The new Toyota Auris 2012 DPL: Grade strategy and equipment

The new Toyota Auris will be available in four grades an entry grade -Live, a mid grade —Active, a sport grade —Style and a high grade —Lounge. The Active grade is likely to account for some 65% of total sales. Each grade is clearly differentiated through both equipment specification and exterior and interior styling.

For instance, the high quality dashboard ornament panel is available in a range of six finishes to clearly differentiate between grades metallic black for the Live grade, metallic silver for the Active grade, carbon black for the Style grade and genuine black leather for Lounge grade models. Auris Hybrid models feature a Metallic ice grey finish for the Active grade and genuine ice grey or black leather for Lounge grade models.

Enhanced Equipment Specification

Even at Live, entry grade level, the new Auris' improved standard equipment specification has been carefully considered to simplify and enhance life on board, with the addition of cruise control, a Follow Me Home headlamp function and Hill Start Assist.

Active grade builds on the Live specification, adding front foglights, a rear sport diffuser (on 1.6 and 2.0 litre engines), air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, a height adjustable front passenger seat, a Nappa leather steering wheel, a rear centre armrest and the Toyota Touch advanced multimedia system with USB/iPod connectivity and a rear camera.

To the already comprehensive Active specification, the Style grade adds a unique sports seat design and trim, a carbon black finish instrument panel, rear privacy glass, scuff plates and 17" alloy wheels.

To the Active standard specification, the Lounge grade adds leather and velour upholstery and trim, rear electric windows, dual-mode air conditioning, dusk, rain and anti-dazzle rear view mirror sensors, Simple Intelligent Park Assist (SIPA), Smart Entry and Push Start and 16" alloy wheels.

A hybrid-specific Active standard specification further includes 15" ECO alloy wheels, LED rear combination lights, a graphite lower front grille, push start, and a unique instrument panel design featuring high grade meters and an LCD multi-information display. To this standard specification, the hybrid-specific Lounge grade adds bespoke 17" alloy wheels.

A comprehensive list of advanced, comfort and convenience-enhancing options for the new Auris range will include Bi-HID headlamps, an Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), Automatic High Beam (AHB), folding door mirrors, automatic climate control, Smart Entry and Push Start, cruise control, a Skyview panoramic sunroof, the Toyota Touch and Go, and Touch & Go Plus, navigation systems, a JBL Premium audio system and Simple Intelligent Park Assist (SIPA).

The new Auris maintains Toyota's high standards in active and passive safety, with the aim of achieving a 5-star 2013 Euro NCAP crash test rating. Despite a significant lowering of the front bonnet line, pedestrian impact performance has not been compromised, a variety of energy absorbing components including the bumper support and lower tray helping to minimise collision energy.

The Auris is equipped with ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and an emergency brake signal function. It is fitted with driver and front passenger, knee, side and curtain shield SRS airbags.

Toyota Touch

Available from Active grade in the new Auris, Toyota Touch is a 6.1 inch, full colour, touch-screen interface which represents a new approach to affordable, on-board multimedia systems.

It incorporates AM/FM radio with an optional DAB+ receiver, a CD/MP3 player, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with a music streaming facility, and an AUX jack and a USB port for the connection of portable music players, with the facility to display iPod album cover art.

Both the hybrid drive system Energy Monitor and fuel consumption information can be displayed, and a rear view camera is fitted as standard.

Upgraded Toyota Touch & Go

Building on the Toyota Touch multimedia base unit, an upgraded Toyota Touch & Go system offers customers a full map navigation system which represents the best value for money on the market, a connectivity booster, and access to online content and apps, including a new Twitter App.

Including all the most popular navigation functions, such as an advanced traffic function with premium information in 10 European countries, and speed and safety camera warnings (where legal), the upgraded navigation system now also features junction view images at intersections, tunnel view images, an automatic zoom function and improved speed camera and speed limit warnings.

The system has been improved to provide a more accurate ETA (estimated time of arrival) and better route selection, using a traffic patterns database (based on collected historical data) that allows it to consider average speeds on road segments en route depending on time, day and month.

In conjunction, the system now includes new traffic functions which provide more relevant feedback and access information useful to the driver regarding the traffic ahead.

Using a compatible mobile phone, via Bluetooth, Toyota Touch & Go also offers on-board connectivity to Google Local Search —the largest and most up-to-date search database in the world.

The installation of Touch & Go also upgrades the multimedia base unit with the addition of an SMS on-screen send and receive function incorporating the contact person image display from the compatible Bluetooth smartphone.

Several Apps are already available to download, including fuel prices, weather and parking space information, and a new Twitter App has been developed to allow Toyota owners to stay in touch with the 500 million Twitter users over the course of their journey.

Unique in the mainstream C-segment, the Twitter App will be available to all vehicles equipped with the Toyota Touch & Go system, from later this year. Users can tweet a range of both personal and system generated templates whilst driving (free text input and URL links are blocked for safety reasons). Because the App is fully integrated into the navigation system, the templates can include destination and ETA information.

Toyota Touch & Go has been designed specifically to be both affordable and flexible. The system can be easily upgraded with the newest functions, updated maps and the latest Apps, as they become available.

Enhanced Toyota Touch & Go Plus

Available on Lounge grade models, Touch & Go Plus adds numerous new, advanced technology features to Toyota's remarkable touch-screen multimedia system.

It features advanced voice recognition for navigation address input, one-shot destination entry, music search and play, and phone contact search and call.

Synchronised with a compatible Bluetooth mobile phone the system can send and receive emails, and display your calendar. It also has a text-to-speech message readout facility for SMS, Emails and traffic messages. The Go Plus further includes a Gracenote database that allows for the precise selection by voice of the various audio files stored on the portable device, as well as a convenient 'Play More Like This' music function. And the upgraded system will now support the multi-tasking of apps.

Enhanced satellite navigation mapping incorporates 3D modelling of major cities and landmarks, where the database is available.

The system includes three years free map and software upgrades, and users can receive the updates either via their local retailer or by visiting my.toyota.eu.

JBL GreenEdge Premium Sound System

The new Auris may be equipped with a 9-speaker JBL Premium Sound System which features GreenEdge technology. GreenEdge technologies are engineered holistically to ensure that the speakers, amplifier, equalization and even component placement work together as a cohesive and efficient system, combining low electricity consumption with high sound quality.

At the heart of the system is a compact, powerful JBL GreenEdge amplifier. Because the amplifier's Tracking Power Technology measures audio input in real time, only the necessary electricity is provided to the amplification circuit. This greatly reduces heat loss, and effects a 50% reduction in energy consumption.

High-efficiency JBL GreenEdge speakers generate twice the sound output levels of conventional speakers for the same power consumption. They feature custom designed acoustic lenses to spread a more powerful sound across an even wider frequency range.

Simple Intelligent Park Assist (SIPA)

Fitted as standard on Lounge grade and an option on Active grade models, the new Auris features Simple Intelligent Park Assist (SIPA) an Easy Set function making it easier and significantly quicker to use.

The system uses ultrasonic sensors on the front and rear side-bumpers to identify viable parallel parking spaces. It will then automatically apply the correct sequence of steering angles for the parking manoeuvre into the target space all the driver needs do is control the vehicle's speed.