Borneo Motors has announced its intention to bring in the 1.6-litre Toyota Auris hatchback. In its second generation, the Auris was first displayed publicly at the 2012 Paris Motor Show in September. Shortly after, it went on sale in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

A hatchback body style has been missing from Toyota's lineup in Singapore for a long time. So, the arrival of the Auris will certainly freshen up the Toyota showroom here.

Measuring 4,275mm (L) x 1,760mm (W) x 1,460 mm (H), the Auris is slightly shorter in the X,Y and Z directions than one of its main rival, the Hyundai i30. The 1.6-litre Auris features Toyota's Valvematic technology. Valvematic is a further development of the Dual VVT-I system by adding lift and duration control to the inlet valve variable timing. The engine is mated to a MultiDrive transmission, which is Toyota's fancy language for CVT. With 132bhp and 160Nm on hand, the Auris sprints from 0 to 100km/h in 11.1 seconds. This is slightly faster than the i30's 11.5 seconds performance.

The arrival of the Auris should not raise any cause for concern for Singapore's favorite hatchback, the VW Golf. Still, the Auris is an important model for Toyota Singapore as it ushers in the new face of the brand with its all-new frontal design.