The first time I laid eyes on my new company car, Toyota's latest Auris, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Visually, it didn't look that different to its predecessor. But appearances can be deceptive - as I was about the find out over the next six months on the road.

The first thing I discovered about the car in general use was that it was deceptively spacious, even if at first, it's a design that appears to be relatively compact. Quite the reverse. In fact, there's acres of space (compared at least to other cars in the Focus/Astra-sized class) in the front, the rear & the boot.

It also didn't take long for me to appreciate how Toyota's build quality shines through, even on small points like instrument presentation, fit of mats, the feel of the driver's handbook and so on. The designers have really thought about the little touches too - for example, the way that the vanity lights only operate when the sun visor is angled towards driver or passenger.

The marketing material that came with the car made much of its 'floating' instrument console set-up but I couldn't see much practical benefit to it, or to the dash top box. Having said that, some of my colleagues rather liked the arrangement. I suppose it does at least show some design originality.

On the road? Well, like most business users, I've been clocking up the miles in the D4-D diesel model, complete with a 2.0-litre engine which, though not able to deliver urgent performance, is certainly quite brisk as well as being relaxing and easy to drive. The handling too, is relaxed, yet capable. I was impressed also by the way that the engine is generally very quiet. The 6-speed gearbox helps here, providing very low revs at cruising speeds.

"The first thing I discovered about the car in general use was that it was deceptively spacious.."

I've been trying a five-door hatch but three-door versions are also on offer. Other engines in the range include a 96bhp 1.4 VVT-i unit and a 122bhp 1.6-litre Dual VVT-i powerplant that raises fuel efficiency and power output compared to the old Corolla's 1.6-litre lump. Business users like me will ignore all of that and turn the page to see what diesels are on offer. Apart from the 130bhp 2.0-litre D4-D unit I've been trying, I could have opted for either a 1.4-litre D4-D, good for 89bhp or, at the top of the range, a 2.2-litre D4-D 180 which churns out 175bhp and is one of the best compact diesel engines around, offering fully 36bhp more than its 2.2-litre diesel rival, the Honda Civic. You'll need a lot more detail than this of course, so if you're considering this car as part of a small fleet of up to 25 vehicles in your business, it's well worth contacting your local Toyota dealership's Business Centre.

In creating the Auris, Toyota say that their engineers started with the passengers and then worked outwards, maximising occupant space with elements such as a flat passenger floor and high window surfaces. It's worked. My notes tell me that this car's all-new 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 latest 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.

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.

Gripes? Well, at first, the gear change indicator annoyed me, but it does demonstrate the engine's flexibility. If you learn to adapt to it, the fuel economy does improve, though not to the level of Toyota's claims.

Overall? Well, I'm not due to hand the keys back just yet and I have to say that I'm quite glad about the fact. No, this isn't by any stretch of the imagination the most charismatic Family Hatch you can buy but it may just be the most sensible choice for business users like me when all-round ease of use and running costs are taken into account. I think, once word gets round, the Auris will sell to fleets in numbers that will be a lot greater than many rivals are reckoning on..

TOP 5 AURIS DEALS

The results below show the top AURIS deals on buyacar

	Toyota Auris 2.2 D-4D SR180 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £307	Saving £1,731	Price £16,809
	Toyota Auris 1.6 VVTi TR 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £237	Saving £1,233	Price £12,807
	Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4D T2 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £228	Saving £1,229	Price £12,721
	Toyota Auris 2.0 D-4D TR 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £260	Saving £1,415	Price £14,225
	Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4D T3 5dr MM Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £256	Saving £1,399	Price £14,101

typical 12.25% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000