Used Toyota Avensis 2015-2018 review

It’s easy to forget when writing about cars for a living that there are people out there who don’t view the car as something to savour and enjoy. They just want a car that’s comfortable, reasonably economical, quiet, well equipped and, above all, reliable. If that's you, a used Toyota Avensis may well be just what you're looking for.

Available as a saloon or an estate, this iteration of the Avensis is a heavily updated version of the 2009-2015 model. The outside was given similar styling cues to the smaller Auris, the interior was made slightly plusher and a new range of diesel engines (provided by BMW) was introduced to make the Avensis more competitive with other executive cars in terms of running costs.

There are two diesel options: an economical 109bhp 1.6-litre unit and a 141bhp 2.0-litre unit. The larger engine is best if you regularly carry five people, but the 1.6-litre is fine so long as you don’t wish to overtake anything faster than a milk float. Neither engine option is particularly hushed and you’ll notice a fair amount of vibration coming through the pedals and steering wheel. The sole petrol, a 145bhp 1.8-litre unit, is the only engine you can get with an automatic gearbox, but it’s rather short on torque and requires plenty of revs to make progress, making it a bit unrefined.

Space inside is fine, and there's plenty of adjustment for the driver in both the seat and steering wheel, although the base Active model is best avoided, since it doesn’t get adjustable lumbar support. The interior quality isn’t a patch on that of rivals such as the Volkswagen Passat, while the infotainment system is slow to respond, not that intuitive to use and lacking more modern smartphone functionality such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Although rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and Skoda Superb are bigger inside, the Avensis still has plenty of leg room for passengers in the rear. Plus, the floor is completely flat, which is a rarity in this sector and means that three people across the rear bench is a more agreeable affair. The boot is a decent size, although its opening can be quite restrictive when you're trying to load taller items. There are 60/40-split folding rear seats, though.

If you’re hoping for an entertaining drive, you should go for the Mondeo or Mazda 6 instead, because the Avensis is set up to be a motorway cruiser and so pays little to no service to sharp handling. It’s all very safe, though, and all versions are fitted with automatic emergency braking.

Prices for high-mileage 1.6-litre diesel cars start at around £9000, but you can find others that have covered a more reasonable distance for between £9500 and £10,000. That’s also the point at which you’ll start to find examples of the Avensis with the petrol engine and automatic gearbox.

Cars with the larger, more powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine will set you back at least £11,500. If you’re going for the very last examples from 2018, be prepared to pay around £16,000 for one with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. Mind you, that’s still a considerable amount off the near-£25,000 price that Toyota was asking for a high-spec 2.0-litre diesel when new.

Check the value of a used Toyota Avensis with What Car? Valuations

Both the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel models should be inexpensive to run, with official (NEDC) fuel economy figures of 67.3mpg and 62.8mpg, translating to annual road tax costs of £20 and £30. The petrol is much thirstier, at 46.3mpg, so it will cost £140 in road tax. However, any Avensis that was registered after 1 April 2017 will cost £140 per year, because it will be charged under the new system.

Toyota servicing isn’t the cheapest around and the Avensis isn’t yet old enough to qualify for discounted rates, so you’ll need to choose from either ‘Intermediate’ for £185, ‘Full’ for £335 or ‘Full plus’ for £395.

The petrol Avensis is rather rare, but if you need an automatic gearbox, it's the only model you can have. We’d pick the 2.0-litre diesel over the 1.6-litre diesel, because while there are an awful lot more examples of the smaller engine around, it’s too underpowered for a car of this size.

All versions of the Avensis come with automatic emergency braking, climate control, cruise control and Bluetooth, but we’d suggest going for the most popular Business Edition version, which adds sat-nav, a rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, lumbar support and alloy wheels. Business Edition Plus gets you partial leather seats, while top-of-the-range Excel includes full leather, heated front seats and faux wood inserts on the dashboard.

Our favourite Toyota Avensis: 2.0 D-4D Business Edition

The Ford Mondeo also comes with plenty of equipment, plus it’s very big, has a more practical hatchback boot and is far better to drive.

A slightly more premium choice would be the Volkswagen Passat, which offers much more refined diesel engines, has a better infotainment system and is pleasant to drive, with a cosseting ride.

If you regularly carry passengers in the back, there’s no better option than the Skoda Superb. Much like the Passat, it has a great infotainment system and is easy to drive, but it adds to that a cavernous hatchback boot.

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