Toyota Avanza 1.5 Review: No-frills Transporter

What we like:

Spacious interior despite the small frame. The extended boot space with complete fold of the last row seats.

What we dislike:

4-speed automatic gearbox seems dated. Interior could do with a little more color.

The 1.5 litre VVT-I engine is paired with a 4-speed automatic gearbox, with a very humble 99 horses at its disposal. Surprisingly, though the numbers seem a little weak for a 7-seater, it is all forgotten during the drive. Acceleration didn’t seem like the 15 seconds claimed by Toyota and it feels light as well.

Though being a 7-seater, it still manages 13km/l which signals long journeys with less pit stops at the gas station. Gear changes from first to second seemed a little jerky, however from second onto third and then fourth seemed to be slick.

The small and nimble steering wheel is of great help during turns and u-turns. At 4.7 meters for a full u-turn, the Avanza is just about the only MPV that you’d never see making a 3- point u-turn. As mentioned before, the ride height of the Avanza is a little on the high side and that affects the handling during corners but then again at low speeds, the Avanza does just fine.

Wind noise is not as evident during low or high speeds and that’s a plus. Parking with the Avanza is really not a chore at all. Though it isn’t fitted with rear parking camera, reverse and parallel parking seemed manageable due to its small frame size. Easy to spot at the carpark as well due to its majestic height.

The Avanza is a practical 7-seater that transports your family safely with the reliability of a Toyota. If you are looking for an MPV that doesn’t cost you a fortune with the COE these days, then the Toyota Avanza is your perfect choice. It transports seven people, is economical, and not a chore to live with in terms of maintenance.

Credits: