Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2006/January 2007 | Page 88

MOTORING

Space, the
first frontier

Critical eye
I don’t like to be critical, but sometimes it
needs to be said – 2.30pm was my timely
appointment with the new Toyota Avensis
- if I could only get out of this junction!

How long do I have to wait and
you know I can’t see clearly
as that hedge needs cutting
back? Slightly late and keys
in hand, a welcome, warming
embrace of Wight Motors’
magic transform my mood as I
indulge in automotive heaven.
Pulling away reawakens my critical
eye; breaks sharply applied – with
ease of course – the Avensis pulls
up with graceful dignity allowing
my somewhat unobservant friend
to pull out, unaware of the chaos he
caused. I really should focus on the
job in hand and to be fair, criticism
is in extremely short supply when
it comes to Toyota. In fact, the
Avensis is nothing short of complete
fulfilment. My mother-in-law would
be truly lost for words!
Packaged in three styles – hatch
back, tourer and saloon, the
Avensis with its sophistication
and detail make it a perfect fit.
The MacPherson strut suspension
delivers a smooth and precise ride

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which is reflective of a smooth and
precise interior. The four spoke
leather steering wheel enhanced
with silver coloured stitching,
pin-points the engineering detail
complementing the car.
The
Avensis has standards you know!
The drive is ‘as one would expect!’ I
even find it hard to complain about
the price, starting from £13,995
on the road. Whatever the style,
the new Avensis comes prepared
as a 1.8 VVTi petrol, 2.0VVTi and
a 2.2 ltr diesel. The models range
from the T2, T3-s, T3-x, T4 and
the T Spirit, but if you are looking
to complement your livery with
177 DIN HP, the T180 is for you. A
well appreciated days driving and
as smooth as it was, I really must
write to the council about that road
surface.

Contact: Wight Motors
College Close, Sandown, IW.
Tel: [phone].

The new Skoda Roomster is not just a clever play
on words, its also a practical play on space, as I
found out test driving the 1.4 litre Roomster one,
courtesy of F.H. Winter and sons Ltd of Havenstreet.
Cars in this class which fall into the
small MPV market offer storage
and flexibility, however a claim of
the volume in litres can be slightly
misleading especially when trying
to fit in a large box that won’t bend!.
Load space has to be practical, litres
of space hidden behind a suspension
housing are no good to anyone.
Thankfully boxes are something
the Roomster excels on and wins
hands down. With 1,780 litres of
usable space the large rear doors
and boot openings allow maximum
fit. The Varioflex seating has over
20 different seat combinations
including complete seat removal for
optimum holding capacity.
A nifty accessory, the internal
bike holder exploits the inner
dimensions allowing two bikes
to be carried inside, upright with
front wheels removed. Mountain
biking may not be your thing but
it demonstrates its versatility.
Taking in narrow country roads

and a spell of town driving, I found
it exceptionally light on the steering
and easily manoeuvrable with good
all round vision. The ride could
be defined as “car like” without
the MPV feel, which can return
a combined MPG of 40.9 and is
particularly easy to park.
There is the flexibility to create
your own Roomster having an
extensive list of options and
accessories to adorn either the
Roomster one, two or three. The
same accommodating space can be
purchased with a 1.2 litre, 1.4 litre
or 1.6 litre petrol engine or a 1.4 and
1.9 TDI PD diesels. Prices start from
£9,920 including 3 years warranty
and cover from the AA.
Clever play on words, clever play on
space and a clever play on price.
Contact Details:
F.H Winter & Sons
Havenstreet Ryde.
Tel: [phone]

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