Large Car Comparison (Ford-Holden-Honda-Toyota)
25 Jul, 2008
476 Comments 
- Introduction
- Ford Falcon G6E
- Holden Commodore Calais V6
- Honda Accord V6 Luxury
- Toyota Aurion Presara
- She Says
- Performance Figures
- Conclusion
She Says - Miranda Simpson:
Whilst all four vehicles in their own way typify the family sedan, and indeed share similarities, each is also distinctively different in its own right and offers differing driving dynamics which, for one or two candidates, can prove a little daunting.
All four are without doubt very spacious, they all accommodate the average family of four or five comfortably, and each has ample boot space. But it’s the little things that stack up when making decisions, and this is certainly true with these four cars.
Calais to me feels heavy, especially in the steering. The brakes take a little effort to apply and visibility both rearward and through the “A” pillar is awkward. Entering roundabouts can prove a little disconcerting as you have to move yourself around to get a line of sight happening and out the back window, for shorter people at least, can make parking difficult. The seats are very comfortable though and everything looks quite good but it is certainly no better than you’d expect, and a little plastic, which for me personally is a little bit of a let down -so fourth place.
The Presara drives reasonably well, is light enough to manage, has good visibility and has a bigger boot than I’d have thought possible making weekend shopping and family weekends a simple prospect. The amount of features on offer too is unexpectedly sufficient and I especially like the climate control switches on the steering wheel, but it’s about there that the warm fuzzy feelings stop. Most of the interior features look cheap, almost tacky in appearance, especially the dash and wooden steering wheel which is a little bit “cardigan set” for my liking, despite the exterior being really quite attractive - that’s third place.
Surprisingly the G6E was a lot easier to manage than I thought it would be and it drives really well. It’s very spacious, has a large boot and is very easy to get in and out of, especially when getting the kids in place. All the features are easy to operate and the layout is such that you don’t need to think about it or look for things, everything is just “there”. It looks really nice too, inside and out, and is a much more refined car than I remember Falcon ever having being. But despite all of this, it just feels very big, and a little overwhelming to live with day-to-day - so that’s second place.
Last, but definitely not least is the Honda. I felt extremely confident when driving this vehicle. It drives very well, so easy to steer, in fact you feel as though the car could simply drive itself. It’s good looking, spacious enough, and in fact I feel it’s bigger than you’d expect, and has a really large boot space. It has great visibility all round whilst driving, which really does make you feel a lot safer and more confident in driving it. The interior features can -at first - feel a little daunting for the technologically challenged, however once you learn to use them, they are extremely easy to operate and feel above average in quality and presentation - it’s the big first place, for me.
All of the vehicles, as I mentioned, are spacious and comfortable, and really are quite close to call. The Ford has a nice appearance, is spacious, but feels big and bulky which is a little off putting. The Toyota, whilst it is a nice vehicle, and offers plenty of room, definitely doesn’t feel as though you are getting anything extra special for what you are paying, which also rings true for the Holden.
While Calais looks great and has all you really need from a car I am put off by the heavy steering, and the value offered for the price, especially when you factor in the fuel costs. But I would have to say the Honda would be my choice of the four. It just seems to have the edge over the others, feels more modern and has everything you need, all with a touch more class and style.
- Introduction
- Ford Falcon G6E
- Holden Commodore Calais V6
- Honda Accord V6 Luxury
- Toyota Aurion Presara
- She Says
- Performance Figures
- Conclusion
Location: Home / Ford, Falcon, Honda, Comparisons, Toyota, Holden, Australian Car Industry News, Holden VE Commodore, Behind the Wheel, Toyota Aurion, Car News / ...
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(18 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:44 am
Well done Ford, excellent result.
All ford Australia need now is for the public to realise how good this product is. And to consider this car before buying a commodore. Wake up people.
Awesome product- not being rewarded.
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:54 am
as i expected but accord gave a good fight…….the bottomline is V6 rules,
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:59 am
the holden and toyota were not even close that was a bit unexpected
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Good report and a not too suprising result. While notionally a Holden man, even I have to admit the Falcon is the better car at every spec level. Hope to see more of these comparison tests.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Great article guys.
Interesting performance figures with Falcon and Commodore virtually line ball over 400m, even though the Falcon usually considered quite a bit punchier.
Other than that I was quite surprised to read how far Commodore seems to have fallen from the rave reviews it got just two and a bit years ago.
Time for an update Holden.
Didn’t expect the Honda to do as well either, but Ford and Toyota were where I would have guessed.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Oh no, they dared say something bad about Holden………These guys must be biased!!!!!
Well done to Ford. Good result for Honda too. Toyota confirmed what we already knew. a boring drive!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Top review and much as expected. The Ford is a quantum leap above previous model and has received rave reviews. Its true that the Toyota when pressed has bad fuel economy; the claims of great economy and changing the game is a laugh. The reality of real world usage is never more noticeable when the pedal is to the metal and its not cutting edge but rather ordinary.
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:24 am
cant wait for the Toyota goon to start whinging
Not fair - - bias to Ford BLAH BLAH BLAH
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Well done CA, great read. At never being in a Presara, i laughed at seing the woodgrain trim photos, and also the cornering photo on page 7! I think it is great that Ford has cump up with the goods, and im now keen to see what Holden will do with the SeriesII. I like the Accord, but Im dissapointed with the fuel consumption.
CA, any chance of a review of the poverty packs? Too many motoring journos (and im not pointing the finger at CA) focus their attention on SS v XR6T etc, the average Joe is only going to have an entry level car (including myself as i drive a company car).
Cheers.
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Great review. Interesting to see that your lady reviewer gave the win to the Accord rather than the Falcon.
Unfortunately the sales statistics speak for themselves. The large car market is a dying breed. For the same money you could get yourself a fully kitted Tiguan, CRV or X-trail (the latter two with heaps of change) with more practicality and better fuel efficiency. Sure it won’t go from 0-100 in 7 seconds but around the city who cares?
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:05 am
The Falcon should win, it’s 2 years newer
Don’t know what the hell you were doing to record the Calais’ fuel figures, I’m steering a SV6 on loan an managed 8.7l/100 on the 100km trip to work this morning, and so far very rarly acheive over 8l/100 for a trip, 70% city and 30% highway cycle.
How did you do the fuel consumption tests, was it simply handing over the keys, record fuel usage per distance, and leave it at that?
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:18 am
I’m shocked to read the Toyota was thirsty in real world conditions!!(he says with sarcasm).
I am a bit surprised that the Calais was so far behind the other 3 but totally expected the Falcon to win!
NICE review!!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Good read, Falcon is a great car.
I reckon this car would go a long way to improving Ford North Americas product line up if they only had it over there!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Good job guys. No surprises with the falcon there.
Suprised about the Aurion quarter time (you did mention you used the secret manuever to disable the TRC). Not sure many Aurion drivers are going to go through that procedure (handbrake up-down,clap,honk the horn, headbutt the steering wheel. etc) every time they want to out run a falcon by a nose length at the lights.
Surprised by the Accord…not surprised by the female’s review on the Honda (Honda’s brand image has been marketed so well that most of the un-informed think Honda is a prestige brand) Pity about it being Thai built. Any results on cost’s to insure, repair and service etc?
Would have been interesting.
Although not a fan I can see Holden’s appeal and wonder how the VE has dropped out of favour so quickly after such raving riviews not too long back (”as good as a 5-series”).
I guess when the advertising money runs out, reviews tend to be a little more subjective eh?
Cant wait to see the next comparo you guys conjure up.
Again, well done.
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:57 am
You’re right there Alec… ford have made a serious blunder by not exproting the falcon to the yanks.
Imagine how they would butcher the styling though…(pontiac G8 anybody???)
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Why can’t you guys compare the glove-boxs of each and every one and make a conclusion who has the best?
Cheers
F-0
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Great article and great review CA.
And good work Ford on building such a fantastic family car.
I would still rather a Diesel Mondeo but in this category the Falcon would have been my winner. It’s just a real shame that the resale is so bad. Oh well this just means that when a executive is finished with his lease car then the normal folk can pick it up at a steal.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Correct Jimbo!
But the market figures dont lie and have spoken
The punters are better off buying XTrail/Rav/CX7[Please test it C/A]compact SUV’s
More economical, more suitable for familys, MUCH better resale and build quality, and AWD thrown in for free.
Cheers
F-0
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Why doesn’t Ford Export both the Falcon and the Territory?
They are both brilliant cars. Stick a diesel option in them both and they would sell really well in Europe as well as the USA, Asia and the Middle East.
Ford you have to think big picture!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:19 am
GM and Ford in the USA are going broke because they are making cars that nobody wants. We need to realise that low L/100km figures are more important than low 0-100 km/hr figures.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
The Calais’ interior looks the second most visually pleasing to the Accord.
They are such a nice combination of colours and design. I’m not entirely sure how they could call it ‘poverty’, when they wrote that, i thought the stock calais might make do with the standard commodore SS interior, as opposed to the SS-V, but no, it has the full sized head unit.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Interesting review, but I’m not sure why comprehensive fuel economy figures weren’t provided given the current climate. Or have I got it wrong, performance is still far more important than fuel economy for the large car class.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Glen, GM are going broke, because they have about 20 different brands, each producing poor entry level cars compared to the Japanese competition.
They have a huge confusion of names, advertisements, dealer networks and far too many models. They could almost consolidate all of saturn, pontiac, buick, etc, into one brand under Chevrolet, and keep Cadillac as the high end American division.
Either way, GM offer stacks of brilliant cars, that’s not why they are going broke.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Wow, the Calais’ straight line performance was almost identical to the Falcon, and beat the Accord.
It almost ran a 14 second pass, i wasn’t really expecting that at all.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I can’t believe people think you are better off buying a small SUV such as CRV, X-Trail, CX7 etc etc
Better economy is debatable because the real world figurs are usually 11L/100km plus. LOOK at their weight!!!
In comparison they have worse handling, average performance, average looks (in my opinion) and in general poorer technical spec.
Sure their resale is better, only because they are a relatively fresh concept (compared to sedans), but fads come and go and small SUV’s may be at their peak of being in fashion.
I agree they are more versatile, but that is only due to there being a big boot at the back. The trade off is poorer drivability (in general) For that reason alone I think a car based wagon is superior.
And up until now, Australia has had relatively poor options when it came to a wagon - which had to contribute to SUV sales.
And AWD??? Most are front, only using the rear wheels when they detect slip. Problem is they need the AWD function to maintain decent grip due to the generally poorer handling characteristics (in comparison to sedans)
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Ford G6E has just 4 air bags? What a joke!!…Even A$ 26,000 Hyundai Sonata has 6 air bags..and A$ 40,000 Grandeur has 8 bags !!
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Road test was a bit light on for comparative fuel consumption for all four cars under similar conditions. This was a bit of an oversight if you’re testing four big cars. Quoting the official results is just not good enough. What’s wrong with a best, worst and average figure for each car under test based on actual fuel used, not dashboard readouts.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Joke
Its a $500 option. Get over it.
I can tell you from experience that most people dont realy care and if they do,they just option the car with it.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Well looks like I predicted the rankings correcly. Some points:
* To AndrewM, Im expecting an apology for your arguments regarding the Aurions accleration and your doubt that it did the 100 in high 6s. The BF Falcon would have been even slower, which is when we had this argument.
* To above poster the Ford site says side and curtain airbags are a feature, I think you may be wrong.
* The Accord Euro has “ample” torque of 230Nm in a 1605kg car but the Aurion has “fairly avergage” torque of 1650kg. WTF? Compared to the competition maybe, but play the ball not the man, it doesnt need the same torque as a heavier Commodore or Falcon.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Joke,
G6E has 6 air bags, Driver/Passenger Front Airbags & Curtain airbags plus front seat side thorax airbags as listed in Ford website.
The curtain airbags are available on all falcons
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Joke, you are a joke.
Front driver and passenger, and two side airbags that protect the thorax as well as the HEAD…
Full curtain airbags are a $300 option with side airbags changed to thorax only.
Holden has part leather, no reverse camera. And Sonata is a smaller car and not in the same market.
Learn the facts before you post.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:17 am
And yes the G6E has them standard, G6 it’s optional for $300.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:19 am
I still dont see what the fuss is about not having a flat boot floor. I have a Falcon and the best part of the boot is that is isnt flat. That tub in the middle is the best place to put shopping etc, it doesnt roll around ,it should be a highlight not a shortfall of the design.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Paul said “Standard safety features include: Electronic stability control; ABS brakes with EBD and BA; driver and front passenger airbags; front side airbags and traction control”
It seems that only 4 air bags are standard..What are joke !!…Even A$ 26,000 Sonata has 6 air bags as satandard safety feature,,,Wake up ford !!! A$ 47000 car must have at least 6 air bags as standard safety feature..
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Joke
G6E does come with 6 airbags - have a look at teh ford web site
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I find it has to believe that you didn\’t like the steering and handling of the Calais when everyone else who driven it had praised it. Personal preference i suppose.
You also state that Sat Nav is not available, however full colour sat nav is an option.
And the centre screen is a full colour screen (hence being sat nav capable).
You also mention the 4 star safety rating, however forget to mention that this was conducted in an Omega with 2 airbags(from memory, i could be wrong) and now the Commodore range has 6 airbags as standard.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Fenno, with that tongue in mouth comment about the VE being BMW 5 series comparable. Never in the review did they criticize the base VE package, all that was said is that it didn’t offer comparable luxury items. The Calais V is just overpriced compared to the new offerings.
The 5 series comparo was mostly made with the SS-V in mind, which has much more handling focused suspension, and a far more impressive engine/drivetrain combo.
It seems likely that the Series 2 VE will get a direct injection v6 and 6 speed auto that are on the Holden-developed Camaro.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Over the life of these cars, a typical owner would experiance more breakdowns and problems with the Falcon and Commodore then the Accord and Aurion.
CA listed standard ESP as a postive for the Commodore. Durr … don’t they all have ESP as standard which suggests they didn’t have much to say about the VE.
I believe a government article recently published the Commodore as the thiriest, most costly and polluting of the family size cars.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I went Honda Web site a few minute ago and found a real Joke….A$ 47000 Odyssey has no ESP !!!. Even a customer cannot buy it as an option!!! What a shock!!! Wake up Honda !! Hyundai is selling Getz at A$ 14,990 drive way with A FREE ESP now !!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Graham Cartwright is Dingo, everybody.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Also, its hardly fair to criticize the Calais for its lack of sat nav and leather, when the Aurion is close to $4000 more expensive, and both can be optioned on the Calais to begin with.
It would be a fairer test to comment on how it is slightly more expensive with the options ticked, rather than call the interior downmarket.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Great review, as I would expected given G6 and Accord are newer cars. and as I predicted it was going to be a close call on the G6 and Accord.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Graham Cartwright is Graham Cartwright.
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July 25th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Golfschwein is Car Advice.com.au, everybody.
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July 25th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
GhisGT - you are a dead set legend son. Have you checked the vehicle weights?
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July 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
CONGRATULATIONS FORD !!!!!!!!!!!, Some people commenting here are sad clowns having a cry, in my opinion Toyoda should of come last..
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July 25th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Good review overall, however it is light on detail. One sentence for steering or handling? A more comprehensive piece would have brought the review up a notch, possibly even on par with the motoring magazines.
For all those posters confused about curtain airbags on the Falcon. A good look at the website shows the G6E does not include them standard, only as part of a pack (Thats why Ford’s claim for curtain airbags on their website has a nice little asterix next to it). Check their more enlightening Safety webpage.
I thought the comments on the Commodore’s 4 star safety rating a bit of a joke. Its amazing how few people, even those in the industry, understand just how ANCAP’s rating system operates.
Taken from ANCAP’s website;
“Five stars is the best rating possible. There is provision in the scoring system for an extra test known as a pole impact test. This is only performed where a head-protecting side airbag is fitted and gives a good result in the side impact test. The manufacturer then has the option of paying for a pole test, which could earn a bonus two points. For this reason ANCAP reports scores out of a maximum possible of 34 points (16 points each for the offset frontal and side impact and two points for the pole test). It is only possible to reach five stars with the bonus points from a pole impact test. ”
As you can see Holden scored a 4 star rating because they only wanted the base model tested (no curtain airbags). Any dummy can see that a Calais with side curtain airbags is going to score 5 stars. Ford’s Falcon is also certain to score only 4 stars because of the lack of standard airbags. I am with Holden on this issue, ANCAP’s 5th star is a joke, with manufacturers having to cough up money to BUY the 5th star. The independent tests should be based solely on safety not money.
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July 25th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Well in light of that the Ford should have been penalised heavily… 6 airbags are standard spec on any decent car.
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July 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Joke….Which Hyundai dealer are you at?
Why are you even mentioning them?
Maybe you and Dingo can duke it out on a private page somewhere…Or are you Dingo’s evil Hyundai counterpart?
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July 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Jason,
I think Ford’s website is a little confusing.
It is the way they have chosen to display the specification that is confusing people. Yes the Curtain bags are available as a pack, ON LESSER SPEC MODELS!!!
The G6E DOES come with curtain, side and front airbags as STANDARD. This is clearly displayed in the first feature on the safety specification section of their website titled “Curtain airbags plus front seat side thorax airbags1″
Cars that dont come with Curtain Bags as standard have this feature listed as “O / P”, and instead have the feature “Front seat side head/thorax airbags2″ ticked.
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July 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Regards Alec, you are correct.
The point regarding ANCAP still stands however. The Falcon will only score 4 stars because only the base model will be tested, again misleading consumers about upper spec models.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I would prefer the Commodore to the Aurion
I’m not sure if im completely convinced by caradvice’s arguments regarding the handling of the vehicles, and too me, the calais is better looking, both inside and out, and definitely has a more sporty tone.
I wouldn’t let a lack of sat nav for the money give the toyota the edge.
I would take the Falcon though, credit is due were it is earned, good work Ford.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Side Airbags, ie FRONT are standard on all FG Falcons.
The “optional” curtain airbags refer to whole of car and include rear seats.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
The new Ford Falcon is an engineering masterpeice! The team at the Broadmeadows plant ought to be very proud of this release. Never before have we seen such a classy range from the base XT right up to the performance FPV options. This is the best range on the market today, and anyone looking at buying a new car should definitely take one for a test drive. Highly reccomended!
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Now one more time for those who don’t listen:
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ARE STANDARD ON G6E AND G6E TURBO AND OPTIONAL ON LESSER MODELS!
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Great comparison.
Shame about the fact that you need to secretly disable all driver aids in the Aurion to get the best from it, performance wise.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Great review. Great comments following the review. Was there a listing of all the fuel economy figures? I saw a couple but a nice table showing the individual and combined cycles would have been nice to see too.
Good comparo and looks like the first real world one I have seen for some time that actually has some substance. Well done Car Advice.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
As they say, the proof is in the driving. You can take all the airbags, ipod inputs, sat-nav systems you like but if your large sedan can’t get past that road train on the highway quickly and safely or brake fast enough to avoid that t-bone city collision where’s the point?
I think the real home for these cars will always be for the highway traveller. So more important things might be spare wheel type, tyre size and expense, fuel types and insurance. Maybe we need a gravel handling review as well.
A CR-V will never compare for comfort when you’ve got 500km to cover.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I second the opinion of CarAdvice and lament the fact Ford are getting rid of this seriously well refined engine. What a super package.
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Pfft what awards has it won? The Aurions engine is a derivative of a winner in Wards Top 10 engines of the year. What we need to be able to differentiate is a superb engine vs superb transmision. Clearly the ZF hides the inefficiencies of an engines Ford thesmelves have no confidence in.
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Axe, Yes “curtain” airbags certainly are an option on the lower spec models, however, the side airbags required to meet ANCAP are standard across the range. there is a difference between “side” airbags and “curtain” aribags.
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I detect a strong case of sour grapes TP ? Bad luck Toyota but just not refined enough to keep up to the new Ford benchmark.
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Tp…….go have a cry……the Falcon won because it is a car with character and design integrity………something that no Toyota has, especially the Camry V6 tested here……..oh Aurion…..same thing.
AURION………..The NAME has changed!!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Perhaps you can enlighten me as to who has won the Large Car of the Year for the last two years…beating the Falcon with the same engine? Or enlighten me as to which engine is a derivative of the Lexus engine which was in Wards top 10? Or enlighten me to which engine is being scrapped? Or last but not least, enlighten me to which manufacturer has 20% market share and which one combined with the other local barely has HALF the market share?
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
The VE interior was awful when it was released and its amazing how much it has aged even more now. It really does look cheap and nasty when compared to any of these cars but especially the Falcon. Interesting how they said the Aurion is really a Camry body and not really a large car………well duh !!! lol It IS a Camry and drives like one…….no spark or pleasure from dirving one which is like all Toyota “goodie pack” cars. The game has changed but the Falcon has changed it not the Camry\aurion !!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
TP…..Give us all a break! The Falcon engine GROWLS while your little thirsty Aurion just FARTS!!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I’m surprised the Aurion wasn’t significantly more quick than the G6E, considering it has around 200Kg less bulk to haul around. Testament to the torquiness of the I6!
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Car Advice gave a balanced and fair review.
TP don’t suck your thumb mate, you are a grown man are you not? So the Falcon and the Accord are rated as better cars. You can still buy an Aurion if you want one and LOL…enjoy driving it.
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July 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
TP no doubt about you. Just give the G6E credit where it’s due. I didn’t do the comparo. CarAdvice did. They did the comparo and they said it came out on top. So get with it. In this comparo of cars in a real world situation Ford wins and Toyota got third. Cripes. It isn’t any plainer than that. Maybe you need to re-read the article as that’s what we are all discussing here. In your eyes Toyota will always be top. We get that. Just get over it and you will be fine. Not everyone agrees with you.
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Enlightenment as requested: The Ford was the better car. The Toyota came 3rd. sad.
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Good review Car Advice, having driven an FG for the first time the other day I have to agree. As well as the drivetrain, the front suspension is definitely a highlight of the FG.
Lets see some more comparisons like this for base model sedans, small cars, 4wds etc, I’m sure they are a lot of work, but are useful for people considering their options for a new car.
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
The I6 engine out of the falcon is only being replaced because its not economicly viable to redesign a new I6 motor to comply with the euro4 emissions.We dont sell enough cars to warrant the investment needed on this redesigned motor.Dam shame that we lose a great engine with australian heritage.As for the camry,I mean lexus,i mean aurion engine.It doesnt even come close to a smooth engine.V6 engines suffer from balancing issues,something the I6 doesnt suffer from.As for the TRD version.You would be wanker to think it even compares to the turbo I6 engine both in XR6T or the F6.Toyotas are over rated,always have been and always will.
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Also its being replaced by economics of scale.
Why develop separate 6 cylinder engines for the states and for Australia?
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Just confirmed, Golfshwein is Car Advice, everybody.
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Guess Who Aka - confrm as a wanker
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Carl - live with these cars day-in, day-out and the Accord and Aurion will be far more relibale and dependable cars to own then any Commodore or FalcOn ever will be and has been proven in the country for years upon years. Nothing is different today.
Toyota is renounded for many vehicles in it’s fleet wether it be cars, SUV’, 4×4’s or commercials whereas Ford and Holden are generally known for 1 example each.
Granted, the new FalcOn is good but is has to be becuase there is no-doubt about it … if it fails (as it probably will becuase of the shifting consumer demands) the Falcon will be left as a dead duck.
Oh yeah, lets not forget that in 18 months, the L6 is GONE FOREVER …. oooch !! and replaced with a V6 that isn’t exactly the best in the game … is it !!
The Aurion will benefit greatly with it’s mid-life upgrade due in time and nodoubt Toyota will ensure it remains a strong competitor as it is however Ford’s upgrade of the new Falcon will be the decommissioning of the current engine and replaced with an American built v6 instead.
No-doubt about it - the game will change and not in it’s favour …. HA, HA, HA !!
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July 25th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Great review guys, appreciate the work that went into this and think was worth it!! More car comparisons would be great.
Also really enjoy reading reviews that are not tainted by the size of advertising account of that manufacturer.
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Haha I have never mentioned yet the G6E doesnt deserve this win… Id buy it over an Aurion. But going down the range, the Aurion wins, particularly in base form. And when broke down into parts, the Aurions engine I feel is far superior. But as an overall package the G6E has the transmission, far better inferior and decent dynamics. I personally dont like the interior of the Presara, the Sportivo is much nicer.
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Darren - you have got absolutely no idea what you are even talking about. The Aurion V6 is infact amoung the smoothest and most refined engines that can be found anywhere in the world today while the Direct Injected (DI) derivatives as used by Lexus are even better … PERIOD !!
Any comment otherwise is just downright pathetic !!
And one thing about Toyota and that is they not over rated. Infact, Toyota is amoung the highest quality, most reliable/dependable and consistant automotive manufactuer in exsistance today and there is no truer axample then it’s strong and respected reputation throughout the world.
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July 25th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
TP - i wouldn’t buy it over an Aurion because Falcons and Commodores are infact amoung the most unreliable vehicles on the market and have been for many long years, no different today.
Oooops, forgot to mention - Ford is stumbling on whether it will continue manufactuering RWD platforms into the future … ooch !!
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Well, well, well … Toyota Australia has just announced a record year in profit. For the FISCAL year 2007/008, they have reported an after tax profit of $242 million (Oz) compared to their 2006/2007 FISCAL profit of $184 million (Oz).
Ford Australia however recorded a $87 million loss for the 2007/2008 FISCAL year … oooch !!
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
True Guess who no doubting it would be a massive risk given 55% of Falcons need to return to dealership for unscheduled maintenace… but I dislike the interior of the Presara, the G6E doesnt have a better interior. But every model below this, the Aurion wins hands down.
Just heard on nes, Ford posting $9 Billion loss each quarter!!! That sounds like a brand making decent cars….not.
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Quote [Guess Who Aka]: “….Aurion will be far more relibale and dependable cars to own then any Commodore or Falcon ever will be and has been proven in the country for years upon years.
If they are so dependable and so reliable as you would like us to believe then why is it that you don’t see that many Old Toyotas [15 years or older] around today as you do Holdens and Fords.
I know you will come back with a statement saying ” stop living in the past; we are in the here and now”
However; the fact remains if they were so reliable and long lasting then surely there would be more of them on our roads .
BTW - To be fair Im using 1958 [the year Toyota started in Oz] as a starting point.. which rules out your arguement that there are more Forda and Holdens as they sold more given that Ford started in 1925 and Holden back in the early 1900s
And as for the number of Toyotas being used on the snowy mountain scheme there were actually more VWs
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
TP - yes, Ford Mo Co has just announced a May-June qtr loss of about $9 billion … ooch !!
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Wheelnut - Holden and Ford have long sold amoung the poorest quality and most unreliable vehicles in Australia for many years particularly Holden. Believe what ever you want becuase it doesn’t change reality … not even remotely.
Off to watch a movie now - Alien vs Predator the Sequal and then eat my yummy Chinese Tucker the wife has just brought.
cheers
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
TP…..the car industry is going through a massive change at the moment and Toyota is in a good position…….at the moment. They are getting away with building very average cars on the back of high petrol prices and the public are being fooled by the myth that Toyotas are more economical in the real world. Enjoy the tme at the top of sales figures……….not having anywhere near the best cars…..because things will change. Every business has its ups and downs and the worm will turn……….so be carefull what you say because it will come back to bite you on the arse……….
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Jimbo, the Territory might do OK in Europe but the Falcon wouldnt. If someone wants a big sedan in Europe they want a 5 series or an E Class. Other than that, most people would sacrifice space and just get a poverty pack 3 series.
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July 25th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
A disappointing omission in this review is the lack of a table showing the ‘real world’ fuel consumption of each model tested.
Also a comparison of on-going costs, including service costs and intervals (Hondas are usually a pathetic and costly 6 month/ 10000km) would have been welcome.
There was no comparative mention of refinement in terms of road noise over Australia’s typically coarse road surfaces which can severely destroy the overall cruising experience.
Hopefully these issues can be addressed in an update.
I’ve never understood why criticism is levelled at the Falcon’s boot well. I have a BA Fairmont Ghia as well as a MX-5, both of which wave a welled boot and I wouldn’t have it any other way as the depression prevents items going into orbit and getting damaged or disappearing to the rear of the boot.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
how do you make an Aurion handle???Drive it in reverse
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Alex, it all depends where in Europe you are referring to?!!
I lived and worked in Baden-Wurttemberg (From where porsche and Benz come from) and Bavarian (From where BMWs come from).
And Genuinely the FORD would not have a chance against similarly sized German rivals. As for the 3 series, they are usually bought by fathers for their daughters, in a similar fashion as the Mitsubishi lancers used to be bought here. Don’t kid your self, people aren’t that interested in a poverty pack 3 series there, as Aussies seem to be here!!
In Europe you have much greater variety to choose from!!
And the cars you see on the road vary, not just from country to country, but states within a country. For example in Northern German states you see much more VW’s and OPELs . Also I believe the Falcon would be just too wide for the fairly narrow roads in europe!! Especially when you have curb park on streets that existed way before automobiles became available.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Phil….you hit the nail on the head there mate……lol funny you should say that because 2 months ago an Aurion\Camry (same thing) sat spinning its front wheels as it tried to pull a not very big boat up our local ramp……….a bloke yelled out to him ” hey mate………put the towbar on the front of the car and reverse it out and you might just get it up the ramp” !!! so funny……
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
It doesn’t alter the fact that there are still more [post 1958] Holdens and Fords than Toyota’s still going around though..
My point is what really defines reliability is whether or not something is built to last - or for at least more than 10 years.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Once again, Toyota fans have hijacked an article…
Guess Who? Are you Luke GT by any chance?
I love it when people claim that something is a fact, by simply saying fact.
Honda may be reliable, but are effing expensive when it comes to parts. My g/f’s Civic needs a new central door locking master actuator for passenger side front - $160!!! You can buy a whole kit from Strathfield for $39 with 2 x master and 2 x slaves with all wiring.
I like the Honda, and agree whole heartedly with CA’s ranking, but the FG won, fare and square.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
geeez you would think that for such a fancy key fob, Toyota could have made it look a bit better!!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
TP, get off your market-share high horse, because Toyota have more cars to sell than anyone else. With all the diff models they offer, they would want to be selling a f-load!!!
Also, Fords $9billion loss was in North America, where they have nothing to do with any of the Fords that are sold in Aus.
Go back your Toyota into a Cafe like most Lawn Bowl playing, cardigan wearing, blue rinsed, senior citizen Corolla sedan drivers.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
TRD hilux anyone.
What a joke!!!!Still retains a drum brake rear end and was to rival Ford and Holden sports utes.YEAH RIGHT.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I mean if Toyotas were as well built and as reliable as you would like us to believe then surely [even though they might not have sold as many as Ford or Holden] there would still be a considerable number of 1987 Corons and older Toyotas still out there which would be cheap enough for Learner drivers to buy as their first car.
Which would then mean possibly more teenage drivers who would have had so many 1000 ks of happy motoring in their Toyota and then maybe make them want to buy another slightly newer Toyota like a 1997 model.
But because Toyotas don’t last as long; the young drivers are more likely to opt for a Falcon or Commodore
I know brand loyalty isn’t as big as it was years ago but the one thing that sways alot of drivers in buying a car is their memeories impressions of and experiences with a particular make of car when they were younger.. a number of Teenage drivers choose the same make of car that theuir dad had when they were growing up.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
That’s the guts of it, BOSSCR. The Ford won this comparison. It was the best car. Bringing in hypothetical results for the lower rung cars isn’t where it’s at.
Besides, WHEELS did that last month and the Aurion came last there, too. However, it did fare well in the Gold Star Cars categories, which place much less emphasis on the actual driving.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Not to mention the matter of cost of repairs of cars as they get older and availability of parts
Cos compared to the cost of repiaring the engine of a VL Commodore or XF Falcon - the cost of repairing the Engine/Gearbox of a 1987 Toyota is almost as much as the value of the car itself.
Oh and then theres the design of a car. Some of the older Fords and Holdens still look relatively modern. They have a distinctive look so you can tell its a Falcon or Commodore
Whereas the Toyota Avalon for example was out of date [in terms of looks] the day it was released - if not before.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
If Commodores are so poor quality and unreliable, why did Toyota stick Lexcen badges on them for 6 years?
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Darren - I saw a guy in a TRD Hilux at the lights in Adelaide last week.
I didn’t pick it at first as theres really nothing to distinguish it from an SR5 Hilux except for the tacky body stripes - however the ute was a graphite grey with light grey stripes so they kind of blended in the same way the TRD logo does on the grille
It wasn’t until I saw the number plate which was TRD. Although I guess that was because he couldn’t have S–T.
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Guess Who Aka, what happens to that profit The Big T is declaring? I for one wonder what corner of the globe it is going too!
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July 25th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Good point BOSSCR - I remember one of my mums friends had a Lexcen. It had Toyota Badges on the Outside tet on the inside Holden was written on the Tape Deck; Glove Box Steering Wheel and Rubber Floor Mats.. that’s their attention to detail
I realise that the HSV VXR Astra has Opel badges on it but at least they’re from the same company and a number of Barina/Astra owners replace the Holden badges with Opel badges..
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I have just confirmed, Golfschwein is affiliated with Car Advice.com.au
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
A good win for Ford Australia. The new falcon is a very good car in premium form. Although I think at the basement level an Aurion would give it a run for its money.
The falcon has some nice features and upmarket touches, but how come there’s no xenon headlights?
The commie was rightfully found to be lacking features in this group of sub $50K vehicles, yet its funny how other Aussie car reviews have proclamied the Commie to be on par with upper end BMWs and MBs features wise…
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Car1 - you write nothing but shear rot !!
Toyota has long engineered and built strong, solid, quality, reliable, dependable and durable cars and thier reputation throughout the world supports my comment. Infact, Toyota argueably has the most consistant fleet of any and have done so for a long time and YES … they will enjoy thier time at the top while GM and Ford crumble beneath.
Check out any Quality / Cust Satisfaction Survey wether it be in the UK, USA or Australia and Toyota consistantly rates amoung the best performers and that doesn’t happen by mistake … does it !!
Toyota is No.1 becuase they engineer damn good cars and it must tear your heart out witnessing them make a complete mockery of the red & blue badge.
Outselling Holden and Ford combined must be a teerible and soul wrenching experinace especially when you sight the sales figures month after month.
While Toyota grows in strength - fleet / range, wealth, reputation, repect, stability and future foresight - General Motors and Ford Motor Co continue to crumble and fall apart … Ooooch
OH WHAT A WARM AND FUZZY FEELING
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
$242 million…. not bad; that’s almost half of what Toyota will waste in keeping their F1 team [as an also-ran] in next years championship…. That is if there is a next year.
Instead of going into development of a range of more technologically advanced better looking production cars or perhaps their first serious [RWD or AWD] performance car
I mean to do that the world’s richest car company had to team up with Subaru - from whom I expect they will pinch ideas etc again
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Dingo /AKA. if he is who cares, we all just want you to leave .No one is clearly listening to your dribble not even the other two Ts in your corner ,TP and Tomas79.
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Shiny - the same place were the profit from Holden and Ford go to … off our shores !!
Ooops - forgot, they don’t make a profit … oooch !!
However, profitability ensures local viability which inturn balances the risks for retained employment of Australian workers … does it not ??
Thought so … !!
While Mitsubishi recently closed shop, Holden and Ford have long been reducing local employment however - todate - Toyota Australia has stayed strong and retained staff at current levels.
Unless Ford Motor Co relises the strenghth of the Australian Falcon VERY SOON and creates an external market, it too will eventually be gone.
Survivability is not just about the strenghth of cars automotive companies design and engineer but corporate intelligence which seems to be strangling weak link with the American owned car companies not to mention thier questionable past for engineering quality, reliable and dpendable cars in the face of the European and Japanese manufactuers whom have grown strong and continue to do so.
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Wheelnut - boo hoo princess.
Sure, Toyota invests considerable money in F1 and has been a struggle for the group but the engineering talent gained from such participation is unchallenged by any other form of motor racing … am i wrong - NO !!
Oh yeah, and why would Toyota do business any otherway sense it is thier strategy that has not only made them the world’s current No.1 for sales - but for wealth, annual profits, global respect & recognition, corporate strength, stabiliity and future foresight all of which makes a very powerful and influancial mark on the global motoring world.
Follow Ford and GM’s example and they too would have become a crunchie … HA, HA, HA !!
And just to rub salt into the wounds - NASCAR has just changed thier rules mid season and instructed Toyota to detune thier engines because Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge have been whinging, crying and sook’n about Toyota’s greater output putting them all to shame.
No different to Holden and Ford’s pathetic game to have Nissan ousted becuase they two made a complete mockery of the local V8’s.
There is currently an article on NASCAR.com which tells a story of a Ford and Chevy driver battling for 1st place recently when they each nearly crashed in dis-belief when a Toyota over took them both and just keeped on pulling away with ease … an absolute killer of story that had me killing myself in laughter.
Toyota took the battle to the American car companies is now flogging them in thier own game on thier own soil so now … rules are changing to stop Toyota’s onslaught but it seems it may have a backlash as well as many blogs are full comments in support of Toyota for engineering a much better engine whichin the stipulated relms
Basically, many are saying why should Toyota be detuned when the others should try alittle harder and catch up !!
This is should be interesting to see how it all unfolds and the way i see it, Toyota is probably gonna gain more respect amoung some fans of NASCAR - well … most replys certainly point in that direction.
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Oh yeah - the next generation Supra (FT-HS), AE86 and the new ‘F’ series from Lexus … is that the sort of performance cars you are suggesting … thought so !!
That said, TRD does a resonable job itself especially in motorsport.
And, lets not forget the considerable investments in Toyota’s diverse and considerable fleet and the challenges to ensure consistancy wether it be cars, SUV’s, 4×4’s, people movers or commercials.
Then there is Lexus, one of the most technologically advanced and highest quality brands in the world today not to mention thier ongoing development of hybrid drivetrains.
And ofcourse Scion, Diahatsu, Hino and Denso to name a few all require captial investment and all going strong in thier markets.
$232 million profit is what Holden and Ford didn’t make.
The funniest of all, it has been the very people like yourself who have been saying Toyota Australia is unprofitable and next to go … HOW WRONG !!
Here’s a better suggestion, why doesn’t Holden and Ford just give up the V8 Supercars sense it doesn’t seem to be doing much for thier sales and invest that capital into long term stability. Actually, Holden would be wise to spend that extra loot and get itself a decent fleet instead of rebadged, 10 year old Daewoos.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
How things have change holdens seem to always finnish behind the pack now there not good againt all these new cars comming out.And how good is it to see the falcon continualy comming out in front.I remmenber years ago the falcon was always behind always used more fuel was slower did not handle blar blar ,Now thay have turned the tables and its the falcon using less fuel more comfy faster u name it.Good on ford and i hope thay do well with it thay deseve it .I can just here all holden guys crying out .Bad luck just remember u had your time in the sun before .Now its dark days for commodore and sunny days for falcon
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I’m surprised there are so many comments on this review. I think all four cars are equally undesirable and feel sorry for anyone who blows 50k on one of these.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Except Ford have posted a huge financial loss globally and we are all paying for it.
None of these “big” 6s work anymore and are way behind the future.
Time to let go of the past and move on boys….big guzzlers are dead and new efficient cars will be the future.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
thay may be future at this time right now there still selling more 6s and v8 and four wheel drives than little fuel saving cars
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
One of things i hated in the commodore is the sat nav sceen is way to close to floor.You have to look way down to see it very bad .Dont no how thay put it there .It should be much higher like the other cars
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Its not hard to see the same layout and vocab used in Guess Who Aka and Luke GT, YOU HAVE BEEN OUTED!!!!
This article is about which car is better, not which company makes more profit and who does better in NASCAR. I know if i was buying a FWD car, the fact that a V8 RWD “Camry” does well in NASCAR in a completely different hemispere, would not sway me to think that this is obviously a better car, when there is no correlation between the two other than a name.
Go jump in your beige Avalon and putt along to chemist to get your script.
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Jus de l’amour , Hmmm… I wonder what retarded coward mentioning me is hiding behind this new name!!
As for the other retard mentioning that there is much more older falcons and commodores on the road. WTF you are on, obviously you live in boganville!! One of the biggest reasons i bought a toyota, is from seeing that most of the oldest cars on the road, that still drive are those old silverish corrollas!! I just dont see the kingswoods or fords from that era on the road anymore!! And yes, there were a sh!tload more of Fords and holdens sold back then!!
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I hate the look at the back of commodore.Its to high in the tail for me and i dont like the way you can see every thing under the car.The pipes and stuff and mud flaps at the back are a joke thay just dont blend in with the fake flared gaurds looks very bad
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Tomas79,
Have a look at the old silver Toyota in this link, and it might make you re-think that call.
w w w.caradvice.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=359
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Exactly Tomas less Toyota sold back then… yet more currently on the road. They stand the test of time.
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July 25th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
BOSSCR, What is your point?!!
I’m refering to the old E70 and E80 corollas, from the 70’s… Ofcourse, unless it has been restored, you won’t see a road legal Commodore or Falcon or cortina from that era!! But those Corrolas still soldier on!!