2015 Toyota Avensis Touring Sports 1.6L 6MT FWD (143 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Toyota introduced a second facelift for the Avensis’s third generation in 2015 and made it compatible with the Euro 6b emission standards that were mandatory starting with January that year, making it available either as a sedan or as a station wagon.

The Avensis was already a known nameplate for European customers, and the D-segment Toyota competed against vehicles such as the Ford Mondeo, the Opel Insignia, and the Volkswagen Passat. However, the Japanese automaker tried to get a bigger slice of the station wagon market with a vehicle that was launched in 2009 but revised in 2012 with a first facelift and then again in 2015. Even though there was a big difference compared to the initial version, in all aspects, the car’s overall shape couldn’t hide the fact that it relied on an older platform. Toyota named this version of the Avensis Touring Sports.

At the front, the car had new headlights that featured LED daytime running lights and were swept back on the sides, like on the 2012 facelifted version. Furthermore, the broad and slim V-shaped grille sported a chromed slat that supported the carmaker’s badge in the middle, and underneath was a fat bumper that incorporated the main cooling area, split in two reversed trapezoidal shapes. On the sides of the lower bumper, Toyota installed the fog lamps into individual clusters. Last but not least, the apron featured a lower slat that looked like a sports car’s splitter.

From its profile, the 2015 Touring Sports had the same slightly sloped-down roof that created the image of a shooting brake vehicle. Furthermore, the automaker darkened the B- and the C-pillars to emphasize the sporty look of the vehicle. In addition, Toyota made the car available with aerodynamically profiled side sills that slightly lowered the ground clearance. Customers could also opt for 17” or 18” alloy wheels. Finally, the back of the car sported new taillights that featured LED technology and sported a shape that echoed the headlights. They also made the car look wider, a sensation amplified by the chromed horizontal slat that crossed the tailgate.

Inside, Toyota stepped up the design and offered customers an instrument cluster with a binocular style, where the speedometer and tachometer were installed in separate clusters and flanked a 4.2” color TFT multi-information screen from the second-grade level up. Moreover, the center stack housed an 8-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, which was available as an option. In the back, the split-folding (60/40) bench seat was wide enough for three adults. In the trunk, the Touring Sports revealed its station wagon roots and offered several compartments for small items and hooks to keep the grocery bags in place.

Toyota also worked on the car’s platform. Its McPherson struts up front and multi-link rear suspension were recalibrated to give the car a sportier handling. Under the hood, the automaker installed a choice of diesel and gasoline engines, and for some of them, it worked with BMW to produce.