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Toyota introduced the Avensis nameplate on its all-new car which was launched at the end of 1997. Like its predecessor, the Avensis was built at the Burnaston factory in Derby. At the same time, production of the five-door Toyota Corolla also started at this British plant.
The original Avensis had the option of four engines (1.6 L, 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol and a 2.0 L turbo-diesel) and three bodystyles ( saloon, hatchback and estate). The station wagon was essentially the Japanese-market second-generation Toyota Caldina . All of the range gave solid build quality, excellent reliability, a spacious comfortable interior, generous equipment, smooth ride quality and good refinement, but very little in the way of excitement. A facelift in the summer of 2000 (which saw the engines fitted with variable valve timing) made little difference to this, although a sporty Avensis 2.0 L SR with bodykit and tuned suspension did become available.
The second generation Toyota Avensis was launched in early 2003 in an all-new format. This time it offered more in the way of driver involvement and even the exterior styling was reasonably attractive. The 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol and 2.0 L turbo-diesel engines were carried over from the previous Avensis, but the 2.4 L petrol engine was completely new.
In the 2004 European Car of the Year contest, the Avensis was just edged out of the top three by the Fiat PandaDesigned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Fiat Panda was intended as a modern day interpretation of the Citroen 2CV, being a basic and simple, no frills utility vehicle. Introduced in 1980, the Panda was noted for its box-like styling, which would be developed, Volkswagen Golf and Mazda Mazda3Mazda Motor Corporation assembles the Mazda3 an automobile model (known in Japan as the Axela , and offers it to the public under the Mazda brand. The Mazda3 is all-new and replaces the Protege for 2004. The Mazda3 styling is based on the MX-Sportif conce.
In New ZealandFor alternative meanings, see New Zealand (disambiguation). New Zealand is a country formed of two major islands and a number of smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. A common Mori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa popularly translated as Land, the Avensis Verso (up to 2003) and the station wagon have been offered after the demise of the Toyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a large family car manufacured by Toyota in the United States at Georgetown, Kentucky, as well as Australia and Japan. It originally was launched as the Toyota Celica Camry in 1980 for the Japanese home market. This model was essential station wagon, but the other variants are not offered.