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Value the strong point
Jonathan Hawley, 27/11/03

But Toyota's Avalon GXi is still a conservative car, says Jonathan Hawley.



But Toyota's Avalon GXi is still a conservative car, says Jonathan Hawley.
For: Smooth engine and auto, high equipment levels for price, roomy interior, big boot, low noise levels.

Against: Still looks awkward, dated and unexciting, floaty ride, flat seats, lack of engine torque.

Score: 3 stars (out of 5).

It isn't often a manufacturer facelifts an existing model and drops its price significantly, but when they do, it's usually easy to spot the agenda. Reduced equipment levels, a smaller engine or shifting the point of manufacturer to a Third World country can all be reasons why what on face value seems to be the bargain of the century turns out to be less attractive on investigation.

Toyota has given its entry-level Avalon a nip and tuck and also slashed its price by a couple of grand, but for none of the above reasons. Quite simply, the Avalon hasn't sold as well as expected when launched a few years ago, mainly because of its bland and boring styling, and building in extra value is one way of kick-starting sales.

There also has been a name change, with the Conquest, as the cheapest Avalon model was known, now called a GXi. As with the rest of the range, modifications to the existing car go much further than just the badge. New nose and tail sections have given the Avalon a more recognisable look, equipment levels in the base model have been given a boost, and there have been detailed revisions to steering, suspension and brakes.

But back to that price. The GXi comes in at $30,990, or about $2800 less than the Conquest it replaces. That is also up to $3000 less than some of its big rivals, yet the Avalon lacks for little in the way of standard equipment. Air-conditioning, auto transmission, power windows and cruise control are all included, as are twin airbags, anti-lock brakes, alloy wheels and a leather-bound steering wheel. Without putting too fine a point on it, the Avalon murders the Commodore, Falcon and Magna on value.

The Avalon's new look is significant in that it is the first comprehensive facelift designed by Toyota in Australia. But that's about where the interest ends, because it is still a fairly nondescript vehicle, with odd proportions housed in a bland sedan shape but with some touch-ups at either end.

The headlamps are now recessed into a new bonnet, there's a different front bumper and grille assembly designed to reduce the overhangs, the tail-lights have more of a formal Lexus look and the radio antenna has been shifted to the rear glass. "Stylish" is far from the right word to describe the Avalon, but at least the car does stand out more.

The basic mechanical package remains, meaning a 3.0-litre V6 developing 145kW of power, driving through the front wheels via a standard four-speed auto. This is the smallest, least powerful engine in its class, and it shows in leisurely performance and the need to have plenty of revs to extract the engine's best.

Having said that, this isn't a slow car, rather one that lacks the instant punch expected from a larger capacity six. More impressive is the engine's and transmission's refinement. Both are very smooth in their operation, the engine spins freely and the gearbox fairly glides through the ratios.

This particular Avalon was also fitted with an LPG tank, available to owners who pay an extra $120 for the engine to be made compatible with liquefied petroleum gas. Fitting the rest of the system obviously costs more than that, but doing so extends the range of the 70-litre petrol fuel tank by a considerable amount.

Apart from the aftermarket LPG fuel gauge and a huge gas tank in the boot, the best thing that can be said is there's no discernible difference to performance running on petrol or LPG.

The Avalon also has a retuned braking system that is said to improve stopping power and pedal feel, but in truth must be driven back-to-back with the old car for a driver to notice the difference. There is certainly nothing wrong with the new stoppers, apart from the usual fade after a few hard applications.

Suspension has also been revisited, though the revisions are slight and limited mainly to new bushes said to isolate the cabin from road shock and noise. That is, no doubt, exactly what happens: the Avalon's ride is soft but perhaps has moved too far in that direction. There's also an uncomfortable floating sensation that points at a lack of damping control, it wallows in corners and loses grip from the front wheels earlier than may be expected. A new steering rack has at least reduced steering kickback.

Apart from the surfeit of comfort and convenience features for a vehicle of this price, the Avalon's cabin is also notable for its roominess, with ample leg space in the rear, enough width to easily separate front seat occupants, and plenty of storage space.

The front seats are quite flat and the rear lacks some under-thigh support, but the boot is simply vast -- providing that LPG tank isn't sucking up available space. The grey and plastic interior isn't the last word in style, but for practicality and ergonomic soundness it is right out of the same mould that Toyota uses for all its mainstream cars, meaning very good indeed.

It all adds up to an Avalon that has been mildly improved in many areas, adding incremental attraction to what was already a sound but very conservative car. The suspension feels flabby but actually does the job well enough, and if the engine power won't appease V8 fans, then at least it makes up for lack of power with sheer refinement.

Value for money is the new Avalon GXi's most potent weapon, and for any family with an eye on the dollars and cents, but not too much concern for fashion and form, it should win more friends than in the past.


Nuts 'n' bolts

Toyota Avalon GXi
How much: $30,990 (auto) plus on-road costs.
Insurance: Premium $610 (RACV, 40-year-old rating-one male driver, medium-risk suburb, $450 excess).
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres.
Engine: 3.0-litre, DOHC, 24-valve V6, 145kW at 5200rpm and 284Nm at 4400rpm.
Transmission: Four-speed auto. Front-wheel drive.
Steering: Rack and pinion, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle 11.6m.
Brakes: Ventilated discs front, discs rear. ABS standard.
Suspension: Front -- Independent by MacPherson struts with stabiliser bar. Rear -- Independent by multi-links with coil springs and stabiliser bar.
Wheels/tyres: 15 x 6.0-inch alloy wheels, tyres 205/65.
How heavy: 1505kg.
How thirsty: 11.0 L/100km average. Standard unleaded, 70-litre tank.
Equipment: Driver airbag, cruise control, CD player, remote lcoking, power windows, alloy wheels, air-conditioning, ABS brakes.
Interior notes:
. Steering column adjusts for rake but not reach.
. Foot-operated parking brake is annoying.
. Dashboard is plain but controls are functional.
. LPG model has aftermarket-looking fuel gauge.

Competitors:

Holden Commodore Executive -- $32,440 (auto), 3 stars
Wheezy old V6 and clunky auto aren't too flash, but you get plenty of car for the money even if air-conditioning is optional.

Ford Falcon XT -- $34,660 (auto), 4 stars
Gutsy six-cylinder power, smooth ride and handling, heaps of space and handsome good looks make up for higher purchase price than some rivals.

Mitsubishi Magna ES -- $34,610 (auto), 3 stars
New nose gives Magna a very different look and equipment levels have been upgraded, otherwise it's the same smooth, powerful and refined car as before.

Prices and details correct at publication date.

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Vehicle Summary
Body: 4 Door Wagon
Transmission: 4 SP Auto SEQ Sports
Engine Size: 4.0L
Engine Type: LPG
List Price: $42,660
Engine Specifications
Cylinders: 6
Valve Gear: V-Dohc
Engine cc: 3984
Bore/Stroke: 92.26x99.31
Compression Ratio: 10.3
Power kW: 156
Torque Nm: 375
Dimensions
Seats: 5
Height (mm): 1530
Wheel Base (mm): 2921
Kerb Weight (kg): 1674
Steering
Steering: PaR&P
Turning Circle (metres): 11.3
Capacity
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres): 116
Towing Capacity (kg): 2300
Wheels
Drive: RWD
Wheels: 6.5x16
Standard Features
Dual Airbag Package
Anti-lock Braking
Air Conditioning
16 Inch Alloy Wheels
Cruise Control
Central Locking Remote Control
Power front seat Driver
Power Mirrors
Power Steering
Power Windows
Radio CD with 4 Speakers
Side Airbags
Seat belt Pre-tensioner
Trip Computer

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Ford Falcon XLS (LPG) Return to search results
Vehicle Summary
Body: Utility
Transmission: 4 SP Auto SEQ Sports
Engine Size: 4.0L
Engine Type: LPG
List Price: $32,195
Engine Specifications
Cylinders: 6
Valve Gear: V-Dohc
Engine cc: 3984
Bore/Stroke: 92.26x99.31
Compression Ratio: 10.7
Power kW: 156
Torque Nm: 372
Dimensions
Seats: 2
Height (mm): 1515
Wheel Base (mm): 3096
Kerb Weight (kg): 1735
GVM (kg): 2805
GCM (kg): 4245
Steering
Steering: PaR&P
Turning Circle (metres): 11.5
Capacity
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres): 110
Towing Capacity (kg): 2300
Wheels
Drive: RWD
Wheels: 7x16
Standard Features
Airbag Driver
16 Inch Alloy Wheels
Cruise Control
Central Locking Remote Control
Engine Immobiliser
Power front seat Driver
Power Mirrors
Power Steering
Power Windows
Radio CD with 4 Speakers
Sport Seats
Sports Suspension

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Volvo has launched a new range of alternatively-fuelled vehicles, which run on gas as well as petrol. These so-called 'bi-fuel' cars use LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas, a mixture of propane and butane) which currently costs just under 40p a litre, and they are significantly more environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel vehicles. They can also run on normal unleaded petrol, however - both for starting up, and as a back-up if you can't find an LPG refuelling station. LPG/petrol versions are now available of the S40 and V40 1.8, V70 2.4 and S80 2.4, with an LPG/petrol S60 2.4 to follow later this year. Volvo is also offering CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) cars, but these are not covered here as the infrastructure is not yet there to support the private motorist. LPG/petrol cars are a viable proposition, however, and one of the key selling points of these particular models is that the LPG system is fitted in the Volvo factory itself, rather than as an aftermarket conversion. Read on for more about these cars, and more about the pros and cons of LPG use.

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Vauxhall VECTRA 1.8 DUALFUEL RANGE
(2005-10-19)
With Fuel Prices Spiralling Ever Upwards, Its Nice To Know That A Convenient Vectra-Sized Loophole Exists. Andy Enright Looks At Vauxhalls Vectra 1.8 Dualfuel Models

Modern motoring holds great potential for causing huge disappointment. As a nine year old, my bedroom walls were covered with posters of the Lamborghini Countach. As a fledgling journalist, I got to drive one and emerged stunned at the fact that it was, in actual fact, an appallingly finished crock of the proverbial. Another heart sinker comes every time we get into our cars after having squeezed our plastic to straining point at the pumps, only to see the fuel gauge needle run out of steam just beyond advanced base camp.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value
The Vauxhall Vectra Dualfuel can assuage this disappointment. Its also far better built than a Lamborghini Countach.

So what of the Dualfuel concept? Well, youll have probably noticed that many UK garages are now stocking the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) the Vectra uses to sidestep crippling fuel bills, making it a genuinely viable proposition. With two fuel tanks, one for normal unleaded petrol and another for LPG, you neednt worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere with no LPG-equipped pumps for miles. You simply fill up with unleaded. Easy.

"The whole ethos of dual fuel cars is cost saving this one delivers"

The whole ethos of dual fuel cars is cost saving. To this end, here come the figures. Those not of a mathematical persuasion should skip this bit. The hit in Vectra Dualfuel ownership comes up front, with a £2,420 premium asked over a conventionally fuelled Vectra 1.

8. If we work on the basis that the car will cover 15,000 miles per year for the first three years of its life, then the figures produced are illuminating. If you ran your Vectra solely on petrol, youd face a fuel bill of around £1,666 per year, but if you ran solely on LPG youd be looking at £952. Bingo.

Youd have recouped a good proportion of your outlay in one year, and over three and a bit years youd be seeing a profit. Most people do run most of the time on LPG if they go this route but even if you didnt say running two-thirds of the time on unleaded and maybe the other third on LPG there are still decent savings. Whats an inescapable fact is that £10 of LPG in a Vectra will take you 167 miles, £10 of diesel goes 128 miles and £10 of unleaded 94 miles. That cuts to the chase.

In the case of the 1.8 litre Vectra, engineers have taken a comparatively clean petrol version (CO2 exhaust emissions of 184 g/km) and produced an LPG version that is even cleaner (156 g/km as opposed to 161g/km for the old-shape version), taking the car into a pleasently affordable bracket for company car drivers. This latest car is 3% more frugal too, returning 29mpg on the Combined cycle. One of the snagging points about LPG take up has long been the issue of safety.

Many drivers have felt less than secure driving about with a tank of highly combustible liquid gas in their car but modern crash testing regulations are draconian in the extreme with pressure, strength and impact testing all in compliance with EC regulations. A system of valves automatically isolates the gas tank in the event of an accident or the ignition being switched off. You do get two fuel filler nozzles but the possibility of filling the wrong tank with the wrong fuel is diminished erased by the fact that the nozzles are a different shape. Vectra Dualfuel customers choose between two bodystyles (saloon or hatch) and a huge range of trim variations.

If you really want value, the £18,305 1.8 Club makes sense and acts as an excellent basis for Dualfuel conversion. As well as the Club, the LPG conversion can be yours with the 1,8 16v versions of the Life, SRi and Design models all manual transmission, mind. Otherwise, the recipe is pure Vectra.

The styling of the car has been enhanced with the current Vectra models benefiting from a front end which will put many people in mind of the latest Astra. With Vauxhalls family hatchback having gained rave reviews for its sporty looks, the hope is that some of its dynamism will rub off on the Vectra. Its a fairly well-established fact that the Vectra can match any car in the medium range sector on grounds of refinement and comfort. The trick for engineers working on the current facelifted car was to retain those respected qualities while injecting more by way of driver involvement and improving the cars dynamic abilities.

It sounds a fine balancing act but they may have pulled it off. Theres more steering feel and better chassis control in todays Vectra but the crown jewels of that silky ride and the whisper-quiet cabin remain intact. In fact, Vauxhall claim that refinement is actually improved as well. Does life get any better? Well, if the Vectra only had doors which swung upwards and a mid-mounted V12, you could guarantee my name on the waiting list

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 Dualfuel range
PRICES: £18,305-£19,815 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 7-8
CO2 EMISSIONS: [LPG] 156-160g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 126mph / 0-60mph 10.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [petrol] 29mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4596/1798/1460mm [4dr]