Description
In 1997, Toyota decided to drop the Carina E nameplate and introduce an advanced one: the Avensis. It was a promise for the future.
Toyota started to get more traction in the European market, and the customers compared its products with Opel, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Renault, or Volkswagen. But the carmaker tried to offer something more. The Carina was too bland for their needs and the first generation of the Avensis was not a bland car neither by its look or by its character.
Some could say that the Avensis' headlights somehow resemble those installed on the third generation of the BMW 3-Series (the E36), with its dual lamps under a clear glass design. Of course, speculations followed, but the customers couldn't care less than that. The small, short grille with horizontal slats was extended on the lower side of the bumper with additional cooling areas and air-intakes. The Avensis was available in three body shapes: sedan, hatchback, and station wagon. The middle one was the least attractive from the design and utility point of view.
Inside, Toyota insisted on having a high building quality, and that was achieved. Even though some European carmakers could match the same fittings, it lacked behind most of them, especially the middle and premium brands. Still, it offered good upholstery options and a long list of standard features.
Under the hood, the Japanese carmaker installed a choice of five engines paired to a five-speed manual gearbox. For specific markets and engines, Toyota offered a 4-speed automatic transmission.
