Category Archives: Motor reviews

Electric/hybrid, Estate/Sport Tourer, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, Toyota, Vehicle type

The hero returns

Leave a comment
Toyota Corolla Tourer by Bill McCarthy

IT takes courage, or a leap of faith, to change the name of the world’s best selling car. But Toyota decided to replace the Corolla in Europe with a new name and the Auris was born around 13 years ago.

Now the Corolla is back, in turn replacing the Auris, but is it a triumphant return?

Production of the new 12th generation Corolla Hatchback and Touring Sports wagon started at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s Burnaston factory in Derbyshire at the beginning of 2019 with a simplified line-up of engines, one petrol and two petrol, self-charging hybrids.

There’s no doubt it is an eye-catching car, particularly in the tourer or estate form driven here.

It is constructed on Toyota’s New Global Architecture platform offering low centre of gravity, light weight and strong rigidity for a better driving experience and enhanced safety levels say Toyota.

The hatchback and touring sports offer a choice of an improved 1.8-litre with 120bhp and a new 2.0-litre system developing 180bhp, while the petrol only is  a 114bhp 1.2-litre turbo unit.

In common with many tourers now, the Corolla offers styling to match the hatchback sibling.

It has a swooping, coupe-like profile enhanced by it being 25mm closes to the ground than previous models. A front end is, say Toyota, an evolution of the catamaran design theme. You can see what they mean, the large low set grille flanked by the front wing corners, giving the appearance of a double hull. This is complemented by slim headlight cluster.

The rear also features  full-LED light clusters, with a more steeply raked rear screen and on this model, twin exhaust pipes.

It looks good outside and inside is pretty good too with new front seat design and a slimmer dashboard and wider, higher centre console. New  switchgear and instrumentation have also been introduced  while the Toyota Touch 2 with Go multimedia system is the centrepiece, although it does look like it has been bolted on as an afterthought.

All specs come with automatic rear camera, LED headlights, heated front seats with this range topper all kinds of bells and whistles like 18-inch alloy wheels Bi-LED headlights and part-leather seat upholstery.

Trim is the best yet with with the use of quality soft touch finish, satin chrome trim to steering wheel, doors, binnacle and gearshift housing together with piano black trim.

As a tourer stowage capacity needs to be good and the vehicle has a 598-litre capacity in the 1.8-litre version, but space is slightly compromised with this two litre version at 581 litres, with battery being placed under the boot.

However carrying capacity can be increased massively with the one touch remote lever folding the rear seats for a fully flat floor, while side wall storage pockets behind the rear wheel housings add extra capacity. Not class leading, but more than adequate for most needs.

The two litre petrol engine/electric motor hybrid setup is the best so far in a brand the pioneered the techology.

It delivers decent  pace and economy via a CVT transmission. Not always my favourite transmission, but this one is the least raucous I have driven and only becomes annoying with sudden, harsh acceleration.

Toyota have stuck with self-charging hybrids, which they pioneered with the Prius, and they have improved to the point where transition from petrol to electric is seamless and there’s no worry over finding charging points. Long term it may not be the answer, but it’s a clever setup with low emissions for taxation and benefit in kind purposes.

Engine and motor combine to deliver 180bhp, which propels the car to 60mph in around eight seconds with claimed economy of between 50 and 60mpg.

Obviously, the lighter your right foot is on the pedal, the more electric power is delivered and this is especially true in slow moving traffic, where the car runs on electric power.

A stylish return of a familiar name. It is a fine car and cheap to run. A triumphant return? The signs are good.

Factfile

Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Excel 2.0 hybrid+

Price: £30,345

Mechanical: 180bhp, 1,987cc, 4cyl petrol engine and electric motor driving front wheels via automatic gearbox

Max speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 8.1 seconds

Combined mpg: 50-53

CO2 emissions: 89g/km

Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles

Citroen, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, MPV, Vehicle type

Leading the space race

Leave a comment

Citroen Space Tourer

By Bill McCarthy

AN eight seat people carrier will naturally appeal to a limited audience. People carrier is the clue really, a large family with upwards of three children and family pets, a taxi perhaps specialising in airport runs, or a shuttle bus, used by hotels or conferences or someone with a disability needing wheelchair space.

Whichever it is, it needs to be spacious, comfortable and practical and cheap(ish) to run.

The Space Tourer has offered that combination and has now added even more with the newest engine/gearbox combination of two-litre diesel engine with eight-speed automatic gearbox.

This  powertrain on the model driven here combines the 177bhp stop/start diesel engine with the seamlessly smooth eight-speed gearbox.

Priced at £1,700 above the 1.5-litre manual manual in equivalent trim, this new combination offers real value and flexibility and comfort, especially for this who spend a fair amount of time behind the wheel.

It also offers an improvement in braked trailer weight, capable of towing up to 2.3 tonnes.

The smooth revving engine packs quite a punch, even with six aboard, while the ride, which can crash around a bit when empty, evens out with more weight in the vehicle. The vehicle can reach 60mph in just under nine seconds, while delivery economy at around the 40mpg mark.

It handles surprisingly well, the wheel in each corner set up means it feels well planted when cornering and feels very car-like despite its van-like capacity. It is also very well built with soft touch finish and robust switchgear, while all eight seats are comfortable and this case leather trimmed.

This particular version offers most of those creature comforts which benefit both driver and passengers including  privacy glass and powered sliding doors.

All versions are well equipped with even the entry-level model getting cruise control, electric windows, air conditioning and rear parking sensors, while this version adds Park Assist and Citroen’s 180-degree camera system, driver and front passenger ‘captain’s chairs’ with electric adjustment, heating and massage function, plus panoramic glass sunroof, head-up display and blind spot monitoring.

The dash is dominated by multi-function screen which controls  smart phone connectivity, navigation and infotainment.

You would perhaps not expect a vehicle of this nature to win any beauty competitions and while it may not be a showstopper, it does have a certain Gallic charm, typical of the Citroen brand with its raked windscreen, slim grille incorporating the signature Citroen chevrons, black air intakes and wraparound headlights with smart ‘Curve’ alloy wheels.

Access to the rear seats is easy peasy via remote-opening sliding electric doors, but clambering in to the front, proved less than dignified affair at times for my shorter other half.

However, the whole interior has a spacious feel thanks to large glass areas, while the large rear tailgate gives easy access to larger items, wheelchairs or prams perhaps.

It is a large boot area with the rearmost three folded, otherwise stowage space is limited with all three row in situ. But both the rear and middle row slide forward, tumble and fold opening up a cavern of space.

There are plenty of other storage areas in the doors, cupholders and a refrigerated glovebox.

Family-friendly features also include rail mounted rear seats, child observation mirror and six sets of Isofix mounting points with top tethers. In terms of size, both trims Feel and Flair trim driven here are available in Medium and XL, with this model offering an additional 35cm of overall length. As usual it is packed with safety kit.

At approaching £45,000, it is a big investment, but if it is what you need, it has  plenty to offer.

Factfile

Citroen Space Tourer Flair BlueHDi 2.0

Price: £44,510

Mechanical: 177bhp, 1,997cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 8-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 115mph

0-62mph: 8.5 seconds

Combined mpg: 40.6

Insurance group: 22  

CO2 emissions: 149g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles