Faults:

There is a minor scratch on the door trim ever since the first time I received the car from the dealership. Other than that, I haven't got any problems yet.

General Comments:

I bought this car to replace my 6 year old Avanza. Compared to the previous generation, the new Avanza has a more spacious cabin (the most obvious one is the width). Even the additional width itself really affects the comfort of my arm. My child, who likes to spend his time sitting on the third row seat on certain occasions, told me how much more spacious the third row space is.

Even though I've already loved the previous Avanza, the new one is much better. The interior feels a lot more expensive and stylish than the previous one, with some interesting details and complicated 3 dimensional sculptures. The seats are somehow more comfortable (and wider I think). The arm rests in the previous Avanza are not bad, but the ones in this car are a lot more functional to actually rest your arms.

Another major difference is the driving experience. It's a lot more stable and controlled, which might have something to do with the increasing width. The ride quality is also better.

In terms of exterior styling, I personally think the new Avanza looks more modern and interesting, especially in metallic grey. I don't really like the design of the rear lights, which I find to be odd. Overall, I quite like the transformation.

Faults:

Terrible car. Owned one for 8 months until it met with an small accident in Aug 2015. The front left side was damaged and went in by half a foot. The vehicle was declared a total loss by the insurance due to the very expensive repair cost and no parts availability in UAE. This is very bad - if a vehicle has no parts available, then why sell the vehicle?

Faults:

Back seat is very bouncy, even though the previous owner already upgraded to GAB gas absorbers.

Change radiator fan motor at 85,0000 km.

RPM at 3,500 when cruising at 100 km/h!

General Comments:

Generally this car is good for city driving for carrying 5-7 people. Fuel consumption is quite OK, considering my one has an auto transmission.

But be prepared for underpowered performing when cruising long distance or highway driving (1.3L, what do you expect). Short gear ratio mean 100 km/h requires at least 3500 RPM; that makes the engine damn noisy.

Actually I bought this 2nd hand for my wife. I personally don't like this big junk (I prefer a sedan such as the Persona or Vios), however my wife likes it very much, mainly due to being brand conscious.

Faults:

No mechanical fault whatsoever.

The alarm's vibration sensor may be a bit too sensitive; few times it sounded loud warnings in the middle of the night for no reason.

General Comments:

This is my company car, and I'm pleased to have gotten this latest generation Avanza, instead of the older one, which was still on sale at time of purchase.

Exterior styling is more crisp with bold, chiseled curves. The G trim has chrome ornaments, which I think are a bit superfluous; I prefer the E trim's honest body-colour approach.

The interior styling has been reasonably updated too, although the layout remains similar to previous models. The side A/C vents look much more modern than before, with a hint of luxury. Dashboard and panels remain plasticky, but it's acceptable for what it is; a "people's car". At least it's durable. Beige colour is not the easiest to keep clean; I prefer the Veloz' black scheme. The middle row seats now slide back and forth for more flexibility.

Performance is a letdown for me, coming from various other car makes and models with a lot more power. I can live with the sluggish acceleration, but not the engine's scream at 100 km/h and above. So I tend to drive it slower. This car forcibly calms you down. Parents can securely let their child drive it.

Ride is more compliant now; I heard Toyota made some changes to minimize harshness, and it certainly feels that way. Electric power steering provides a numb response compared to a hydraulic system, but it's supposed to be more efficient.

Feature wise, there are plenty included with the G trim like alarm system, CD player, rear air con, parking sensor, power windows, cup holders, centre console compartment. If I were to buy an Avanza myself, I would get the E trim for less money and with most features still intact.

Major disappointment is the lack of immobilizer, making the Avanza an easy target for car thieves.

The bigger body with the smaller engine is not an ideal combination, so fuel consumption is mediocre at 10 km/l. My Merc sedan does better.