A Premium Ride from the Moment You Open the Door

Even before you start driving, the Avensis hints at a premium experience. The satisfyingly solid thud as the doors close draws you into a refined driving space. Its exceptional body rigidity and suspension that grips the road create a driving quality that far surpasses the standards of Japanese cars. This is the Avensis.

Developed as a Europe-exclusive model in 1998. Europe's higher average speeds and less-than-perfect road surfaces naturally demand a higher level of fundamental automotive performance. The Avensis is a station wagon that embodies the driving feel honed over many years in such an environment.

The first aspects to note are the rigidity of the chassis and the well-tuned suspension. Particularly when cornering, there's a sense of the car moving as a single, cohesive unit, without any feeling of body flex.

The suspension, featuring MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear, offers a smooth, refined feel at low speeds and tenacious grip at medium to high speeds. This is largely due to the clever setup of the stabilizer bars and high-performance shock absorbers with rebound springs that excel at following road contours. The brakes are four-wheel discs with high-friction pads, providing excellent stopping power.

A suspension tuned on diverse European roads offers a distinct character.

The 3ZR-FAE engine (with Valvematic), already well-regarded in models like the Voxy.

Optitron meters with illumination control.

Engine Technology Leading Global Trends

The engine also employs technology that leads global trends. It's the 3ZR-FAE unit (with Valvematic), which revs smoothly and boasts excellent environmental performance. In addition to Toyota's familiar Dual VVT-i, which continuously controls valve timing, Valvematic further enhances combustion efficiency and reduces pumping losses by steplessly controlling the intake valve lift.

The result is high output of 112kW (152PS) at 6,200 rpm and maximum torque of 196N・m (20.0kgf・m) at 4,000 rpm, coupled with impressive fuel economy of 13.6 km/ℓ (JC08 mode)※ (14.6 km/ℓ in 10-15 mode). This achieves high environmental performance while providing a very pleasing throttle response.

The transmission is a Super CVT-i, a continuously variable transmission with a 7-speed Sport Sequential Shiftmatic mode. Paddle shifters allow for gear changes without removing your hands from the steering wheel, not only in M mode but also when driving in D. This provides smooth acceleration with no shift shock or power loss.

In addition to its superior fundamental performance honed in Europe, the Avensis also excels in collision safety. It achieved the highest rating of 5 stars in the Euro NCAP full-width frontal crash test. The SRS airbags, including front, knee, side, and curtain shield airbags for front and rear occupants, mitigate impact from frontal and side collisions.

The Avensis's premium ride quality is born from the high fundamental performance demanded by discerning drivers in Europe, combined with Toyota's meticulous craftsmanship.


※ Fuel consumption figures are based on specified test conditions. Actual fuel consumption may vary depending on your driving environment (weather, traffic, etc.) and driving style (sudden acceleration, air conditioning use, etc.). The JC08 mode is a new test method designed to more closely reflect real-world driving compared to the 10-15 mode, and generally results in slightly lower fuel consumption figures.

Toyota Avensis
※ Initial model
Body | Length 4,765 × Width 1,810 × Height 1,480mm
Wheelbase | 2,700mm
Curb Weight | 1,470kg
Engine | 1.986-liter inline 4-cylinder DOHC
Max Output | 112kW (152PS) / 6,200 rpm
Max Torque | 196N・m (20.0kgf・m) / 4,000 rpm