2007 Toyota Avensis

Even greater driving pleasure

Based on customers feedback, Toyota’s engineers have reassessed every aspect of the Avensis to improve its performance in road noise, ride comfort, steering response and high speed stability. As a result, refinement and driving pleasure are brought to new levels with a series of technical enhancements to the suspension, steering system and vehicle aerodynamics. In the McPherson strut front suspension the anti-roll bar has been increased in diameter to reduce body roll under cornering and achieve a flatter ride. The shock absorber damping force has also been retuned.

There has also been extensive retuning of the double wishbone rear suspension to improve its dynamic performance. Bushes in the suspension arms and the suspension carrier have been softened to achieve more compliance and the shock absorber damping force has also been retuned. At the same time, the rear anti-roll bar has been reduced in diameter in order to allow slightly better turn in to corners.

These suspensions changes improve all aspects of driving performance, including reduced road noise, improved ride comfort, steering feel and cornering and braking stability. Working with the suspension retuning, there are several changes in the steering system to improve steering response. These include significantly stiffer steering house mount bushes, reinforcement of steering support member and stiffer joints within the steering main shaft.

Excellent safety package

The Toyota Avensis is one of the safest upper-medium segment cars on the road in Europe today with a five star EuroNCAP rating. The Avensis was one of the first upper-medium cars to achieve this high rating and the 34 points scored still places it among class leaders. The superior safety of the Toyota Avensis comes in part from its strong, rigid body structure, which provides both a safety cell for the occupants and a platform for the advanced suspension package.

The 2007 Avensis is available with nine airbags, among these an SRS knee airbag for the driver. The driver and front-seat passenger’s airbags have dual-stage inflators which adjust the inflation pressure depending on the severity of the impact. At the same time, the driver’s airbag features a seat-position sensor, which checks the seat slide position.

The 2007 Avensis employs the latest-generation ABS system and increases its effectiveness with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) and BA (Brake Assist). Highly advanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC) are standard across the 2007 Avensis range in Europe (not 1.6-litre petrol in selected markets).

Low cost of ownership

The Avensis already benefits from low repair and maintenance costs and has the highest residual value in the segment across key European markets1. The 2007 Avensis builds on the model’s already excellent record of low repair costs; relevant in achieving one of the best classifications in the segment in European markets where insurance costs are based on class rating.

Much work has gone into extending service intervals and reducing maintenance times. The cumulative maintenance time after 100,000km for the petrol engines and (2.2) D-4D engines is the lowest in the segment at 4.2 hours. The benefits, and the outstanding reliability of Avensis, are being widely recognised by customers across Europe and have contributed to the high demand for the car among used car buyers – raising residual values and reducing whole life costs.