Summary
The Toyota Auris is a compact family hatchback that first arrived in the UK in 2013, and was replaced by the Toyota Corolla in early 2019. There is also an estate version called the Auris Touring Sport.
Originally available with a choice of petrol, diesel and hybrid engine options, the diesel models were discontinued not long after the model’s facelift in 2015. This mid-life facelift included exterior design tweaks, an interior trim and tech overhaul, some suspension tuning and new engines.
Offering practical, fuss-free transport at an affordable price, the Toyota Auris was the first family hatchback and estate car to offer a petrol-electric hybrid option on the UK market, and many reviewers commented that the facelifted model was starting to show its age as the model headed towards the end of its life. Carbuyer explained that, while the Auris had generous levels of equipment as standard, the interior looked “a little old-fashioned and incohesive”.
Many motoring outlets described the Auris’s exterior design as “dull”, even after its mid-life makeover, and not many were fans of the car’s performance or driving dynamics, either. “In terms of handling abilities and outright desirability”, Parkers commented, “it’s still behind plenty of other five-door family hatchbacks for kerb appeal and outright value.”
That said, the Auris did manage to stand out from the crowd during its tenure. While not being particularly sporty in any sense, the Auris Touring Sports was one of the only hybrid estate car options available in the UK – rivals like Vauxhall, Ford, SEAT and Volkswagen did not offer a direct competitor.
While the Auris lacked the flair of mainstream rivals like the Ford Focus, SEAT Leon and Volkswagen Golf, reviewers agreed that it was an inoffensive value-for-money proposition and a dependable, well-built family car – no doubt helped by Toyota’s reputation for reliability.
As Car Keys concluded, “if you expect nothing more of your car than you would of your washing machine, then the Toyota Auris is a perfectly sensible option.”
No longer in production but available on the used market, the Toyota Auris holds a Used Car Expert Rating of C with a score of 60%. This score ranks the Auris towards the bottom of the medium car segment in our Expert Rating Index. Its successor, the Toyota Corolla, has had a far more positive reception, with an Expert Rating of A.
Auris highlights
- Spacious and practical interior
- Affordable range of trims
- Toyota’s outstanding reliability record
- Economical engines
- Generous levels of standard kit
Auris lowlights
- Dull to drive and look at
- Dated when compared to newer alternatives
- Downmarket interior
- So-so performance
- Noisy automatic powertrain
Key specifications
Body style: Medium hatchback and estate car
Engines: petrol, diesel, hybrid
Price when new: From £15,295 on-road
Launched: Spring 2013
Last updated: Summer 2015
Replaced: Spring 2019
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is a competent, ultra-dependable entrant in the family hatch market, and the latest package of updates improves the car in many areas.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
“The Toyota Auris is a fleet favourite and the refreshed version will only add to that popularity.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed: 2012-18
“The Toyota Auris was never the most inspiring choice in the family hatch market, but it actually does a very good job.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The estate version of the Toyota Auris offers plenty of space and the option of an efficient hybrid powertrain.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“For no-frills, dependable family motoring the Toyota Auris delivers, but it’s far from inspiring.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
Score: 6 / 10
“Updates for the Toyota Auris have improved it quite a bit, but the hatch still lags behind rivals.”
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Model reviewed: Touring Sports 2012-19
Score: 6 / 10
“Toyota Auris Touring Sports adds practicality to already capable family car package.”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed:
Score: 6.8 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is one of the most affordable family hatchback’s to run, but that comes at the price of driver enjoyment.”
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Model reviewed: Toyring Sports (2015)
Score: 7.6 / 10
“The Auris Touring Sports is a handsome, comfortable, immensely practical load-lugger.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The Toyota Auris will, no doubt, find many fans across the world – Toyota isn’t the biggest car manufacturer on Earth for nothing – but it might find it tough challenging the class leaders.”
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Model reviewed: Estate (2013)
Score: 6.6 / 10
“The Auris estate is a handsome, comfortable and practical load-lugger which is let down by a poorly resolved drivetrain and disappointing interior design and finish.
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Autocar
Model reviewed: Touring Sports 2012-18
Score: 7 / 10
“Toyota extends its Auris range to include a compact family estate, complete with hybrid drivetrain that helps it stand out from the rest of the segment.”
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Model reviewed: 2012-18
Score: 6 / 10
“The new Toyota Auris is super-rational and a good ownership proposition, but it lacks character and dynamics of the best in class.”
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Business Car
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is efficient, spacious and quiet.”
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Car
Model reviewed: Auris Hybrid Touring Sports
Score: 4 / 10
“The Auris Hybrid Touring Sports is not a bad car at all. But it might be worth having an energy drink or some caffeine pills before you jump in.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“The new Auris is an improvement on the old, but more of an uprising rather than a full-on revolution. It remains competent but uninspiring and though it has a number of appealing traits, the ability to seduce isn’t one of them.”
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Car Keys
Model reviewed: Touring Sports (2018)
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re after an economical, compact estate, look no further than the Auris Touring Sports.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
Score: 8 / 10
“If you expect nothing more of your car than you would of your washing machine then the Toyota Auris a perfectly sensible option.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed:
Score: 6.2 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is a reliable and practical family car with low running costs, making it a sensible choice for stress-free driving.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6.8 / 10
“The Toyota Auris Touring Sports has a large boot, is relaxing to drive and should prove reliable. It’s also available with hybrid technology.”
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Touring Sports
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris Touring Sports is a small estate car with a big boot that can be had with an economical hybrid engine, but it doesn’t feel as plush inside as many newer alternatives.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris won’t excite but has plenty of family car credentials that compensate.”
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Driving Electric
Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 7 / 10
“This generation of Toyota Auris Hybrid boasted impressive efficiency and plenty of equipment, but rivals offered far more polish and passion.”
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Model reviewed:
“The Auris Hybrid is a typical Toyota through and through, which means it’s a mixture of good and bad.”
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Model reviewed: Touring Sports
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The Toyota Auris Touring Sports Hybrid is a fine choice for those seeking practicality and low running costs.”
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Eurekar
Model reviewed:
“The Toyota Auris is a better-looking car than the one that went before, and is also better dynamically, making it a good deal more fun to drive; and it has lower running costs.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
“The Toyota Auris is so well built that it should last for many years.”
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Fleetworld
Model reviewed: Touring Sports 1.4 D-4D Icon
“Toyota has stuck rigidly to its preference for hybrid drive, but while the Auris Touring Sports is the only part-electric estate car in its segment, the range’s less publicised gem is a 1.4-litre diesel.”
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Model reviewed: Design 1.2T
“A great small petrol engine which comes close to making a business case for itself. But it’s still considerably cheaper to run with a hybrid or a diesel engine, particularly when larger wheels have such a marked effect on fuel economy and CO2 emissions.”
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Model reviewed:
“While the Auris will never set the motoring world alight, it’s inoffensive, fit for purpose and keenly priced. Tax-busting hybrid and 1.6 D-4D are the fleet picks.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Toyota Auris Touring Sports is the first hybrid estate car, combining good levels of space and 70.6mpg economy.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Toyota Auris is here and it still offers the only full hybrid option in the small family hatchback class, delivering 74.3mpg and emissions of just 87g/km CO2.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is a reliable, worthy, hybrid-centric hatchback.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“The Auris Touring Sports has pacious interior and fairly large boot with low loading lip. It feels well put together, has good ride quality and the hybrid offers low CO2 and 60mpg.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“If you’re after an efficient, reliable and British-built family hatchback, the Toyota Auris is a fine choice.”
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Motors.co.uk
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The Auris offers a good level of reliability; the hybrid is cheap to run; and it’s practical considering its size.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Touring Sports
Score: 7 / 10
“The Auris estate majors on Touring, not much on Sports.”
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Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 7 / 10
“British-built Toyota Auris family hatch is solid and dependable.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Touring Sports Synergy Icon
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is soft, strong and very long.”
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Model reviewed: 2015
Score: 6 / 10
“The facelifted Toyota Auris has improved looks and character.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota Auris is competent but dull to drive and look at.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“Family hatchback buyers are spoilt for choice, but the Toyota Auris is a good all-rounder with plenty of space and a low-emissions hybrid option.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“The Toyota Auris might not be the most exciting choice, but it deserves attention from buyers. It’s a practical, efficient and competent family hatchback that scores decently in almost every area.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: 2013
Score: 5 / 10
“The Auris is now more professional around corners, it doesn’t flounder, has reasonable body control and is placid when cruising. “
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What Car?
Model reviewed: 2013-19
Score: 6 / 10
“Toyotas are well known – and loved by millions of buyers – for their ability to provide unobtrusive, reliable transport with minimal fuss. This second-generation Auris was no different.”
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
The Toyota Auris was crash tested by Euro NCAP back in 2013 and awarded a five-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2019 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
The Toyota Auris was not lab tested by Green NCAP during its production lifetime.
Reliability rating
As of May 2022, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Toyota Auris to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusive from extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Auris, we’ll publish the score here.
In owner surveys, the Auris is highly regarded. In the 2022 What Car? reliability survey, it ranked equal-first for family cars.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Toyota Auris, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Alfa Romeo Giulietta | Citroën C4 | Citroën C4 Cactus | Fiat Tipo | Ford Focus | Honda Civic | Hyundai i30 | Kia Ceed | Mazda 3 | Mini Countryman | Peugeot 308 | Renault Megane | SEAT Leon | Skoda Scala | Skoda Octavia | Suzuki Swace | Toyota Corolla | Vauxhall Astra | Volkswagen Golf
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