When thinking of buying a car for disability purposes, a Hybrid may not be your first thought, but don't write them off so quickly. There are plenty of benefits with having a Hybrid, high MPG, low CO2 emissions, zero road tax and they are congestion charge exempt.
Leading the way in Hybrid technology is Toyota. So lets take a look at the new Auris Hybrid. Well, this car begins to impress from first glance, just by the way the thing looks. With its angles and curves, run by day lights and the long sloping windscreen, designed to reduce drag, all add the somewhat sporty look of this car.
So, do sporty looks come with practicality? In this car, at least, they do. The new Auris is longer than its predecessor by 30mm, giving more space in the cabin. The boot is more than large enough to fit a wheelchair and with the ability for the rear split seats to fold flat, there really isn't much you won't be able to fit in and with a height adjustable drivers seat, getting in and out of this car shouldn't be any problem at all.
What about safety? The Auris is equipped with a range of safety features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Traction Control (TRC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) plus seven airbags driver and driver's knee, passenger, front side airbags and curtain airbags for the front and back seats. You really do have a feeling a safety in this car, just knowing that all these features are there to protect you and your passengers.
As for gadgets? Well that depends on which spec you choose. With the Auris Hybrid, there are two specs to chose from; Icon and Excel. Choosing between these two depends entirely on how much technology you want, or need, in your car. The Excel is equipped with from and rear parking sensors, though these are available as an optional extra on the Icon. Both specs have a 6" touch screen called Toyota Touch not only displays a rear parking camera as standard but which also allows you to not only use the cars multimedia technology, but also to view what power is coming from the battery and which is coming from the 1.8 litre Petrol engine, something i was looking it far too much i might add! Sat-Nav called Touch & Go is available as an optional extra on both specs.
A handy gadget available on all of Toyota's Hybrids is the keyless entry and start. This is basically a system where, you can open the car and start it, without having to take you keys out of your pocket. A handy thought if you've ever stood by your car in the pouring rain, searching for your keys. I think we have all been there?
Both of these cars have many more features, too many to list here. So choosing between the two might be a difficult decision. The Excel does have more gadgets than the Icon and it has the option to have a Skyview panoramic roof, not available on the Icon. So with prices starting at £19,995 for the Icon and £21,745 for the Excel, there really is not much to chose between the two in terms of price.
There are also two other specs to choose from; the Active, which is the basic model and comes with either a 1.33 Petrol engine or a 1.4 Diesel engine, has plenty of gadgets although it does not come with the 6" screen or parking sensors but a starting price of £13,995 for the Petrol and £15,345 for the Diesel more than makes up for that;
Then there is the Sport which comes with everything that the Icon comes but with the addition on 17" alloy wheels and sport seats, depending on your condition, this may not be the spec for you.
So which car should you choose? Well that's a choice you will have to make, though personally, if i was buying an Auris, with the combination of the money you save on high MPG, zero road tax and the amount of technology available coupled with a very reasonable price, i would have to buy the Hybrid Excel. Wouldn't you agree?
