Toyota Avanza

Combining class-top manoeuvrability with excellent ride comfort and handling stability, the new Toyota Avanza remains a beacon in the multipurpose vehicle class, writes OLAOLU OLUSINA

Though the multipurpose vehicle (MPV) market is just evolving in the Nigerian auto business, the All New Toyota Avanza which was unveiled recently in Lagos by Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) is still trending as the compact MPV combines class-top manoeuvrability and driveability with excellent ride comfort and handling stability to maintain its leading position in its class.

Presenting the unique features of the car  at the media inauguration of the vehicle recently at the Lekki head office of TNL, Corporate Affairs and Advertisement Manager, TNL, Mrs. Bukky Ogunnusi, said the new Avanza comes with great improvements and outstanding features that stand it out in its class thus making it attractive for almost any assignment.

Listing the unique features of the New Generation Avanza, Ogunnusi said though the new Avanza is now longer by 20 milimetres and wider by 30 milimetres than the old version, the MPV which has ‘Dynamic and Spacious’ as its overall design keyword, maintains a compact body. Explaining that fuel consumption in the new Avanza has been enhanced, she stated that the steering system has been upgraded to electric power system (EPS) from hydraulic system.

According to Ogunnusi, with a 3-row seating and plentiful luggage space as well as the 50:50 split folding seatbacks adopted for the third row seat, the new Avanza also boasts an enhanced air-conditioning performance. Carrying over its minimum turning radius of 4.7metres as opposed to 5metres by competing brands, the new generation Avanza also prides itself with a class-top level fuel economy and an enlarged luggage and storage areas.

“While the 1.3litre and 1.5litre engines have been carried over, fuel economy has been enhanced through improvement to the entire vehicle. The exterior design also fuses a spacious cabin with powerful underbody just as the advanced interior design incorporates passenger vehicle style and expresses spacious sense of quality,” she explained.

While tracing the evolution of the car, TNL General Manager, Marketing, Mr. Andrew Ajuyah, who disclosed that Avanza was introduced into the Nigerian auto market in August 2007, explained that despite its compact body, the car was well received because of its ability to seat a large number of occupants in addition to offering a high degree of utility. According to Ajuyah, ”Avanza is extremely useful in countries and regions where people often travel as a family and is a 7-seater MPV that is useful for both domestic and small scale business application.”

Explaining further that the New Generation Avanza is responding to the needs of sophisticated markets such as Nigeria, citing the improvement in the window system which is now automatic instead of the manual system in the outgoing model, Ajuyah said the New Generation Avanza is a back-axle vehicle with its automatic transmission coming in 4-speed while the manual version comes in 5-speed.