Toyota 1NR-FE
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Toyota has replaced the 1.4 litre VVT-i engine (4ZZ-FE) in the Toyota Auris with a new 1.33 litre Dual VVT-i engine (1NR-FE) that produces more power, more torque, more mileage, less CO2 emissions, yet has a smaller displacement and also weighs 13kg less despite having a more complicated Dual VVT-i drivetrain, thanks to pistons that are 36% lighter among other improvements. It’s also more compact, and Toyota claims it is the same size as the inline-3 1.0 litre VVT-i engine.

The new engine also has stop-start capability, which automatically stops the engine when the car is stationary, the transmission is in neutral and the driver’s foot is off the clutch pedal. When the driver presses the clutch, the engine is restarted, and Toyota claims a potential fuel savings and CO2 reduction of up to 15% thanks to this.

For a smoother restart, Toyota says this new engine is 9dB quieter and 0.3 seconds quicker to start compared to the outgoing 1.4 litre engine.

The following is a comparison table between the two engines.

  1.33L Dual VVT-i 1.4L VVT-i
Engine Code 1NR-FE 4ZZ-FE
Displacement 1,329cc 1,398cc
Power 101hp @ 6,000rpm 97hp @ 6,000
Torque 132Nm @ 3,800rpm 130Nm @ 4,400rpm
Bore 72.5mm 79.0mm
Stroke 80.5mm 71.3mm
Compression 11.5:1 10.5:1
Combined economy 48.7mpg 40.9mpg
CO2 emissions 135g/km 163g/km

With the new engine also comes a new 6-speed manual transmission with ratios to match the new torque curve. Both the 5th and 6th gear are overdrive gears for a reduced cruising engine RPM during highway driving. Toyota says this new transmission can handle more torque than the outgoing 5-speed unit and is 11% smaller and has 15% less components despite having one extra gear ratio.

All these improvements come with a price of course. The new Auris 1.33 litre models are on average about £200 more expensive than the outgoing 1.4 litre models.

Toyota Auris