Look to the Toyota Auris HSD for Green Value

As you may well know by now, the push towards greener motoring is slowly filtering onto our roads despite the outright dominance of petrol and diesel engines currently used. Hybrid cars are few and far between and Toyota is making a concerted effort to change the trend towards greener motoring primarily through the Toyota Prius.

However, the Prius does not come cheap at the odd R370 000 and Toyota have introduced the Toyota Auris HSD to mend your wallet towards greener driving. The Auris HSD hatchback is also a hybrid and is significantly more affordable than the Prius going for between R272 500 and R299 600, good news for those of us who value green driving.

The Auris HSD hybrid synergy drivetrain is the same as that of the Prius with a 73kW 1.8 litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine combined with a 60kW electric motor. Variable transmission makes the interplay between the two unnoticeable to the driver.

The Toyota Auris HSD claims to consume only 4 litres / 100km with a CO2 emissions figure of just 93g/km. Thankfully the Auris also offers a comfortable ride and is a solution if you are looking for an affordable hybrid car to help out the birds and the bees.  

Toyota and Lexus top 4 Million Hybrid Sales

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has reported that global cumulative sales of its full hybrid vehicles have topped 4 million up to 30 April 2012. Toyotamaintains that environmentally-friendly vehicles can only have a positive impact if they are used widely.

In South Africa, Toyota is the only local manufacturer to wholeheartedly promote the environmental cause by making a full range of hybrid vehicles available across its brands. In Europe and South Africa, vehicles including Toyota’s full hybrid technology include the Toyota Prius, Toyota Auris and the upcoming Toyota Yaris Hybrid which will make its South African debut in July 2012. The Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid will be launched in Europe later in the year and there are currently no plans to introduce the model to the South African car market.

Toyota currently sells 18 full hybrid models in 80 countries and regions across the world. Hybrid sales have accounted for 15% of TMC’s global sales.

Since the launch of the Hybrid Coaster EV in 1997, Toyota estimates that its full hybrid vehicles have led to a saving of approximately 26 million tonnes in CO2 emissions and have saved about 9 billion litres of fuel.

Looking for a hybrid car? Contact Toyota South Africa today…