The Verdict: Toyota Auris T180

Specifications

Price: £18,395

Engine: 2.2-litre diesel

Performance: 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds; 130mph top speed; 45.6mpg

CO2: 164g/km

Worth considering: Honda Civic 2.2CTDi; Mazda3 TD Sport; Fiat Bravo 1.9 Multijet Sport

From the outside, you would be hard pressed to guess what this car is. Especially in black livery, it seems to be particularly effective at hiding its inoffensive lines. It looks, basically, very generic, very modern hatch. Like a Kia C'eed, say.

If you notice the badge, though, you'll probably recognise it as a Toyota. Then you'd conclude that it's a Corolla. That's if you wanted to spend that much time trying to identify the car in front of you.

You'd be nearly right, though; this is indeed the successor to the very last Corolla. Toyota has (at least as far as Europe is concerned) scrapped that famous nameplate, which has appeared on the boots of more cars than any other nameplate in history. After 40 years of making Corollas, and after becoming the world's biggest car-manufacturer (bar the shouting), Toyota must have concluded that its brand is at last strong enough to allow it to consign the Corolla name to history and strike out for a newer image.

Which is where the Auris rolls in. And boy, does it roll. Now, I know that a Germanically hard ride can be a greatly overrated thing in a car, and I have written more than once about my fondness for old-fashioned, softly sprung, roly-poly French automobiles, but even I am not sure I like my cars set up quite like this. On the other hand, I had managed to twist my back quite badly before getting into the Auris, and I was actually rather glad of its cosseting ways.

The interior of the T180, the "flagship" model, is remarkably well appointed, with many of the accoutrements you'd only expect to find in cars a class up. In fact, the Toyota people have worked wonders on the decor of this vehicle, using the nicest materials I've encountered on one of their cars (and yes, I know that's not saying much). It has a pleasantly modern ambience, all of which is a big step forward from the Corolla. The gearstick has been moved halfway up the centre console, MPV style, and the handbrake has been dragged along with it, so that the handle is now vertical. It's odd, but effective.

The only niggle I have is the lack of a multi-disc CD player. I'm not up with the kids on the MP3 front yet, and it's tiresome to have to fiddle about with all my naff music CDs (usually the ones that fall out of newspapers for free).

Anyway, apart from the rolling around bit, the Auris acquits itself well. It's refined, not as quick as it ought to be, and very easy to drive. Just like every Corolla ever was.

The Verdict

Malkit Gangar, 33, Auditor, Leicester

Usual Car: Ford Focus

The car looks good. You may mistake it for a Yaris from a distance. It's a spacious vehicle with a great driving position and a bit more height than other cars in its class. There's bags of leg room in the back which was surprising for a three-door. The windscreen is big and that means the pillars are wide and can obscure the view. The diesel is quite and very responsive for a 1.8. Power was more than adequate. The ride is very soft, maybe too soft on a country road. The steering seems too sensitive: with slight movement the car moves. The Toyota Auris is a reasonable car which competes in the same class as the Focus and Golf. But I would still stick with the Focus.

Riz Pervez, 33, Regional trainer, Leicester

Usual Car: Audi A6, Toyota Auris T180 D4D

I was pleasantly surprised by the Auris. Not only was the diesel engine quiet, but the seating was extremely roomy and comfortable. The cabin was extremely well laid out with easy access to all the dials and controls. The only slight irritation was the car letting you know when to change up or down. Other than that, the car was comfortable, handled pretty well, except around sharp corners, where it felt as if you would lose the back end. The car had incredible pick up and you really felt the power when you put the pedal to the floor. If you want a practical, economical, fun car this may be the one for you.

Sohail Ahmed, 39, IT project manager, London

Usual Car: Honda CR-V

The Auris's exterior with its snub-nosed front and a rather squat rear looked bland. The interior, however, more than makes up for exterior's deficiencies. The "floating" central console houses the handbrake, gear lever, and the amber displays for the fuel, time and temperature. The driving position is good with excellent visibility. The T180 diesel model is surprisingly quiet and smooth but is let down slightly by the lag in response when accelerating. The T180 is a decent enough car. Ultimately, however, despite the 2.2-litre engine, the drive is not as fun or as sporty as I had expected. The Civic R is more enjoyable.

If you would like to take part, email motoring@indepen dent.co.uk or write to: The Verdict, Features Department, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, giving your address, phone number and details of the car, if any, you drive. For most cars, participants must be over 26 and have a clean licence.

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