This is the first time European built Toyota vehicles have been exported to Japan. THE Japanese have a treat in store when they get their hands on this first shipment of Toyota Avensis cars due to reach them from Southampton this month.

They just love European cars, but that's naturally tempered with a tremendous national pride for their own vehicles.

So when the first consignment of 350 Avensis models, designed in Europe and manufactured at a Toyota factory near Derby, reaches the port of Tahara, they'll have plenty to look forward to with cars all bearing a traditional Japanese name.

This is the first time European built Toyota vehicles have been exported to Japan, and we know that enthusiastic drivers will not be disappointed.

We took delivery of one of the first models to leave the production line at the factory at Burnaston, near Derby when it went on sale in March, and four months on have intimate knowledge of its competence. Its handling, ride, comfort and safety should match anything the Japanese have seen and for sheer quality will beat many rivals hands down.

Although the car has been on our roads since March, it will not go on sale in Japan until the autumn.

So although they have a little wait yet to get their hands on them, there's little doubt that quality and competence will go hand in hand so far as future Japanese buyers are concerned, which is really no different from expectations here.

We have found it will stand comparison with the supposedly more plush and more expensive Lexus from the Toyota stable and will meet rivals like the Mondeo, Passat or 406 head on. And four months on with a shade over 5,000 miles under the belt, the car appears faultless.

It can be had as a saloon, hatchback or estate with the choice from two petrol engines at 1.8 and 2.0, or a direct injection diesel and in five specification grades.

Ours draws power from a 16-valve double overhead cam engine with variable valve timing at 1794cc and drives just like a two-litre. It is sharp off the mark, will reach 62mph from standstill in 10 seconds and could go on to 124mph. The two litre is marginally quicker getting away and could take you to 130mph. In practical terms the 1.8 is well behaved and so far has behaved in an exemplary manner.

According to formal figures you should be able to get around 40mpg we've done better and the standard fit fuel computer consistently shows our car returning economy in the high 40s, and around 50mpg.

From a safety aspect it's fitted with no fewer than nine airbags to give protection to driver and passengers should they be unfortunate enough to be in an accident. But with some of the best brakes in the business there should be no shortage of stopping power. All models are equipped with anti-lock braking with the help of electronic brakeforce distribution on front and rear discs.

All versions also meet stringent European safety and emission standards and it is the first car we've seen with an airbag fitted below the steering column to help protect driver's knees.

We get air conditioning, a CD player and lots of comfort, and above all the car feels right. It has driver and passenger appeal and is well accomplished on the road. We drive it regularly on the motorway as well as on urban streets and country roads and believe it gives premiership action which puts it comfortably among the forerunners at the top of the league table.

That should give Japanese drivers lucky to get the first cars a headstart.

Our only niggle so far is that interior trim on a windscreen pillar came adrift after around 3,000 miles. But no more than a niggle. Our local Toyota garage had it clipped back into place in seconds.

On the road prices for the Avensis here start from £13,995. Our 1.8 T3x is £15,495.

Toyota's factories at Burnaston and Deeside were Toyota's first manufacturing sites in Europe and exports are shipped from Southampton.

In December 2002 it celebrated its 10th anniversary, having produced over 1.3 million vehicles and 1.1 million engines in the UK.

The Burnaston plant started manufacturing the all-new Avensis, alongside the Toyota Corolla in January. Currently the factories employ about 4,600 people but Toyota has plans to raise annual production capacity to 270,000 units, up from the current 220,000, by introducing a third shift at its vehicle plant, from next April. This will create another 1,000 jobs.