart packaging in this class, has a 58.5 per cent wheelbase to length and even something like the SEAT Leon manages a mere 59.7 per cent figure.

With an overall height of 1,515 and a width of 1,760mm, the Auris is one of the biggest family hatches around, although the shape does much to disguise this bulk. Inside the materials are of a decent quality and the whole thing feels built to last. The steeply angled centre console which drops down between the seats gives a hint of individuality and the controls couldn't be much more straightforward to use.

Three and five door bodystyles are offered to Auris customers, along with a pair of trim levels - T2 and TR. As you'd expect from Toyota, standard equipment levels are excellent. The T2 model includes air conditioning, front electric windows, an MP3-compatible CD stereo, anti lock brakes and 15-inch steel wheels.

Which leaves that issue of safety, a vital one for any car seeking success in this sector to crack. Look at the facts and it's soon clear that the Auris didn't achieve its Five Star Euro NCAP safety rating by accident. The combination of a driver knee airbag and a collapsible steering column were key factors in the 35 point, 5-star result for adult occupant protection. A 'Minimal Intrusion' cabin design and up to nine airbags boost its safety rating from the start and contribute to the 4-star performance this car also achieved for child occupant protection. Another key benefit in this respect is the way that ISOFIX anchorage points have been included on the outer rear seats. Euro NCAP also awarded Toyota a class-leading three out of four-star rating for pedestrian protection.

The Auris 1.33-litre is brimming with innovations intended to make it more efficient and gentler on the planet but it's Stop&Start that gets top billing. In a conventional car that's stuck in traffic or waiting at the lights, the engine is running and burning fuel but in this Auris, as soon as you depress the clutch and move the six-speed gearbox into neutral, the engine stops. Release the clutch and it restarts again seamlessly so the theory is that the presence of Stop&Start should have no impact on the way you drive. Together with the other engineering and design solutions on the car, this helps the Auris 1.33 to a 48.7mpg combined economy figure and emissions of 135g/km. There are a number of diesel-engined economy models that out strip the Auris 1.33-litre on economy and emissions but if you prefer the lower upfront costs and lower fuel prices of a petrol car, there isn't much in the family hatch sector to better it.

At first glance, a 1.33-litre Toyota Auris may not present much scope for excitement but it's a car of its time. The rising cost of motoring is pushing economy and emissions up the priorities lists of the car buying public and for those forced into valuing mpg more highly than bhp, this unassuming Auris could hold a strong attraction. Good-sized family hatchbacks with petrol engines capable of nearly 49mpg aren't too common and the core Auris strengths of build quality and reliability will also appeal to the mindset of people who just want a car to do a job with the minimum of fuss and expense.

The advanced 1.33-litre engine saves weight through its compact size and achieves excellent efficiency levels through its innovative design. With Stop&Start technology taking a further edge off running costs, it's a talented unit that suits the Toyota Auris well.