Currently reading: Toyota Auris warms up
Toyota releases range-topping 175bhp Auris SR180

Toyota’s family hatch has gained a new halo model for 2008. The Auris SR180 comes with a 2.2-litre diesel engine tuned to 175bhp and will cost £17,995 for the three-door, and £18,495 for the five-door.As you’d expect of the range-topping model, the SR180 comes with high standard spec including 17-inch alloys, tinted windows, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, air-conditioning and cruise control.The sporting pretensions of the Auris go deeper than external styling tweaks, with revised and lowered suspension improving the Auris’ otherwise uninspiring dynamics.As well as the suspension tuning, Toyota claim the diesel unit pushes the SR180 to 62mph in 8.1sec and still achieve 45.6mpg on a combined cycle.We’ll have to wait to find out if the notoriously dull Auris has become a sporting hatch worthy of the plentiful competition on the market, but if you can’t wait until then, order books are open for January delivery.

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Car review

The Toyota Auris is a spacious, but unspectacular attempt at a high quality Golf rival. Only the availability of a hybrid lifts it from obscurity

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