The old adage “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” could have been written for Toyota as it contemplated trying to boost sales of its Auris hatchback.

What the Auris desperately needed was something not available elsewhere in this sector, a unique selling point, a car that would stand out in a particularly congested market.

Good value, excellent economy, new technology, reliability and a nod to the green faction would all have to be clearly demonstrated... and then some. Enter the Auris HD in Round Two of Toyota’s attempt to get a bigger slice of the family hatchback market.

What sets the HSD apart from the Golf, Astra, Focus et al – and indeed the regular Auris itself – is that this is the first so-called affordable hybrid car.

The hybrid route – long favoured by Japanese manufacturers and becoming increasingly mainstream in various forms – is not one that appeals to all. But give it a try and you might just join the growing number of the converted. The Auris hybrid is certainly a convincing place to start.

This is Toyota’s first step in deploying Hybrid Synergy Drive across its full model range by the 2020s. It employs a 1.8 VVT-i engine that delivers a surprisingly smooth, refined driving experience.

The maximum system output of 134bhp gives it a performance to match any conventional 2.0-litre diesel or petrol hatchback, while achieving class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions – 74.3mpg and 89g/km respectively. And it avoids both road tax and congestion charges.

Hybrid Synergy Drive will be the core technology for all future Toyota models, and the Auris hybrid is the first step in the technology being deployed across the company’s European model range, with the smaller Yaris likely to be the next to get the hybrid treatment.

It delivers a quiet, comfortable and stress-free drive unlike anything else in the C-segment, giving nought to 62mph acceleration in 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 112mph. It also has a possible range of more than 700 miles on a single tank of petrol.

Being the only car in the C-segment to be equipped with a full hybrid powertrain, this Auris is tasked with creating a shift in customer perceptions.

The obvious advantages are exceptional fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions, but for me – and my passengers – it was the smoothness of the drive that impressed the most.

Unlike rival, mild hybrid vehicles, the Auris is a full hybrid that can run in petrol and electric modes alone, as well as a combination of both. It provides instant power, strong and seamless acceleration and a remarkably quiet operation.

So how does this translate to the driving experience? For the most part, you drive in much the same way as you would any other automatic car, but with the addition of driving-by-buttons to get the most out of the experience.

The only significant differences from a conventional cockpit are three buttons marked EV (Electric Vehicle), Eco and Power, plus a dinky gear lever to select Drive, Neutral or Reverse and ae push-button start control.

When the driver switches to EV mode, the car can run emissions-free on its electric power alone for up to 1.2 miles at speed up to 30 mph. Exceed the speed limit and the car will automatically re-engage the engine.

The hybrid system comprises the engine, a powerful electric motor, generator, high-performance battery, a power control unit and a power split device.

Over the course of any journey, Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive operates in different modes to maximise efficiency, and you can view these changing modes in the instrument cluster.

When the car comes to rest, the engine stops automatically to conserve fuel. In low-efficiency conditions, such as at start-up and low to mid-range engine speeds, the vehicle automatically runs in EV mode, using just its electric motor, which means you set off in silence.

In Eco mode, throttle response to aggressive inputs from the accelerator pedal is reduced and performance of the air-conditioning system is optimised to support fuel economy.

The Power mode modifies response to throttle inputs to improve acceleration for overtaking manouevres and the like.

To maximise the benefits of the system, numerous modifications have been made to the body, chassis, suspension and steering. The centre floor body has been redesigned to accommodate the batttery pack, which is located beneath the boot floor.

Now you may be wondering about the reliabilty of that battery pack technology. Toyota’s experience with the well-established Prius has proven its worth over more than 37 billion miles of driving worldwide. The pack is designed to last the lifetime of the car and, as one of the central hybrid power elements of the vehicle, it is covered by the extended, eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

There are two specification grades, T4 and T Spirit.

Key features of the T4 include climate control air-conditioning, Six-speaker audio with CD, radio, MP3 file player, USB and aux-in connection, front and rear electric windows, electric, heated door mirrors, front fog lights, LED running lights, colour-matched door handles and mirrors, push-button start, seven airbags, vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC).

T Spirit grade adds leather and alcantara upholstery, cruise control, Bluetooth, dusk-sensing headlamps, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, Smart Entry and Start, auto-dimming rear view mirror and a rear view camera display.

Toyota Auris HSD fact file

Model: T Spirit five-door 1.8 CVT.

Price: £21,325 (range from £19,895).

Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol. Power: 134bhp.

Transmission: Electric-CVT.

Performance: 0-62mph in 11.4 seconds; top speed 112mph.

Economy: 70.6mpg.

CO2 Rating: 93g/km.