Welcome to drive the debate

Good, comfortable ride. Car looks good and is roomy inside.

Avensis 2002 hatchback. Drinks oil about 50,000 onwards. VERY expensive failure of engine at 70,000 (5 years old). Short engine rebuild at only £2365. Toyota know fault - porous casting and early failure of bores for all 2000 to 2003 built Avensis models. Rear wheel bearing failed at 45,000 - complete hub has to be replaced at £200. Handbrake ineffective due to cables seizing - £150.

I like the car but Toyota have had severe production quality failure of the engine build so A LOT are failing above 50,000 miles. Not the 1 to 2% they state, its more like 20% from what my friends in the trade say. You do not notice blue smoke in the exhaust as the cat burns it off. My one was drinking 1 pint per 100 miles just before it lost compression in number three cylinder and had to be rebuilt. I was offered a 6month younger Avensis as my one was technically a write off, at the Marsh Toyota garage but as that had the same fault - low dip stick level and black sooty exhaust, I had mine repaired as the lowest cost option. Will not buy a Toyota ever again as spares are very expensive and this model has needed several!