Toyota Avanza

Toyota Avanza

Toyota's Avanza compact MPV created a stir when it was announced at Auto Africa; here was a seven-seat family transporter/mom's taxi/business shuttle with anti-lock brakes, crash bags, audio and air-conditioning for little more than the price of the late, lamented Tazz.

In fact Toyota SA senior vice-president for sales and marketing Andrew Kirby said during the launch presentation this week at the company's Prospecton plant in Durban that the company saw the Avanza as a replacement for the Tazz, for buyers who wanted something a little larger than a Yaris.

Yet it's also way cheaper than anything in its size, since most MPV's are presented as upmarket vehicles with luxurious specifications – but the other side of the coin is its small engines and relatively unsophisticated running gear.
So, the question in the minds of the motoring media at the launch drive was, how well would the Indonesian-built Avanza cope with South African conditions and drivers – in short, is it up to the job?

The answer, by and large, is… yes.

First impressions are favourable: the deep, slab-sided doors open wide and the high seating position makes entry and exit easy for the less agile among us – like me. The seats are firm, with softer but unexpectedly deep side bolsters promising adequate lateral support.

They're upholstered in comfortable velour and the footwells are fully carpeted; the fascia and door panels are a bit plastic (all right, they're very plastic) but the mouldings are robust and firmly rattle-free.