Next-gen Toyota Avensis wagon spied hiding turbo power

The midsize sedan (European D-segment) received two facelifts, one in 2012 and another one in 2015, but never managed to live up to expectations in terms of sales.

These first spy photos reveal Toyota has decided to develop a new Avensis, despite previous reports the model could be axed due to slow sales in the class. The vehicle will arrive on the market by the end of the year as a sedan and a station wagon.

This wagon prototype is still wearing tons of camouflage, but we can already see the vehicle won't grow in size and will retain its base profile. Expect to see a classic representative of the D-segment, featuring conservative but modern shapes and, judging by the attached shots, a bit more muscular side lines.

Way more important changes will occur under the hood, where the Avensis will ditch its old engines in favor of an entirely new range of turbo units. The current 2.0- and 1.8-liter naturally aspirated units will be replaced by a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline motor, offered in three power stages from about 120 horsepower (89 kilowatts) to 150 hp (112 kW).

The diesel lineup will also be refreshed with 1.5- and 2.0-liter units from BMW with power ranging from 115 hp (86 kW) to 190 hp (141 kW). Those engines will replace the current 1.6 and 2.0 D4D Avensis diesels, which soon will no longer be able to meet the strict European emission standards. Despite its unchanged dimensions, the new Avensis will be slightly lighter than the current model thanks to the use of high-strength steel and the smaller turbo engines.

Look for an official premiere later this year, most likely during the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.