Test Drive: Hybrid heaven with the economical Auris

The recent exposure over diesel car emissions has left a lot of people wondering where to look for a car that’s clean and economical.And while petrol powered cars are perhaps the obvious solution more and more are turning to hybrids, which are cleaner and in the bulk of cases even more economical.One of the latest is the new generation Toyota Auris hybrid

(with Android Car Gps) which is not only exceptionally clean and impressively frugal but, along with the whole Auris range, has a totally new look inside and out.

Over a full week with a new Auris I averaged some 61 miles per gallon which, while less than the official consumption figure, is pretty impressive and certainly on a par with most diesels.

And because the car runs on the electric motor for so much of the time the emissions are just 82g/km, so there is no road tax to pay.

The new car has a dramatically new “face” with swept-back headlights and a smaller grille dominated by the Toyota badge. New front bumpers give it a wider, more solid look.

Move inside and you get a much more upmarket look, with the dashboard dominated by the seven-inch gloss black touchscreen with sensor buttons around the outside.

On the Business Edition model that I drove the screen featured the Toyota Touch 2 with Go satellite navigation system as well as controls for audio, climate control and numerous features to alter the setup of the car.

You can also use the screen to show you at any given time whether you are running on engine power, battery power or a combination of the two.

If you opt for the Business Edition model – geared for today’s executives – you also get heated front seats with powered lumbar adjustment as well as cruise control, not to mention a reversing camera. A useful safety pack on my test car featured an automatic high beam system, road sign assist and a collision warning system which flashes a red panel at you when it thinks something is in your path. What about install Android Car Stereo?

The hybrid is controlled via a small joystick-style gear shift which can be operated with just two fingers.

As with most hybrids you tend to move off in complete silence – on electric power – and in crowded areas you have to be careful as pedestrians are often oblivious because of the lack of noise. The car is capable of reaching speeds of up to 44 miles per hour on electric although if you need to progress quickly and put your right foot down firmly the engine will cut in well below that speed.

It’s interesting when cruising along leisurely, however, to see just how long you can keep the car on electric power to save fuel.

You can switch to electric-only for limited periods or alternatively run the car in power mode when you are in a hurry.

But for normal town work eco mode is ideal, giving you the best combination of performance and economy. Whether you are on electric or petrol power, however, the Auris is remarkably quiet in the cabin thanks to improvements in insulation, and changes to the suspension and steering have improved both the comfort and the handling which is now pin sharp.

So if you are looking for economy and have lost faith in diesel take a look at the new Auris hybrid.

You will not be disappointed. If installing an Car DVD in your car, that would be great!