You can't blame Toyota for the name change: after four complete decades of selling the Corolla and having turned out 32 million varieties, it was time for a trade in. Many car names sound weird when you analyse them; "Corolla" conjures a Spanish medical condition. Auris, come to think, could be Latin for a swollen lug-hole, but don't let that put you off.
Buying one of these, in fact, is a vote for British industry. Well, if you get the five-door Burnaston-built version, that is, the three-door being Turkish. Toyota's global marketing strategy is all about local synergy. Thanks to the Camry and Tundra pickup, it's heading for number-one spot in the USA; over here, the locally-grown approach is the same - hence Gordon Brown's cheery appearance at this model's launch ceremony.
Like the Jag, the Roller and the Mini then, the Auris will continue the Great British tradition of, er, car assembly. Never mind the fact that, as many environmentalists point out, the profits return to a nation that likes to serve up whales as dog food.
Politics aside though, this is a solid effort. Toyota's investment in a French Riviera design studio paid off with the penning of the latest Yaris; big-brother Auris comes from the same stable and the bodyshape, redolent as it is of some Gallic rivals, is devoid of Far-East austerity. Indeed, from all angles it's a decent-looking hatch devoid of the kind of blingery so volubly demonstrated by Honda's new Civic. That said, Toyota's nod to the mini-MPV bandwagon has translated into a machine that is far taller than the model it replaces.
Inside, it all feels pretty well built and solid, the only question mark being in the shape of a bizarre cross member that juts out from the dash to the handbrake area, the handbrake itself sitting (even more bizarrely) half way up it. Careless application might necessitate elbowing your front passenger in the face, which isn't always ideal.
This sort of what-were-they-thinking design mistake, thankfully, is what keeps motoring critics like me in a job - everything else in the Auris is just about right, and hence very boring to write about - no saggy buttons, droopy trim or unsolicited squeaks.
One element does, nevertheless, spoil the calm: the engine. This two-litre D-4D is no fading lily, putting in a staunch performance with 221 lb-ft of torque available from as low as 2,000rpm - enough to reach 62mph in 10.3 seconds and go on to 121mph; enough, more importantly, to see sudden demands for overtaking energy and short-distance sprinting readily obeyed. But thanks to either poor insulation or simply a raucous nature, it's not a quiet unit, delivering a nagging edge that eats into the cabin when the throttle is provoked.
Handling is confidence-inspiring, let down like so many contemporary models, by a rather numb electronic steering. As a shopping shuttle with brisk ability and surefooted aplomb, the Auris ticks the box convincingly. It also goes easy on the fizz: while the 1.6 petrol averages 39.8mpg, this model achieves 52.3mpg, its CO2 output also trumping the petrol 166g/km with a less choking 151g/km. There is, granted, a 1.4-litre diesel option here - but it requires a mammoth 14.7sec to clock 62mph.
Base-level trim includes air con, MP3-compatible CD system and electric front windows. You'll also find an extra glovebox above the usual one (though anything heavy placed therein slops around on bends and may drive you mad) plus a neat tray under the front passenger's seat for odds and sods. Thanks to all that headroom, it's a feasible transport mode for five, though the rear seats don't fold flat if you're hoping to use it as a part-time van.
In TR spec, this car costs ¯¿½14,595; in the T Spirit wardrobe, it emerges at a princely ¯¿½18,295, which seems a lot to pay for the over-egged benefits of automatic headlights and wipers, dual zone climate control, keyless entry and ignition, cruise control and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. If money's really no issue, you'll wait for the imminent hotter T180-spec 2.2-litre diesel, with larger 17-inch alloys and traction and stability systems as standard. That one's ¯¿½18,795...
Tiscali verdict 6/10 The only thing that¢s loud is the engine
