See how MNers are getting on test-driving the new Toyota Auris Icon 1.8 Hybrid. Non-testers: Tell us your fave things about Britain - £200 voucher to be won. NOW CLOSED

[KatieBMumsnet]

This thread is for the 8 Mumsnetters who are taking part in the extended test-drive of the new Toyota Auris Icon Hybrid.
Five testers and their families will also be making a video of their test drive - so look out for this on Toyota's page on Mumsnet soon.

Below are some questions for you to answer over the course of the test drive - please don't worry about answering all of them straight away, some may be more relevant after you've had the car for a week or so.

We'd like you to post updates on this thread at least twice a week - more if you'd like! Please also remember to send any photos of your test-drive to me.

Questions

• What were your/your partner's first impressions of the car?
• What do the children think of it?
• How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?
• What's it like to drive?
• Is it a comfortable ride?
• What's the boot space like?
• What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?
• Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional?
• Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
• Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future?
• Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how?
• What one thing do you like best about it?
• What one thing would you change about it?

For those of you not taking part in the extended test drive, did you know the Toyota Auris is made right here in Britain? With this in mind, we'd love to know your favourite things about Britain?...What 'Great British Days Out' are a must for you and your family? Are you planning any holidays in Britain this summer? What about British produce? Do you try to buy British when you can? Share your comments and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 Love2Shop voucher

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

[k8vincent]

Another vote for the NT. Even with 3 small boys we find they provide us with a brilliant day out.
We also love our favourite family walks, seeing how little things change according to the season.
A trip to a big city never goes amiss. DSs best day out includes train ride to London, London Transport Museum (not free unfortunately, but one ticket covers any return trips for a whole year) and then going to Canary Wharf.

[ItsintheBag]

Great British Days Out' are a must for you and your family?
Yes we love the outdoors, so hiking,crabbing, going to the beach, to our local RSPB reserve,rare breed farms.Most of those are free and great fun.

Are you planning any holidays in Britain this summer?
Yes we are,we are going to Norfolk, renting a cottage, I have been to this area before and it's really lovely and peaceful.We are also doing a trip to London DS wants to see Big Ben and we all want to go to the science museum and NHM.

[ChocChaffinch]

favourite things about Britain

The rain. It is cool and refreshing and keeps us green! An excuse to have a large selection of coats, macs, scarves, hats, umbrellas...
A brilliant strong cup of tea, strong enough to stand the spoon up in
Stiff upper lip - easier to apply lipstick...
Picking and eating apples off the tree
British birds - robins, sparrows, bluetits


must do Great British Days out
Strawberry picking with the kids. They love fruit picking. Just have to await a dry-ish day..
Visiting a castle - such as Warwick Castle. Getting a real taste of history
Our local RAF museum - Cosford. Awe-inspiring to revisit what Britain achieved during the dark days of the early 1940s
British holidays this summer
we're possibly off to Wales, to hit the beach and have a Mr Whippy
British produce
Can't beat the fruit and veg from the farm shops, our own apple trees and fruit from the fields. Sadly British vino needs to up the ante to compete with the Aussies....

Buy British when I can?
I don't go out of my way to buy British, but if the price is right and the food looks good, then yes. And then I feel like I've done my bit.

[malachite]

A great British day out for me has to be exploring castles in Wales or the Lake District. One in the morning then a picnic lunch followed by a different one in the afternoon.

I buy British cheese and strawberries for picnic food but other than that I don't particularly pay attention.

[RipMacWinkle]

We've signed up for Historic Scotland this year so we're planning to get out and about and see as much as we can. Top of the list are the castles at Edinburgh and Stirling and Linlithgow Palace. Plus getting to the parks and beaches.

Holidaying in Scotland this year, so keeping fingers crossed that the weather is dry even if it won't be tropical. The thing I love about Britain is that everything is pretty accessible (admittedly if you have a car!) You don't have to drive for two days to hit a beach or a park or find loads of things to do.

Buying British - I mostly try to. The recent horsemeat scares have made me more nervous about what we're eating so I have been finding myself checking the origins of things a lot more in the supermarket.

Plus with the current economic situation I want to support buying locally made products. Food and otherwise.

[Jamdoughnutfiend]

Ok coming back with my final thoughts on the car:

How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?

After driving the Auris for 2 weeks I found it really difficult to go back to my car. I got used to the automatic really quickly and found it a really relaxing way to drive. I am definitely going to buy a hybrid as my next car. DH was completely against the idea of the car to start with (total petrol head in his youth) but was won over by how easy it was to drive in central london. He does a lot of inner city driving and was really happy with the size of the car, how easy it was in traffic and how quiet it is to drive - plus it is very economical.

What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?

I am not a fan of the navigation system or the radio - I found them both so difficult to use compared to my tomtom and the radio was a nightmare to find the stations - the only truly disappointing bit of the car in my option. I loved the keyless entry - it was the most useful thing I have come across and I really really miss it, especially in the mornings when I am juggling 2 toddlers, 2 nursery bags, a handbag and laptop bag - just so useful - I wish my house had it!

• Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional?
  

I don't expect a car to park itself or need a review camera for parking - my sense is that if you need those features, you probably shouldn't be allowed on the roads!!

• Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
  

No

Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future?
I would be very keen to buy a Toyota in the future. Both DH and I are very tall and we found the size good in the front seats, but we had to have the seats pushed back quite far to make it comfortable which impacted on the girls in the back. They are only little, so at the moment it wouldn't be an issue, but they are going to be tall too, so I don't think an Auris would work for us as a family car. I believe the Prius+ is bigger, so I would be keen to test that when I am buying my next car.

• Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how?
  

No - I always had a high opinion of Toyota and this has just reinforced it.

What one thing do you like best about it?

Keyless entry - I LOVED it!

What one thing would you change about it?

The horn is not loud enough and the sat nav and radio really let the car down

I just wanted to say what a great opportunity the extended test drive was - both DH and I were really impressed with Jemca Toyota Croydon, and Richard from Toyota couldn't have been nicer or more helpful - thanks Mumsnet and Toyota!

[GlaikitFizzog]

My Toyota auris didn't have a navigation system :(

But I totally agree with the keyless entry and ignition! Fab-u-lous! I do indeed want it on my house!

[Solo]

Well, I'm some days into my test drive now and this is my first report on 'my' car!

• What were your/your partner's first impressions of the car?
  

Sleek, ice blue in colour, and totally fabulous! 8 1/2K on the clock and still with that new car smell and clean and bright inside and out...I love that smell and settled down to our homeward journey...in traffic!
The car is very smooth, quiet and has a massive feel good factor about it. I feel quite posh driving it actually.

• What do the children think of it?
  

The children both love it, though my almost 15yo is 6'3" tall and either has to put the front seat right back to accommodate his legs or needs more headroom in the back with a bit of room for his legs. Dd is loving it totally, but hates that I can take away her control of the electric windows rendering her window unusable to her unless I open it! They do both love the car though!
Ds helped me enormously at first by remembering what Richard at Toyota had said about various controls etc too :)

• How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?
  

I do like the hybrid, yes! It is very different from my diesel Picasso and is sooo quiet that the first two days, I started and restarted it several times because I wasn't actually sure it was running! . I do find that it's completely different to drive than a 'normal' car. You do think carefully about getting out of a turning quickly as you can't be sure entirely that you'll make the gap, though I think the gap will get smaller as you get used to it.
I have no idea what I expected as I'd never looked at one before really, so had no preconceptions about them at all.

• What's it like to drive?
  

Smooth! comfortable! luxurious! Fab-u-lous!!! actually, it's a joy to drive.

• Is it a comfortable ride?
  

It is a comfortable ride. It deals with the road very efficiently when you consider all the potholes and 'quilting' the roads seem to have permanently these days.

• What's the boot space like?
  

Much better than I originally thought actually. I love the two tier boot shelves! what a simple, but great idea!
I put Dd's booster with back attached straight into the boot and had loads of space for other things. Very impressive!

• What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?
  

The features are very high tech and just scream 'posh car' luxury!
There's no 'heads up' feature on the hybrid.
Ds tried the electric seat and was cooing over it, but I haven't put it on yet; it's not really the weather yet!
Smart start once worked out is brilliant :)
Multimedia is lovely. I'm not used to DAB and like not having to retune the radio when I travel around.
Starting to enjoy using the rear parking camera, though I am used to parking well without and get into impossibly small spaces a lot of the time.
I have a Garmin satnav which is easy to use, but the inbuilt car one is better. It is easy to use once you look at it logically.
The cruise control is great too. Never used one before, but it's so easy to keep to a speed limit that I think all cars should have them as standard.

• Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional?
  

This is the top of the range car, so it should have all these features. I just didn't know what to expect as I haven't looked at a new and modern car for nearly a decade.

• Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
  

Other than a chauffeur? I can't think of anything at the moment.

• Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future?
  

I'm very tempted by this car I must admit. It seems well made. When you close the doors, they really close; nothing tinny about them at all. I like that!

• Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how?
  

Yes it has. I always thought of Toyota as 'Jap crap' from decades gone by...they used to be quite cheaply made and rusted easily. That has clearly changed. I'm now a big fan!

• What one thing do you like best about it?
  

The luxurious look and feel of the car I think, though I could list loads!

• What one thing would you change about it?
  

The head restraints. It gets in my way when I wear my hair up!

[ataraxia]

I would not go out of my way to buy something just because it's British but if price and quality are equal then I 'd probably choose the British option due tofood miles.

Trying to visit more places in the UK as realized I've travelled a lot abroad but not in my own country.

British days out - I recently enjoyed a trip to Portsmout - outlet mall in the city centre, great views from the Spinnaker tower, good food and arts centre.

[Solo]

More about 'the car' ...motorway driving is a breeze. Just lovely. I really am loving the lack of key too. And the automatic folding mirrors. And the B button for down hill braking.

I put £25 in the petrol tank as the reserve/empty symbol came on and the gauge went up to more than half a tank! that's over 200 miles!!!!

I don't like the positioning of the clock. It's more geared up to be read by the passengers, not the driver.

I rate this car 99/100 as far as driving it is concerned. I do wonder how much a typical service might be though and how many miles the tyres might do...

[declansmum]

Great British day out would have to be to the beach when the weather is good, you just can't beat it! We have some stunning beaches here in Britain and I love going to them even if the weather is cold or raining, I'd recommend a long walk along them in the winter (when you're all wrapped up of course), they are mostly deserted apart from the odd dog walker and it's a great way to clear your thoughts and get some fresh air. I guarantee you will arrive back home feeling better and with a different perspective on any problems you were worrying about before you left the house.

[Solo]

Motorway driving today with some of the time stuck in a jam, plus some country lanes (trying to escape the jams!), car full of two extra large adults, mediumish me and tall Ds and tall but 6.6yo Dd.

The Auris pulled like a dream! made absolutely no difference having a loaded up car, it handled very well and felt like it does with just myself in it.
The country lanes felt like rails to the wheels and going from 50mph to 40mph often was easy just using the cruise control speed up/speed down stalk.
There were no complaints re the comfort of the passengers though I did remove the high backed booster seat and had Dd use the centre seat without her booster to ensure my Mum and Ds had enough space (Ds's idea, but I think they would've coped ok with the seat in place if they'd had to).

Over all, a very enjoyable drive today :)

[CommanderShepard]

We've had our Auris for just over a week now and so far the verdict is... fun for a fortnight; still wouldn't buy one; fuel economy not all that and a box of socks.

• What were your/your partner's first impressions of the car?
  

Shiny! Oh no it has that awful new car smell! Shiny! Being serious, it's very slick looking but for that price point there's an awful lot of plastic.

• What do the children think of it?
  

DD is only 13 months so she hasn't offered an opinion. But that brings me on to something really annoying: she's in a Group 0+ carseat and once it's in there's hardly any room between it and the back of the passenger seat - I have to pull the seat a long way forward which is surprising given my car is smaller and I don't have that problem.

• How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?
  

It's nice, very quiet, but I'm not that in awe of the fuel economy. Maybe it's years of driving diesels but I'd expected better.

• What's it like to drive?
  

Smooth, quiet, but no guts at all at speed which is not great when you're trying to merge onto a fast road. That said, I had an Auris as a hire car in 2007 and I'm pleased to note they've changed the gearbox for the better.

The rear view window is ludicrously small; no wonder they've added a rear view camera.

• Is it a comfortable ride?
  

Yes, though it's cramped in the passenger seat with the carseat behind it.

• What's the boot space like?
  

A lot better than I thought it would be; enough space for the pushchair and shopping besides.

• What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?
  

I like the rear camera and the parking sensors. DH's car also has Park Assist so we're used to that and it's a great feature to have. Seats in mine aren't electric. The multimedia screen is in a ridiculous place - too low-down - and the SatNav doesn't display instructions in the maxidot MFD screen on the dashboard; there's no reason it couldn't.

Finally, I echo the criticisms regarding the clock - what a crazy place to put it! There's no clock in the MFD either which is just lazy design.

• Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional?
  

For the kind of money they're asking for this car I expected these features, though I didn't realise it had front sensors til they activated by surprise.

• Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
  

I'd like better bluetooth. I keep having to sync it up with my phone every journey, even though my phone remembers the car.

• Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future?
  

I was never really planning on buying a Toyota. I think they're pretty overpriced compared to the rest of the market.

• Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how?
  

I'm more favourable towards them now - my mum had a Yaris which had all the stability of a tin can - but I think there's a lot of work to be done on hybrids engines before I'd be interested, and even then I'm more interested in what's happening with all-electric vehicles. I'm not a speedfreak - far from it - but when my 16 year old diesel does comparable mileage to a brand new hybrid I'm not that impressed.

• What one thing do you like best about it?
  

The near-silence when driving on electric only.

• What one thing would you change about it?
  

The multimedia screen and MFD.

Basically if someone gave me one for free I'd be delighted and I wouldn't sell it on eBay, but as a family we have rather exacting standards for cars, given DH's commute, and the Auris doesn't really fit the bill.

[HairyPotter]

We have had ours for just over a week now and I have to say, I love it! It's a great size for my family, my Clio is getting a bit cramped now my dds are older.

I was apprehensive when I discovered it was automatic, the only time I bought an automatic, I hated it so much I took it back the next day. I have completely changed my opinions now though. We were stuck in a traffic jam and it was so effortless to drive when it was slow moving nose to tail traffic.

I'll be back with a full review later.

[carriedaway]

My favourite thing about Britain is our resignation to always being the underdog which allows us such great joy when we actually win something (eg Andy Murray at Wimbledon).
I always buy British where I can and out family especially loves British strawberries.
We have just been caking in the Lake District and are planning to go camping in Wales next month. Every new year we go away to cottages around the uk with a large group group of friends and enjoy visiting a new place and their local pub!

[wittymacs]

There are so many things I love about Britain. Here are just some of them..

I love the traditions, the pomp and ceremony that we Brits do best; the Royal family; the fine stately homes all around the British Isles. All the periods in history which can be traced far back and makes this country so unique and special. I love the flowers and plants grown in the British Isles - there is nothing like the scent of English Roses and the lush green grass. The countryside is breathtaking and the coastline stunning. We should be proud of our sporting achievements as a Nation - what Andy Murray did on Sunday simply highlights how great we are in team and individual events - especially given the size of the Isles. I love British food be it a delicious Sunday roast with beef, horseradish and of course Yorkshire Pudding or comfort foods such as Sausage and Mash and Hotpot in the Winter. In Summer English Strawberries are the best - and then there is the good old cup of tea!

In a few weeks time we are heading to the Dorset coast with our caravan which is a perfect example of British seaside at it's best. Our 10 year old daughter has never been abroad and loves to watch Punch & Judy shows and try her luck on the 2p amusements! When the weather is sunny there is nowhere like a day on the beach. We love Swanage, Studland, parts of the Devon and Yorkshire coast but there are so many lovely places to visit.

I am proud to be British and hopefully always will be.....

[chrismse]

My fav things about Britian is the countryside. You are never very far away from green fields, hills, canals and lovely views. I would also give the National Trust a nod for all the fabulous place they take care of for us all to enjoy.

[JakeBullet]

Goodness my favourite things about Britain...too many to list.

I love the fact that you are never very far away from the sea. We have beautiful coastal regions.

We have Scotland which IMHO is unequalled for it's beautiful mountain regions.....oh and Wales too.

Lots of beautiful green open spaces

Quaint villages with lovely tea rooms.

Fabulous green areas and forest areas thanks to our climate. When my friend came over from Australia she couldn't get over how green everything was.

We have lively and vibrant city areas and regeneration in areas where it hasn't been so good.

Oh and we have an unequalled Welfare State which cares for everyone who needs it.

And we are suckers for our pets. :)

[trolleycoin]

- What were your/your partner's first impressions of the car?
I thought it was very sleek.. It was very comfortable. DH said it had a sporty look/feel to it (reminded him a bit of the Toyota Celica). He said ?Wow its quiet?, whilst it was running on battery on the roads in town. Inside its roomy in the front of the cabin. Legroom in the back isn?t great for tall people. My Dad is about 5ft 7 and his feet were under the seat in front when he sat in the back. Tinted windows in the back were good for DS.

- What do the children think of it?
DS said he liked it and then he wanted potty (he is only 2!) He did nod off for a cheeky morning nap after 5 minutes in the car on the way to the shop so he must have been comfortable.

- How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?
Suprisingly easy. A lot easier than I expected. It is less stressful than driving a manual ? no constantly changing gears up and down when stopping and starting in town centre traffic jams. I got used to the automatic straight away. It was impressive to feel how it drives on the battery and then the engine kicks in when needed. DH said it was really quiet and my not-easily-impressed father was really impressed with how clever the hybrid system is. You can see on the display the different modes e.g. normal engine being used, hybrid battery being used and battery being charged. I?m glad it has the power mode as I felt that was important when driving on the motorway up into the Cumbrian mountains. The car had enough ?umph? when needed, but I still thought my 1.6 petrol coped better on the fast acceleration required on the motorway.

- What's it like to drive?
Easy and once Roland at the dealership had explained how it all worked, it made perfect sense. It was relaxing and a lot easier than a stick-shift manual in a busy town centre. Roland at the dealership told me to ignore the three buttons EV, Eco and Power modes, but after reading the manual, I decided to go for it and I?m glad I did as I realised that the Auris did have that little bit extra umph when using the power mode on steep hills or when quick acceleration was needed on the motorway. Its really good in town and on faster roads, really smooth and so much easier than a manual as there are no gears to worry about, so driving is easier and more relaxing. My average fuel economy for the test drive was 71mpg, which is impressive considering I had been using the air con for most of the two weeks. My current car does 44mpg on a good day, about 38mpg with air con on.

- Is it a comfortable ride?
Yes. Seating position was good. I am used to driving an MPV which is higher up, but I felt fine in the Auris, I still had a good comfortable driving position. It was so quiet and a very chilled out drive. DH really liked it, he fell asleep in the car! Plus with it being an automatic, my left knee has definitely felt the benefits over the last two weeks of no clutch!

- What's the boot space like?
I do like a big boot! DH put the stroller in and said ?It only just fits and there?s not much room?. Until I pointed out that the boot space can be made bigger by lowering the top shelf. Even so, it would only fit our stroller in and not the big pram without removing the parcel shelf. However to be fair to the Auris, we only found one car out of all the MPVs, family saloons and hatchbacks that had a big enough boot space to fit the whopper pram in. In terms of luggage though it was fine ? 3 big holdalls or suitcases plus room either side for coats and boots. I could fit a whole weekly shop in there no problem. The split boot idea is good if you wanted to put heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on top.

- What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?
Heads Up display: Didn?t have this.
Electric Seats: Didn?t use as it was July.
Smart Start: Was great. Came in handy at the supermarket when keys were in my bag and I couldn?t be bothered to root around for them. I will really miss this feature when I have to give the car back (unless Toyota say I can keep it pretty please). Then to just sit in, press brake and then power button is brilliant. Friends and family that I showed the car to were amazed at the no key start, it is pretty impressive that the keys could be in my handbag and yet I can still drive the car.
Multimedia: AM/FM/DAB radio is good and I like how the available radio stations are shown on the screen and change when you drive into another region. The screen is very clear to see, even at night or in bright sunlight and the touchscreen worked fine. For me, I felt the location of the screen was too low down. We connected DH phone to the multimedia system via Bluetooth to play music which worked straight away and was easy to set up. SatNav was easy to use and it had useful features like zooming in and out of the map, showing petrol stations and the voice guidance was not too intrusive. I also found the traffic incident page useful, which showed all the delays, road closures e.t.c near our locations.
Rear Parking Camera: Useful, but doesn?t replace a good look around to either side of you and it did take some getting used to when reversing but looking in front to use the camera. The camera does have a good wide view, which DH pointed out was good for seeing any pedestrians stepping out. I just couldn?t get used to it though.
Other features: Good positioning of the USB port and phone charging socket ? not all cars have them in a sensible, accessible place that doesn?t get in the way of the car controls/handbrake, but the Auris control panel was well designed for this. I can only echo what other testers said about the clock. Really looks like an afterthought in terms of design and I couldn?t read it from the drivers seat. Electric mirror adjuster was a little bit too low for me, I preferred that mine on my own car is located on the driver?s door panel. Auto sensing lights were great, I?ve never had these before. They were brilliant in tunnels and underground car parks when I only needed the lights on for a short space of time and they would auto switch on and off. I believe the windscreen wipers also have this function, but it didn?t rain whilst I had the car so I didn?t use this capability.

- Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional? To be honest for the price of this model, I would expect the Auris to have all these features.

- Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
I would like it to have an internal rear passenger view mirror. I currently have an integral one on my MPV and its great for keeping an eye on DS in back without having to turn around. Other than that, no, it had everything else needed and more.
DH and Dad pointed out: spare tyre! £20k for a car and no spare tyre, but then lots of manufacturers seem to be doing this now, just providing a puncture kit.

- Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future? More likely to consider a Toyota, but as lovely as this car was, £20k is out of our price range, but the 2 year old used are within price range. Perhaps the Avensis or Prius is more our cup of tea, being that bit bigger. I would be willing to test drive one of those for Toyota if they so wish (hint hint )

- Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how? People I have talked to have always spoken highly of Toyota, but I?ve never had one myself to be able to comment. The car did live up to the expectations that I had and perceptions of both DH and father who are both interested in cars. Driving this car, it felt as though Toyota have really thought about it from a drivers? perspective and requirements. It is well planned and designed and very comfortable. The technology is clever, even better than I thought it would be and the mpg is great. I also spoke to an AA breakdown patrol man, who said when he gets call outs to Toyota its only ever tyres or batteries that is the problem, nothing mechanical with the cars at all. So it has reinforced and improved further my perception of Toyota cars.

- What one thing do you like best about it?
It was comfortable and easy to drive. My MPV feels like the seats are made of breeze block and being back to driving a manual gear box is boring now!

- What one thing would you change about it?
A button to create a fake engine noise when in battery mode. This is not so much a criticism of Toyota or the car, but a reflection of how people can be so oblivious and aimlessly wander about, unaware of their surroundings (maybe a big stick to poke them with would be better ). On 3 occasions I have encountered situations where people didn?t realise I was there in the car or even that the car was running because it is so quiet. On the first occasion, the trolley man at Asda had the fright of his life as he hadn?t heard the car and I sat there for ages waiting for him to move. He wanted to know how I?d got there behind him and he hadn?t heard me. On the second occasion, we were trying to reverse out of a space whilst the lads in the car next to us had all their doors open and were stood in the way. To be fair, they did apologise and said they didn?t even know the engine was running. They seemed impressed with the car and were talking about it. Then the third time, straight after the second, we had to drive up a short road to the exit, which was the same road pedestrians used to enter and exit the country park. A group of 6 heard the car in front of us and moved into single file to get out of the way, but then reformed to chat and effectively blocked us from driving past them so we had to crawl along behind them. It was clear that they hadn?t heard us. Then the Dad turned around and saw us and told the rest of the group to move to the side. We had the windows open and I heard one of the kids say ?why is that car not making a noise?? to which the Mum replied ?Because it?s a hybrid, its electric?.

[Solo]

We returned the Auris today...very sad. We miss it already!!!

I think the only things I/we didn't like about it were:

-The head/leg room.
-The clock is in a daft place.
-The anti car jack door locking is totally manual and I'd like it to be automatic like my Picasso, but I also have the option to switch it off, the Auris has no option, it has to be done manually.
The drivers door pocket is small so I can't fit much rubbish in it .
There's no spare wheel as standard (but you can buy it as an extra but lose some boot space.

When I got into the Auris on the first day, I didn't 'notice' that it was better/smoother/easier than my car, it was just a new car that was really nice and I was getting used to it; I suppose my attention was all on the learning how to drive it. I got back into my car this afternoon and it felt heavy and not easy to drive! but it also felt massive the interior is roomy and with loads of head and leg room. This was far more apparent than the lack of the same in the Toyota on the first day which is strange! I also think that it is far more tiring to drive than the Auris.

I'm still looking at my finances and I may very well buy one in the near future!!!

[HairyPotter]

What were your/your partner's first impressions of the car?
Very impressed. Good size, brilliant white with lots of bells and whistles (but also a fair amount of plastic inside) It looked pretty complicated at first sight though.
What do the children think of it?
They both loved it, it had more space in the back than my Clio, they made full use of the USB for iPads etc. They also enjoyed the electric windows in the back.
How did you find driving a Hybrid? Was it what you expected?
I wasn't sure what to expect tbh. When I told people I would be test driving one, the jokes about lawnmowers were flying about. I was pleasantly surprised by it. I have always disliked automatics but was soon won over. On a long motorway drive, all I really had to do was steer. Cruise control and the automatic gearbox did the rest for me. It was light and easy to handle.
What's it like to drive?
Very easy. Because it was automatic, it was a dream to drive in the middle of a traffic jam on the M6. That's when I was really won over. I would question the mpg claims however. I was nowhere near 70mpg, the most i managed was 56ish on shirt journeys and 47 on motorway. I was surprised to see that my dh's focus diesel got better mpg than the Auris.
Is it a comfortable ride?
Yes, very. The seats were a good fit for me and supported my back well, even on long journeys. We are not a tall family however and a few of my taller friends would possibly struggle.
What's the boot space like?
Very roomy, loved the two storey divider. Such a simple but effective idea.
What do you think about the features of the car? E.g Heads up display, electric seats, smart start system, multimedia system, rear-parking camera?
Heads up display - was not a feature on the car we had.
Electric seats - we had a heat wave and I completely forgot about it
Smart start- easy to use.
Multimedia system- sorry to say I wasn't a fan. I found it very hard to find a station I wanted and ended up playing CDs. I will admit that I kept forgetting to check the manual so it was probably just me.
Rear parking camera - hated this as well, sorry. The endless beeping drove me crazy and I would be far happier without any help to park.
Were these features what you expected the Auris to have or additional?
Yes, I would expect a car in this price bracket to have most of the gadgets featured. I can't think of anything else it would need.
Are there any other features you?d like the car to have?
An easier to read clock. It was clearly an afterthought and looks really cheap and nasty.
Has testing this car made you more or less likely to buy a Toyota in future?
Yes it has. We had an Avensis last year as our main car and loved it. I would definitely consider an Auris or a Yaris to replace my Clio next year.
Has testing this car changed your perception of Toyota cars at all? If so, how?
No, I have always liked them and am now more likely to buy another one, although not necessarily a hybrid.

[ThatsSoVanquish]

Favourite things about Britain?

I'm not a union jack bunting type so it is not a topic that I have a ready response for. I don think that the UK is relatively advanced in tmers of the expectation of equality on society, even if that doesn't always happen in reality.

No holidays planned yet but we do go on lots of days/weekends out... Stirling, Ayrshire coast, Angus, Perthshire. I love having beautiful contryside nearby, especially when we have this weather! Also a good opportunity to pick up British produce - Arbroath Smokies, Stornoway Black Pudding, Forfar Bridies (not all at once though!).

[Crazybit]

The great thing about Britain: Everyone knows we have rights, if we want to change something-a policy at a school, things about an area that we live, a defective item we purchased that is not fit for use, bad service, we can do something about it! We can complain, make others aware of issues, create support for ourselves and actually change things. Alright, some things are a lot harder than others but I love that we have the ability and the resources available to make a difference to ourselves, friends, family. This is not always the case in many other nations .

[florencebabyjo]

I am a non tester too. My favourite things about Britain is the variety of our countryside with the woods, hills and beaches that we are spoilt with. I live on the edge of the South Downs National park and we are priviledged to have both the downs and the sea as well as gorgeous walking countryside. There are wonderful woodland walks nearby and I love to go doen to our local farmers market and pick up a picnic made with produce from the local producers. There are wonderful pies, local cheeses, bread and cakes at ours and it is a real treat to gather some of these together and head off for a peaceful walk with the kids before finding some shady spot and tucking in. There is nothing better!

[KatieBMumsnet]

Thanks for all your comments. The winner of the prize draw is...

sealight123

Congratulations, I'll PM you for your details.