Toyota Avensis: new Valvematic and D-CAT engines

Toyota Avensis

Toyota has added two new engines for its European Toyota Avensis. Their Europe cars seem to be getting the best that can be found in their engine range. I wish it’d trickle down to markets like ours sooner. They seem to be phasing out the Dual VVT-i engines with the new Valvematic engines that also incorporate Dual VVT-i technology, and the stats for the engines look pretty good.

The Avensis gets a new 1.6 litre Valvematic engine that does 43.5 mpg on the combined cycle, and can take the D-segment Avensis up to 100km/h in 10.4 seconds. This new engine is called the 1ZR-FAE and puts out 130 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, which is pretty good as its a 100Nm to 1.0 litre of displacement ratio. Anything beyond this would usually start requiring implementing some kind of aggressive high cam tuning or direct injection. A 1.8 litre Valvematic engine also exists – the 2ZR-FAE making 145 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 180Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Toyota Avensis

And of course we are already familiar with the first ZR family Valvematic engine that was ever unveiled and first installed in the JDM market Toyota Noah. The Avensis does not get this 158 PS 3ZR-FAE engine though, with the larger power options deserved for turbodiesels, as befitting European market tastes. The Avensis has a new turbodiesel engine called the 2.2 D-CAT 150, which is cleaner than the 2.2 D-4D 150 engine. It produces 148hp at 3,600rpm and a massive 340Nm between 2,000 to 2,800rpm, and for the first time in a diesel-powered Toyota passenger car it can be mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the 2.2 D-4D 150 is only available with a 6-speed manual.

Toyota’s Valvematic technology incorporates continuous valve lift control together with Dual VVT-i’s existing valve timing control. Valvematic eliminates the need for a throttle butterfly, instead controlling the volume of intake air using variable valve lift. This is similiar to BMW’s Valvetronic technology and quite interestingly the Toyota 1ZR-FAE beats the BMW-PSA Price normally aspirated 1.6 litre engine in terms of peak horsepower and equals it in terms of torque, however the Prince engine beats it by making the peak 160Nm at an engine speed that is 150rpm lower.

But still, all of these engines seem to be a little pale in terms of spec sheet numbers and excitement factor in comparison to the 1.4 litre and recently 1.2 litre TSI engines from the Volkswagen stable.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Black Dog on Aug 11, 2009 at 8:26 pm

    Our local Toyota boys is very slow to launch new niche models.

    Just look at the Wish previously, the whole market is flooded with re-cons and when they have it, it's already too late. Same as Alphard.

    I think they won't dare to bring in the Aventis.

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  • well….v r living in a "technology world" nowadays

    engine is being built based on "green environment" too

    v expect new small engine with reasonable bhp/torque…VW and FIAT are 2 companies competing nowadays.

    1.4 T Jet and 1.4 TSI

    However, in our boleh-land, these will take ages to arrive as our domestic market is rather unique in auto-knowledge and the weird G policy which currently apply.

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  • Maverick on Aug 11, 2009 at 8:46 pm

    Boring… is Toyota gonna ever give us something interesting.. What happened to their sport cars? The Supra? The old Levins and such.. now they just make un-imaginative boxes for housewives.. Bring on the lightweight 2-door, RWD, machines!

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  • wan_knox on Aug 11, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    When we can see the avensis in our road? perhaps 1 day it will replace the Mark X.

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  • the equally protectionism umwt will never consider these engines. let alone the d–segment avensiis

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  • Paul Tan on Aug 11, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    a18, the 1.4 T-JET is already in Malaysia in the Fiat Bravo GT.

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  • badboy on Aug 11, 2009 at 10:23 pm

    Maverick said,

    August 11, 2009 @ 12:46 pm

    Boring… is Toyota gonna ever give us something interesting.. What happened to their sport cars? The Supra? The old Levins and such.. now they just make un-imaginative boxes for housewives.. Bring on the lightweight 2-door, RWD, machines!

    —————————————————————-

    Honestly, I don't expect they will do that. Now, it is about making money and the products that make money are cars for the mass market (read housewife & uncle).

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  • Automotive_Critics on Aug 11, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    Black Dog said,

    August 11, 2009 @ 12:26 pm

    Our local Toyota boys is very slow to launch new niche models.

    Just look at the Wish previously, the whole market is flooded with re-cons and when they have it, it’s already too late. Same as Alphard.

    I think they won’t dare to bring in the Aventis.

    —————————————

    It's maybe apart of their domestic marketing strategy which fully utilise our automotive policy. Those import AP's actually can reduce their used Wish stockpile at Odaiba port auction which actually still owned by the actual owner. When their cars bought by the AP kings, then they can buy new Toyota like Avensis. They no care about Malaysian market as their domestic is their 2nd largest market after the US.

    So for the Avensis, they won't bring into in the nearest time.

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  • trav_da_man on Aug 11, 2009 at 11:19 pm

    to those think toyota is making more dull cars, think again. With the grandson of Toyota on helm, who has interest in motorsports, he is now on progress on making toyota cars exciting again. Starting with the new lexus supercar, followed by the new affordable 2 door coupe the toyobaru. The new Toyobaru will be the possible sucessor to the AE86, cheap but fun coupes hopefully for drifting purposes.

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  • Gajen on Aug 12, 2009 at 1:37 am

    the engines are awesome…they should bring this here…the interior is very neat…

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  • bmpower on Aug 12, 2009 at 1:52 am

    Toyota = Profits first, other things last.

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  • ayamxxx on Aug 12, 2009 at 3:05 am

    why customer is malaysia always get the old technology engine? Toyota is japan, china already using dual vvti for such a long time ago. We in this country just get the vvti only?

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  • mystvearn on Aug 12, 2009 at 6:12 am

    Trust me, you don't want to look at thsi car in real life. Its very very very ugly compared to the Camry malaysia gets.

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  • jusoh on Aug 12, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    paul, will this avensis be next toyota corolla altis model for malaysia?

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  • latest tech mean veli veli veli the expensive one….

    asked G about it..

    green tech lagi la mahal…

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