The SR 180 might occupy pole position in Toyota's Auris range, but would you recognise one if it passed you?

The little red badge at the rear might just give it away, but this is Toyota's equivalent of tromp l'oeil art, a sporting production of such exquisite subtlety that easily fools the eye into believing it is nothing out of the Auris ordinary.

Granted, there is lowered suspension, a rear spoiler, bigger, 17-inch alloy wheels and privacy glass at the back, but it's another of those flagships that dispense with the flag-waving.

This fairly laid-back image now does wonders for hot hatchback sales, with only one or two manufacturers pandering to the younger market by offering the odd gaudy colour choice - Ford's 2.5-litre Focus ST, for example, can be had in eye-piercing orange.

Toyota doesn't believe the future of family-sized flyers is bright orange, though, and offers more sedate paint finishes.

The decision to employ a diesel engine to power the Auris SR 180 pitches the C-segment car as a warm hatch, and not an outright GT-styled tyre-burner, and that is reflected in performance figures of 8.1 seconds for the 0 to 62mph sprint, and a top speed of 130mph.

It does rise to the quick-handling challenge - you can never fault the reactions or responses of any modified small Toyota - and offers and exceptional driving experience. With maximum torque from the four-cylinder, 175 horsepower engine available across the 2,000 to 2,600rpm range, its best performance comes when pushing it through the many bends found on B-roads.

On our dearest of fuels - OK, nitromethane is dearer at about £20 a gallon, but dragsters are not street legal - the Auris SR 180 does 45.6 miles, on official average, on every gallon of diesel.

And that is the beauty today of having an oil-burner to set the pace - that figure easily bests a 2.0-litre petrol rival by 10mpg.

Thanks to 164g per kilometre C02 emissions, the benefit-in-kind levy for company buyers of this £18,495 five-door car is set at just 19 per cent. The three-door SR 180 is £500 cheaper, but there is a spacious back seat so five doors are more in keeping with the practical side of the Auris.

Stability and traction control are standard on the SR 180, and, like all other Auris models, this Toyota gets nine airbags.

With SR a stand-alone trim level, it is centred heavily on T Spirit specification, adding extra safety control systems and body styling/treatments mentioned earlier, smoked glass headlamps, cruise control, a smart entry/ignition set-up, and full-map satellite navigation. Plenty of kit, then, with Toyota understating the styling case rather nicely for its leading Auris light.

Auto facts Toyota Auris SR 180

  • Price: £18,495
  • Ins group: 13
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 45.6mpg
  • Top speed: 130mph
  • Length: 422cm/166.1in
  • Width: 176cm/166.1in
  • Luggage capacity: 12.5 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons/55 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 164g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles