Toyota AVENSIS car insurance quotes and insurance groups

The Avensis is Toyota's flagship, but although it looks classy, the drivers amongst us will be disappointed, despite some very nice power units pushing the thing along.

Solidly built, and with a touch of sister company Lexus about it, the Avensis is a strange combination of exciting gadgets and dull performance.

For the good bits then, on offer are dual-zone climate control, the turn-by-turn sat-nav system, cruise control and 17-inch smoked alloy wheels. Technologically, there are a number of features such as the D-CAT on the new 2.2-litre diesel engine, which reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate emissions which brings it out of the 3% company tax band for such cars. Standard across the range are ABS in combination with EBD and Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC).

The six-speed gearbox is so good it could tempt even the most ardent auto-lovers away from their techie toys, but all this cannot deter from the fact that the driving experience is a trifle dull.

Power units include 1.8 and 2.0ltr petrol and diesel engines. Economy is good for this size of car with insurance groups ranging from 7 to 10 and Toyota's reputation for reliability should ensure that the car is reasonably cheap to maintain.