THE later series of Toyota's Auris, built between 2015 and 2019, might not stand far out from the crowd in the car park, but it's so well built that it should last for many years.

And as well as being very comfortable, it also handles well and is much better fun than its predecessor to drive.

Also, and this is a big plus for private buyers, it comes with a five year 100,000 mile warranty that's transferable to new owners, giving excellent peace of mind.

There are five door hatch and estate versions to choose from and all have plenty of interior space for four, or five at a pinch.

The Auris is about the same size as the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus, and offers similar performance.

This later model is much better looking and has lower running costs than its predecessor. It's also more British than any Ford, being built at Burnaston in Derbyshire.

Later engines in the range from 2015 were a 1.2 turbo petrol with 114bhp, a petrol/electric hybrid with 98bhp and a 1.6 turbo diesel with 110.

The 1.2 is probably the pick of the bunch for most people, with a zesty feel giving 0 to 60 miles an hour in a decent 9.8 seconds while managing a best of 68 miles per gallon.

The Hybrid uses the same setup as the Prius, a 1.8 petrol engine plus electric motor, giving 98bhp and 0 to 60 in 10.5 seconds. It really scores in the economy and emissions stakes of course, being capable of 81mpg and just 79g/km of carbon dioxide.

The diesel has 110bhp and takes 10.2 seconds for the 60 sprint. It can do 67mpg.

Both diesel and 1.2 have a six speed manual gearbox as standard but were available with a continuously variable automatic option (CVT), which is standard on the hybrid.

The diesel was dropped in 2017, as Toyota concentrated on its hybrid models' low emissions and high economy.

The hybrid is not a plug-in, but the batteries are charged on the move by regenerative braking and by the petrol engine.

Acceleration is fair and the model is very quiet on the move, with well sorted wind and road noise and hardly a sound from the engine, which is very smooth when cruising.

But the automatic gearbox is sluggish to decide what it needs to do on occasion, and a prod of the accelerator sends the revs up the scale and increases noise levels considerably.

When this major update was introduced, it included new LED lights and touch screen, and more luxurious interior materials.

Handling is safe and reasonably good, with plenty of grip, and low levels of roll.

A raft of safety systems are standard and disc brakes all round make sure the stopping is as good as the going.

While there's nothing very special about the interior, all the controls are well laid out and easy to use, and it's a very easy car to drive.

Mid-range Icon trim brings loads of airbags, traction control, parking sensors, air conditioning, remote locking, electric windows and mirrors and alloy wheels.

Pay about £5,750 for a '16 16-reg 1.2T Icon, or £9,800 for an '18 18-reg Hybrid Design.