Toyota Avensis

A simple, uncluttered dash, chunky multifunction steering wheel, smarter surfaces and clearer dials are all a big improvement over the previous Avensis. There's an 8.0-inch touch-screen display plonked in the middle of the centre console, too. Build quality is good, and the Avensis feels solid in its construction, but there are still some hard plastics and sharp edges in obvious places; and, these stop it from feeling as plush as, say, the VW Passat. The front seats are nicely contoured, with thick and supportive side bolsters, but the driving position is not ideal. You sit too high up, so it seems like you are perched above the dash, and there's not enough adjustment to the seat or steering wheel if you're very tall or short. The infotainment system is straightforward, though, and easy to navigate, even if it can take a while to respond to driver inputs.