Japanese Car Auction Find – 2012 Toyota Avensis XI

Yesterday we looked at a teaser for the new Toyota Avensis that will be coming to the 2015 Geneva Motor Show next month. We’ve seen a lot of people claiming that the current-generation Avensis didn’t need refreshing. Some people claim the original 2009 model was the best-looking one; others say the post-2012 model, which would’ve been the first facelift, holds the superior aesthetic. We lean towards the latter, and decided you’d want to see for yourself – here’s a 2012 Toyota Avensis XI wagon currently up for auction in Japan:

You can’t get a better color for the Avensis than this liquid silver. It really plays up the classiness of the wagon’s design, and it looks really sharp with the chrome grille and accents, as well as the tinted back windows. You can see that this version of the Avensis has a much larger grille than the upcoming one, and we can see why people prefer the palpable strength evoked by the horizontal bar design over the sleek, refined feel of the new model.

Meanwhile, under the hood this Avensis is importaed to Japan with only one engine option – a 2.0L four-cylinder petrol engine that outputs 150 hp and paired with a Multidrive S CVT transmission. Interestingly, this is one of Toyota’s ZR engines, which was the second engine ever to utilize the firm’s Valvematic (VVT) technology. This engine is still the largest displacement petrol available in any Avensis model.

Considering the size of the 2012 Avensis, 2.0L is actually a pretty good size for the engine. Toyota’s goal for the third-generation Avensis model was to offer a sporty drive with a comfortable suspension. To make this happen, the underpinnings utilize McPherson struts and a rear double-wishbone suspension, and the exterior has been sculpted for a .29 Coefficient of Drag.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any interior pictures for this particular Japanese car auction find. However, you can see one of Toyota’s official images of the 2012 Avensis interior above. Not bad looking for a standard Toyota model, right? You’ll enjoy spacious front seats with seven airbags and all the conventional amenities. And the black cloth upholstery with silver accenting on the steering wheel and center console makes for a surprisingly modern-feeling cabin.

For you experienced Japanese car auction perusers, this Japanese car auction find gets an interior grade of B and an overall 4.5 rating. If you’d like to learn more about this 2012 Toyota Avensis, get a full rundown of the auction details below the auction sheet:

“Interior B, exterior condition B, first registered January 2012, XI model, FAT, AAC, rear view reversing camera, push button starter, navigation system NSCN-W60, original navigation system, original TV< ABS, airbag, original AWs, power steering, power windows, minor interior grime, exterior paintwork has minor scratches, snow tires, bumpers repair marks, front windscreen stone scratches, marks as per map"