Auris blows hot - and cold

Toyota South Africa has caught the opposition napping! The firm launched the Auris HSD last week and this marks the first introduction of full hybrid technology to one of its mainstream models.

Furthermore, this five-door hatchback has the distinction of being the only full hybrid in the C-segment.

And the news gets even better! Toyota says that in the next decade it will have hybrid synergy drive (HSD) in all its standard production vehicles.

Talk about the opposition getting caught with their pants down!

Nobody is even close to doing the same except, perhaps, for Nissan which will launch its electric vehicle, the Leaf, in 2013.

As for South Africa's Optimal Energy with the Joule, that's becoming a pipedream I'm afraid - they remain ominously silent, almost two years behind their own self-imposed deadlines.

But getting back to the Auris.

As they say on TV - there's more! Toyota also launched the Auris TRD, a supercharged performance car for the enthusiast.

"The Auris TRD signals the return of the driver's car. This new model is just the start of the performance evolution that will sweep across more of the Toyota range," says Kerry Roodt, general manager of Toyota Marketing Communications.

The hybrid system's 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine in combination with the electric motor - the same one used in the Prius - enables the Auris HSD to accelerate to 100km/h in a 11.4 seconds and go on to a top speed of 180km/h.

The HSD has on tap 142Nm of torque at 4000rpm from the petrol motor and a remarkable peak of 207Nm from the electric motor which is on stream right from zero revs.

The British-built, lightweight, compact four-cylinder 1798cc Atkinson cycle petrol engine has a maximum output of 73kW at 5200rpm.

By adopting the Atkinson cycle and by using a cooling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, Toyota has achieved significant gains in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

The hybrid's electric motor/generator produces 60kW.

Powered by the hybrid battery, it works in tandem with the petrol engine to boost acceleration and, when the vehicle is switched to electric vehicle (EV) mode, operates alone to power the driven wheels.

Toyota says that during deceleration, and under braking, the electric motor works as a high-output generator to effect regenerative braking. This recovers kinetic energy as electrical energy for storage in the battery which means there is never a need for the battery to be recharged from an external source.

On the road the hybrid performs well and there's very little to notice when switching between applications, except for the silence when the electric motor is working.

Performance and handling are more than adequate. The Auris HSD's major drawcard is fuel consumption. The average figure is given as 3.8l/100km and CO2 emissions of 89g/km, making it exempt from emissions tax. As for performance, the TRD is not quite what I expected from a supercharged engine and is deceptively quick through the revs.

The lowered suspension and stiffer shocks and torsion bar add to handling. However, I would like to have seen the TRD fitted with low-profile tyres.

The TRD is based on the popular Auris Sport X hatch - just 200 of these special limited edition models will be built. The 1.6-litre 16-valve Sport X engine is the starting point.

There's a 36% improvement in power - from 97kW to 132kW at 6400rpm - and a 27% hike in torque from 160Nm to 203Nm at 5200rpm.

Will the two models sell?

The HSD is seen as a step in the right direction on the green front, but the South African public has been slow to take up the green cudgels.

The TRD is a car which fills a gap in Toyota's lineup and with only 200 vehicles to be built, it's an experiment to see how Joe Soap and the Dlaminis react to it. Make no mistake, anything with a Toyota badge is bound to sell well. The brand is that strong!

The Specs:

Auris HYBRID XS and XR HSD

Engine: 1.8 litre four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC

Power: Petrol: 73kW at 5200rpm, electric 60kW

Torque: Petrol 142Nm at 4000rpm, electric 207Nm

Acceleration: 0 to 100km/h 11.4 seconds

Top Speed: 180km/h

Fuel consumption: 3.8l/100km: 4.0 l/100km HR

CO2: 89g/km 93g/km

Prices: Auris XS HSD - R267200; Auris XR HSD - R289800

Auris TRD

Engine: 1.6 litre four-cylinders 16 -valve DOHC supercharged

Power: 132kW at 6400rpm

Torque: 203Nm at 5200rpm

Acceleration: 0 to 100km/h 9 seconds

Top Speed: 220km/h (limited)

Fuel consumption: 7.5 l/100km

CO2: 180g/km

Price: To be announced

We like:

Hybrid's ground-breaking technology

We don't like:

Why no low profile tyres?