| First Drive | Barcelona, Spain | Toyota Auris HSD |

Not content with the huge success of the celebrity-favoured Prius, Toyota has brought its hybrid system to the hatchback market in the form of the new Auris HSD. The technology isn't new - it's the same Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) system as in the existing Prius - but the Auris is the only hybrid car in its class, which gets it huge kudos from environmentally aware types.

In the Metal

If you've seen a standard Auris then you've pretty much seen the hybrid version. Apart from the ice white paintwork, 15- or 17-inch alloy wheels and a discreet bit of badging, there's little to separate the HSD from a standard model.

It's the same deal inside. The biggest difference is the small blue and silver drive selector with three black buttons beneath it (EV, Eco Mode and Power Mode). This is quite different to a conventional gear stick. Other than that it's business as usual though.

What you get for your Money

The Toyota certainly has value on its side. The entry-level T4 model starts at £18,950, which is the best part of £1,000 cheaper than an equivalent Ford Focus Econetic - not bad at all when you factor in the Japanese car's more advanced and expensive technology.

Top-spec T Spirit models cost £20,700 - a £1,750 premium over the T4. That's still not extortionate, especially when you consider the generous list of goodies like a rear-view camera, cruise control, Bluetooth and half leather seats.

In an effort to allay the long-term fears of hybrid ownership (i.e. steep repair costs for complex components), Toyota is offering an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on each car's battery pack. There's also the standard five-year warranty.

Driving it

Excitement is not the Auris HSD's forte. The steering is numb and feedback - through the wheel or from the chassis - is minimal at best. Despite the extra power from the electric motor, the 1.8-litre engine still feels short of power - it really struggles on fast slip roads and the motor emits a loud, buzzing whirr under hard acceleration.

Peel off the motorway, delve into town and the Auris is right at home. What the Toyota lacks in A-road ability, it makes up for in urban efficiency. Push the EV (electric vehicle) button and the car runs on electric power only for as long as it possibly can. It's silent and very easy to drive.

The steering may be lifeless, but the wheel's action is light enough to twirl around with one finger in heavy traffic. There's no need to mess around with gears or a handbrake and a dial on the dashboard lets you know how little fuel the car is using, which is quite satisfying.

Worth Noting

Rock bottom running costs are where the Auris' appeal lies, but the entry-level T4 model actually offers marginally better returns than the T-Spirit. A set of 15-inch alloys help to keep the T4's figures down to 74.3mpg and 89g/km, while the T Spirit's 17-inch rims create additional drag, so you're looking at 70.6mpg and 93g/km. Either way, you're not likely to notice any sort of a difference and road tax is free for both versions.

Summary

If your commute involves any kind of motorway or A-road work then the Auris HSD might not be for you. However, if you spend most of your time dredging through traffic then it's a fantastic idea. We're not pretending that the Toyota is a thrilling car - it really isn't - but it's hard to ignore the low purchase price, the generous spec and the miniscule running costs. It's not for everyone, but the Auris HSD makes a lot of sense to a lot of drivers.