Improved Toyota Avensis on the way

• Updated Avensis in early 2012
• Styling and chassis changes
• Prius MPV at Frankfurt show

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Toyota will unveil an updated Avensis at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Exterior changes are expected to be limited to new lights, bumpers and alloy wheels. The interior will have upgraded materials and is likely to gain Toyota’s ‘Touch’ control system, which includes a touch-screen display, Bluetooth and, on higher-spec versions, sat-nav and Google search functions.

There will be chassis changes, too, although Toyota hasn’t confirmed exactly what these are. Engine tweaks to lower fuel consumption and emissions are likely.

Toyota will show the production version of the Prius+ hybrid at Frankfurt. The Prius-based seven-seat MPV made its debut at the Geneva motor show in March this year, but this will be the first chance to see the version that will reach showrooms in 2012.

One car that won’t be at Frankfurt is the production version of the FT-86 sports car. The rear-wheel-drive coupe is being c0-developed with Subaru and has been around in various forms since late 2009.

The FT-86 II concept – which was unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March – will be at Frankfurt, but the final production model is scheduled to make its debut at the Tokyo motor show in December.