Toyota UK Prices Auris Hybrid, Only Slightly Cheaper than Prius, Far More Expensive than Insight

The all-new, British-built Auris Hybrid will arrive at Toyota's UK dealerships in the beginning of July with prices starting from £18,950 on-the-road for the basic T4 and from £20,700 for the better equipped T Spirit model.

The pricing for the hybrid variant of the Auris hatchback is surprisingly close to Toyota's dedicated Prius Hybrid which ranges from £19,505 to £22,610 and far more expensive than the Honda Insight that starts from £16,235.

The Auris Hybrid makes use of the same powertrain found in the Prius combining 1.8-liter petrol engine and an electric motor for a total output of 134-horsepower. It completes the nought to 62mph (100km/h) acceleration in 11.4 seconds and tops out at 112mph or 180km/h.

When fitted with 15-inch wheels, combined cycle fuel economy is 74.3 mpg UK (3.8lt/100km or 61.8 mpg US) and CO2 emissions are 89 g/km; with the 17-inch wheel option it returns 70.6 mpg UK ( 4.0lt/100km or 58.8 mpg US) and 93 g/km of CO2.

Key features of the standard T₄ include: -

• Climate control air conditioning
  
• Six-speaker audio with CD, radio, MP3 file player
  
• USB and Aux-in connection
  
• Front and rear electric windows
  
• Electric, heated door mirrors
  
• Front fog lights
  
• LED running lights
  
• Colour-matched door handles and mirrors
  
• Push-button start
  
• Seven airbags, including driver's knee airbag
  
• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC)
  
• Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
  

T Spirit grade adds the following items: -

• Leather and Alcantara upholstery
  
• Cruise control
  
• Bluetooth
  
• Dusk-sensing headlamps
  
• Rain-sensing windscreen wipers
  
• Smart Entry and Start
  
• Auto-dimming electrochromatic rear view mirror
  
• Rear view camera display in rear view mirror
  

An optional Navigation Pack, providing satellite navigation, rear camera and rear parking sensors, costs £1,200, and Bluetooth can be specified for the T4 version for £285.

2010 Toyota Auris Facelift: New Photo Gallery from European Presentation

We've already seen details and a pair of official photos of Toyota's refreshed 2010 Auris for the European market, but now we have a comprehensive image gallery of both the three- and five-door hatchback versions of the car shot during a media event in Europe.

For 2010, the Auris has been pepped up with a new front end that includes a restyled grille, swept-back headlamps, new bumper and revised bonnet profile, while at the back, the tail lamp clusters are revised and there's a new rear bumper with extended corner sections.

Inside, the new Auris has been upgraded with a new centre console and revised Optitron dials with white illumination, while Toyota also added soft-touch materials on the top of the instrument panel and around the glovebox.

Under the skin, Toyota's engineers fine tuned the Auris' suspension and speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The standard Auris retains its current range of petrol and diesel engines and six-speed manual and MultiMode transmissions.

The facelifted Auris will have its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March alongside the production version of the Auris HSD Hybrid.

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Photos: UP

New Toyota Auris HSD with Prius Hybrid Drivetrain Revealed in Production Guise

Along with the redesigned RAV-4 SUV and the revamped Auris, Toyota's presentation at next month's Geneva Salon will also included the world premiere of the showroom-ready, full hybrid Auris HSD that was first teased through a concept model at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Programmed to be added to the European Auris line-up in July, the HSD will be Toyota's first hybrid model to be built in Europe at the firm's Burnaston factory in the UK.

The Japanese automaker is still keeping details of the powertrain under wraps, but from what we know, the Auris HSD will share the same gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain as the third-generation Prius.

The latter is fitted with a 98HP 1.8 liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to an electric motor that give it an overall rating of 134 horsepower.

And like the Prius hybrid, the Auris HSD will have the ability to run on battery power alone in zero-emissions mode.

The Auris HSD is based on the freshly facelifted version of the conventionally-powered Auris hatchbacks that will also have their first public outing at the Geneva Show next month.

The styling of the production model is less fancy than the concept, with the HSD featuring new bumpers with flat corners and a different grille than the petrol/diesel-only Auris models.