1.6 Icon

Comprehensive package offering a low key, cosseting drive.

Purchased this car from AvailableCar with 18,529 miles on the clock in Nov 2019. At time of writing this review, the car has done 29,311 miles and so far has been trouble free with only regular servicing/MOT costs. In Icon spec, equipment levels are generous (reverse camera, ABS, TCS, climate control, DAB digital radio, aux/USB sockets), which in concert with comfortable seating, good sound insulation, a pleasant arm-rest and a cosseting driving experience amounts to a surprisingly adept package for the money. Manoeuvrability is excellent owing to light steering (turn with a finger) and a tight turning circle. The reversing camera makes up for otherwise poor rear visibility.
Having downgraded from an Avensis 2.0VVT-i (T22 model), the drop principally in torque (200 nm to 160 nm) was the most noticeable. The 1.6 v-matic engine has to be worked quite hard (max torque at 4400 rpm; 132 hp at 6400 rpm) to achieve respectable progress and can feel somewhat lethargic, but once up to speed it is flexible enough and functions well even as a long distance motorway cruiser. Unfortunately, the lack of torque somewhat impedes fuel economy, with recorded values (n=36 refuels) ranging from 32.2-45.3 mpg, the upper end reflecting motorway driving in warm weather keeping to 70 mph; the low end reflecting short journeys in town (<5 miles) during winter conditions. Overall mean mpg in all conditions since purchase is 38.6. The foregoing must be considered in light of the fact that I tend to have a rather 'heavy right foot' and other owners employing more conservative acceleration will have undoubtedly benefited from improved mpg values to those that I have reported.
At present I can highly recommend this car and give it 9/10.

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