Toyota has never offered an estate variant of its Auris compact series in Europe, but if these spy photos are anything to go by, this will change with the presentation of the next generation model.
We’ll remind you that the five-door hatchback version of the Auris is rumored to debut as a thinly disguised concept at the Paris Motor Show in September and in final production trim at next year’s Geneva Salon.
Even though the prototype that our spy photographers caught on European roads is heavily cladded in tape and plastic wraps, we can still make out some of the distinct styling traits of the next Auris, as previewed in the leaked brochure shots of the five-door hatch.
These include the ‘V’ shaped nose with the sharper headlamps, the mirrors and the window line of the rear doors.
The station wagon model likely rides on the same wheelbase as the hatchback sporting a longer rear overhang to increase the cargo area.
As part of the Toyota Group’s commitment to create vehicles that are more appealing in terms of styling and handling, the entire Auris series should benefit from improved dynamics.
The Auris will be one of the first Toyota models to get a BMW-sourced diesel engine as part of a deal signed between the two automakers in 2011, and which includes both 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel units.
The estate model could make its debut alongside the hatchback in Geneva next year.
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