2018 Toyota Auris DROPS the diesel engine altogether

The 2018 Toyota Auris will offer only a hybrid or 1.2 litre turbo petrol with no diesel options at all, and a revised range of trim levels.

Back in October we revealed that Toyota is planning to drop diesel engines from the limited number of cars offered in the UK with an oil burner.

That’s not a huge surprise as Toyota (and even more so Lexus) has always delivered diesel engines just to satisfy the market, and has always believed petrol electric hybrids are a much better solution.

With hybrid engined cars selling more than ever – and diesel-engined cars falling out of favour – Toyota’s timing is bang on, and demonstrating its intention on diesel engines is now evident with the 2018 Toyota Auris.

The 2018 Auris will no longer be offered with either the 1.4 or 1.6 litre diesel engine it currently offers, and Toyota are also taking the opportunity to drop the 1.33 litre petrol too.

That leaves Toyota’s USP 1.8 litre hybrid powertrain and the 1.2 litre Turbo as the only engines options for the Auris in the UK. And as they’re the best-sellers anyway that makes complete sense.

Also changing for 2018 are trim levels, with the entry level Active level binned and the Icon Auris now the entry-level model.

With a pretty impressive spec – including DAB, Climate, 16″ alloys, reversing camera and Toyota Safety Sense – it’s a strong entry-level offering, and is followed by Icon Tech, Design (now with 17″ alloys, parking sensors, auto lights and wipers and more).

The range-topping Auris remains the Excel with a more sophisticated Toyota Touch 2 with Go, and the option of Design Bi-Tone offering a black roof, spoiler and shark fin antenna with a choice of Tokyo Red, Aspen Grey, Pearl White and Manhattan Grey for the body too.

The 2018 Toyota Auris Hybrid is now on sale at Toyota’s UK dealers, and the 1.2T Auris will be available in the New Year.