Eco For The City

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

A hybrid especially shows its strengths in city traffic. So where there are many start and stop phases. The Toyota Auris shows its strengths to the full in metropolitan areas.

By Silker Koppers

No area in Europe is as densely populated as the Ruhr area. Where there used to be smoking chimneys, there are now green parking spaces and lively, colorful cities. Mobility is changing noticeably in line with the change in the metropolitan area. In addition to innovative concepts for local public transport, small cars and environmentally friendly car drives are also playing an increasing role. This is exactly why Toyota presented its Auris Hybrid in the Ruhr metropolises of Essen and Duisburg. The compact will be available at dealers from September 18 at prices starting at EUR 22,950.

Power of two hearts

With the Japanese, the double engine technology, consisting of the 1.8 liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 73 kW / 99 hp and a 60 kW / 82 hp electric motor, finds its way into the most popular vehicle class among Germans. 17 percent of all cars registered in this country are compact class. So far, customers inclined to the environmentally friendly drive only had the choice between expensive luxury models and design weirdos like a Toyota Prius. The Auris Hybrid wants to change that and competes against competitors such as VW Golf and Ford Focus.

In contrast to them, the five-door hatchback sedan starts its journey purely electrically and therefore silently. The absence of engine noise means you don't think you're driving, but in fact the Toyota is just as fast as any other car. The vehicle can glide through the streets up to a speed of 50 km / h and over a distance of two kilometers. Then the stored power supply is used up until the petrol engine and the braking energy recovery system provide energy replenishment.

Two driving programs can be selected

The combustion engine serves as the main drive, especially at speeds over 50 km / h. If necessary, it also charges the battery as a generator, which supplies the electric motor with electricity. In addition, the driver can select two other driving programs at the push of a button: the so-called Eco mode, which aligns the hybrid system with maximum economy, and the Power mode for greater power development, which is noticeable when the accelerator is depressed through better responsiveness.

Together the two engines produce 100 kW / 136 PS. Both engines always share the work so that in the end the lowest possible fuel consumption is on the balance sheet. The manufacturer specifies an average of 3.8 liters of premium gasoline per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of just 89 g / km. In practice, with adapted driving behavior, 4.3 liters of fuel consumption are also possible over the standard distance. Depending on the proportion of the motorway and the driving style, the Auris Hybrid can consume six liters of fuel.

Jerk-free propulsion

The driver notices almost nothing of the branched interaction between the engines. To do this, he can follow it on the display in one of the two round instruments in the cockpit. The two engines switch on or off jolt-free and noiselessly and do their work quietly and reliably. However, temperamental behavior should not be expected from the electric-Otto combination. It is less the performance than the tough, continuously variable, electrically controlled transmission that throws the driver through the bill. Therefore, the acceleration from zero to 100 km / h also takes 11.4 seconds. The top speed is reached at 180 km / h.

850 euros over the normal version

The starting price of 22,950 euros is 850 euros higher than the normal version with a 2.0-liter diesel engine. The Auris is about 2,500 euros apart from the Prius, which has the same drive technology but is slightly larger. The standard equipment includes seven airbags, hill start assist, LED daytime running lights, automatic air conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels and CD radio. In order to lower the financial hurdle for potential buyers, there is a financing program called "Toyota Complete" which also includes the assumption of costs for workshop visits, a five-year extended guarantee and an equally long-term mobility guarantee. There are also favorable insurance conditions.

The performance data of conventional compact classers are better, but with the Auris Hybrid it is not the sportiness, but the consumption that is in the foreground; and the conventional internal combustion engines alone are not enough. In favor of the hybrid technology, however, 40 liters of luggage space have to be dispensed with compared to the normal motorized Auris. The nickel-metal hydride battery of the electric motor is housed in the trunk so that it only holds 310 liters.

The step created by the battery is camouflaged as an additional storage compartment under the load compartment floor. By folding down the backrests, the volume increases to 1290 liters, but remains below the class average. The passengers, on the other hand, cannot complain about a lack of space, both in the front and in the rear there is a decent amount of head and legroom. Toyota plans to sell around 1,800 Auris Hybrid units this year in Germany; in 2011 it should be 2,800 units.

Outwardly, the new one is inconspicuous. Only in details such as the modified bumper and some hybrid badges on the body it differs from the previously available Auris versions. But that is exactly what should appeal to drivers who could not make friends with the consistently aerodynamic teardrop body of the sister model Prius. The interior does not require any changes either: the instrumentation and operation of the hybrid car are largely similar to those of gasoline and diesel engines.

Only the rev counter has been replaced by a charge-discharge indicator for the battery and instead of a gear selector lever, a small joystick sits enthroned on the center console. The Toyota Auris Hybrid stands out as an urban vehicle. Just as the Ruhr area has changed, the hybrid Auris marks the change from high-consumption, combustion-engine-powered vehicles to environmentally friendly mobility for the large number of city dwellers. Not just in the pot. (mid)