2007 Toyota Aurion Sportivo ZR6 Road Test
February 22, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
TOYOTA AURION SPORTIVO ZR6 – ROAD TEST
Test model: Toyota Aurion Sportivo ZR6
Options fitted: Moonroof and Satellite navigation at $4850 all up – these are the only options on the ZR6 and are good value when you consider some European car makers charge this much for Sat Nav alone.
Wheel and Tyre option you should have a peek at: You can get a set of “Kappa” 18” wheels fitted to the ZR6 with proper low profile 225/45 R18’s and at $1600 (wheels only) they really do set this car off. The standard 17” alloys on the ZR6 have been done to death by a number of car makers and don’t do the car justice.
Recommended retail price: $42,500 without the above options, but the Aurion range (with the same engine specs) kicks off with the AT-X at $34,990.On Road Price: Around $46,000 but it pays to shop around as you may be able to reduce the cost of the above options as I did with some dealers.
Warranty: 3 years or 100,000kms whichever comes first.
Where the car sits in the model line-up: second from the top with only the luxury trimmed Presara sitting above at $49,990.
“The competition includes Holden’s SV6 and Ford’s XR6, both good drives, but with 200kW, a healthy respect for fuel and Toyota’s badge of reliability, it would pay you to be a little more than curious”
It was never going to be a ‘shoe in’ for Toyota to compete in the large family car segment in Australia with the big six offerings from Ford and Holden given their domination in this sector for decades. It’s even tougher, when you are coming at the Aussie lads from the ‘performance badge’ side.But if you are Holden, Ford, Honda, Buick, Dodge or even Honda, Toyota is your worst nightmare when they decide to “really” go after a new market segment.
Quick Reference Guide:
- RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE – $42,500
- PRICE AS TESTED – $47,305
- VEHICLE LAYOUT – Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door large sedan
- ENGINE – NEW 3.5-litre Quad Cam V6 with Dual VVT-i with Intelligent Electronic Throttle
- TRANSMISSION – Six-speed Automatic
- MAXIMUM POWER – 200kW@6200rpm
- MAXIMUM TORQUE – 336Nm@4700rpm
- 0-100 (km/h) – 7.42 sec
- MAX SPEED (km/h) – 228
- KERB WEIGHT (kg) – 1630
- WHEELBASE (mm) – 2775
- LENGTH (mm) – 4825
- HEIGHT (mm) – 1470
- LUGGAGE CAPACITY (litres) – 504
- TURNING CIRCLE – 11m
- FUEL TANK CAPACITY – 70 litres standard unleaded (91 RON ULP)
- FUEL ECONOMY COMBINED HWY/CITY (L/100km) – 9.9
- SAFETY (passive) – Dual front, side and curtain airbags
- SAFETY (active) – ABS, EBD, BA, Traction Control, VSC
By the end of 2007, Toyota will most likely be crowned the number one car manufacturer in the world edging out General Motors for the first time in history.
2007 (year only) projections indicate that by December they will have built close to 9.5 million cars and trucks worldwide. It’s truly a phenomenal figure when you ponder for a second or two and ask yourself how that’s possible when the company only started operations in 1938.
The reason is simple, they build the kind of passenger cars and commercial vehicles that the overwhelming majority of drivers think are the best value for money. And that brings us to the 3.5 litre V6 powered, 200kW Toyota Aurion. It essentially replaces the Avalon as a large car, capable of penetrating deep into Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon territory, something the vanilla flavoured Avalon was never going to do.
The Aurion Sportivo ZR6 which we tested, is the sports version which has been designed with similar principles to Ford’s XR6 and Holden’s SV6 in that they’re more about a sports ‘look’ than outright sports performance.
It’s not that any of these cars could ever be considered slow, far from it. It’s just that the power outputs on the ZR6 and the XR6 are the same across the model range while the SV6 gets a slight 15kW increase over the standard Omega 3.6-litre Commodore.
The Aurion was designed by Nick Hogios, an Australian who had ironically worked on the XR performance models of the BA series Falcon while at Ford Australia.
If you thought the Aurion looked a little like the Camry, you’d be spot on. In fact the doors, side windows, windscreen and roof panels are identical. The rest of the car’s panels though, are unique to the Aurion.
Toyota has decided that the Camry will be the four cylinder family car while Aurion badged cars will be V6 powered.
With 200kW and a respectable 336Nm of torque in a large five-seater car, the Sportivo ZR6 does measures up in a power stakes, no matter which way you dress it up. Its 5kW more than the SV6 and 10kW more than the Ford’s XR6 but more importantly, it weighs in at 1630kg which is significantly lighter than both its Aussie rivals.
With a large chunk of the initial advertising focused squarely on the 200kW figure, the first thing you want to do when you settle into the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 is well… see if it goes!
Dropping the accelerator pedal won’t push you back in the seat as you might have expected with this much power, but it will get you from 0-100km/h in just on 7.4 seconds with a definite urgency. The fairly average torque figure dialled into this car is one reason for the lack of instant surge down low, and the fact the full 336Nm is not available until you hit 4700rpm, is another. On the other hand, the Ford and Holden lads mentioned above, get their full dose of torque coming on song at around 2500rpm and 2600rpm respectively and that’s where the difference lies.
What is noticeable behind the wheel of the ZR6 is how smooth and unruffled the engine is under full load. Even better, when it’s mated to the Aurion’s velvety six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting. It’s as good if not better, than many of the European cars with similar outputs.
Occasionally though, when climbing hills, the gearbox will repeatedly kick down a ratio in the interest of maintaining a desired speed despite its artificial intelligence (AI) feature. It’s a characteristic common to quite a few multi ratio gearboxes these days, and again, usually due to not enough torque available at some throttle points.
It’s no big deal though, and can be dealt with effectively in the Aurion by using the sequential shift feature, which allows the driver to pretty much control time spent in each gear ratio which can be held to near redline, if required.
All this power in a relatively small engine means cutting edge technology. Up front, is a newly developed 3.5-litre Quad Cam V6 which has been developed to provide maximum power with maximum fuel efficiency. You can pretty much bank on this powerplant given that you’ll also find it (a version of at least) in the Lexus IS350 which will be available in Australia later this year.
Unlike many Toyota vehicles, all cars in the Aurion range comes packed with standard features which will put Falcon and Commodore on notice.
Standard luxury features in the ZR6 include; power everything (including front driver and passenger seats), Dual zone climate control air conditioning, Cruise Control, 6 speaker CD changer sound system with MP3 (but no auxiliary input jack for ipods etc – this system is average quality only), perforated leather Sports seats and door trim – these are particularly comfortable), Front and rear parking sensors, Smart entry and push button start (same as Lexus – so you just need to have the key fob on your person and then hit the start button).
There’s also a host of safety features built into the car and these include; Vehicle Stability control, Traction Control, Anti-Lock Brake System, Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist along Dual front, side and curtain airbags.
You also get Sports LED taillights (super bright even in daylight), Optitron driver gauges (clearly visible in sunshine glare), Sports leather steering wheel and shifter, Alloy sports pedals with Sportivo front and rear metal scuff plates.
The ZR6 and SX6 representing the “testosterone lite” models in the Aurion line-up share an identical dress code with 17” alloys, a rear spoiler, different headlight and taillight designs, a sports body kit and grill along with underbody aerodynamics borrowed from Toyota’s Formula One knowledge.
Running 17” alloys is fine although, I thought these two sports models might be blessed with 18 inch rims but what is disappointing is that you have to live with not so wide 215/55’s, hardly a respectable footprint for a 200kW, ZR6 badge car!
These two sports models might have the look but there’s no additional power or engine modification. If you’d like that too, then you just might be in luck. Toyota has been previewing the Aurion Sports Concept. It’s a much more aggressively styled car that looks to be “all show and all go” with a supercharged 3.5-litre engine and a predicted power output of around 250kW. Whoosh!
Travelling as fast as you are legally permitted on our modest highway system will provide no cause to crank the volume up on the sound system – wind and road noise are non-existent at these speeds due to the refinement and build quality of this car.
Fortunately, the ZR6 is has been graced with some performance handling bits that ensure minimal body roll on turn in when negotiating twisty sections.
All Aurion models come standard with a rear brace behind the rear seat which adds welcomed body stiffness when cornering.
For additional rigidity, the two Sportivo models get additional underbody stabilising braces at the rear together with a rear floor undercover which helps keep the rear end on the road and out of trouble. One problem though. These braces mean that there is no 60/40 split rear fold feature, ditto on the Mitsubishi 380.
Naturally there are stiffer damper, springs and stabiliser bar settings which work in concert with some quality Micheline tyres around the 17” five-spoke alloys to provide the grip.
Although the ZR6 and SX6 have been given the sports suspension treatment you would hardly call it firm and that’s not a bad thing. I drove the car on a wide variety of roads and road surfaces at various speeds and in all cases, the car drove and cornered with confidence, never once becoming unsettled. The standard bumps and potholes were simply swallowed up by this suspension set up.
Steering is reasonably well weighted although it wouldn’t hurt to reduce the boost a little more on these sports models.
As a point of interest, some car makers now offer variable power steering settings which allow you to adjust the level of boost depending on the sort of terrain you are driving on.
Brake pedal pressure is surprisingly good in the ZR6 despite using single piston calipers front and rear although, there is a feast of brake assistance acronyms to pull this car up in the shortest possible distance in most conditions.
Previous Camry’s were sold on the back of reliability and resale values with buyers foregoing any inkling of styling. While we liked the new Camry, the Aurion Sportivo ZR6 adds some design tweaks that place it side by side or ahead of the SV6 and XR6.
Not the least of which are the large twin oval chrome exhaust tips and black mesh grille, which continues down onto the lower front air dam.
Also worth a mention are the turn indicator lights, built into each side mirror and similar to many European marques. I’m truly mystified as to Holden and Ford’s take on this popular styling cue, given its simplicity and air of prestige it adds to those cars and SUV’s which have adopted it.
Amazingly, Ford employs this feature on one vehicle only, the Escape SUV. Holden, not a whole lot more creative, have it on the top spec Rodeo (yes, the workhorse) and Captiva. Go figure!
The Stylemeisters have had their way with the Aurion’s interior too. Metallic accents are awash in this car along with a tasteful blend of reasonable quality plastics and fabrics, although still some way short of those found in most German cars.
The switchgear and blue tinted dash panels ooze quality and of course, it all functions flawlessly. I particularly like the Optitron instrument dials which are super bright and legible even in skin scorching sunlight. They were first introduced in Lexus cars a few years ago and have found their way into the Aurion range. Its one of the advantages Toyota has over other mass market car makers and frankly, the more Lexus bits, the better.
If you occasionally feel the need for some spirited driving, then you’ll enjoy the gear position indicator when using the sequential shift function hopefully on some deserted, winding road.
Not only will the Aurion accommodate 5 large adults in comfort, there’s a tonne of storage space throughout the car with the usual cup holders and hidden compartments front and back.
If you’ve been holding off on those Sunday drives with the family, you might just reconsider if you’re lucky enough to end up in an Aurion. Fuel consumption in this 200kW family express is rated at 9.9 litres/100km combined highway/city, which is exceptional given the car’s size and performance.
If I were buying on looks alone, I’d probably opt for Holden’s SV6. If on the other hand, if I wanted the best overall sports package – then my money would be on the ZR6
Anthony Crawford
Print it: 
Andrew – no i don’t and having researched info from time to time have been unable to find out.
I can tell you what i do now though at that is the Queensland Police Service took delivery of 11 examples and at the time that the TRD Aurion example blew it’s stuffings – 5 ‘private’ customers had taken delivery with another 30 odd on order.
I recently visited the Bundaberg TRD authorised dealership when i stayed there with my family for a fews days of ‘get away’ and the lone TRD speialised salesman said that Toyota’s aim was to sell 1 unit each month per outlet.
Todate – there are 25 TRD outlets nationally of which will increase to 41 when the TRD Hilux hits the market.
That is about as much as i know so hopefully it might serve as a rough guide.
Wheelnut – don’t say Toyota will be pulling out of F1 in 2010 because people like myself are still living in hope.
Toyota pulling out of F1 in 2010, I’ll treat that as a rumor unless officially confirmed. F1 would be one of the hardest motorsports in the world to tackle, I wouldn’t expect success for years.
Look at FPR in the V8Supercars. The first couple of years they were a joke, no speed, engines constantly blowing up, etc. Some people put high expectations on them but I didn’t. Now look at them, with Winterbottom, very near the quickest cars there, and look out in ‘08, he just needs a good run.
HRT were a joke when they first started for ages, then went on to win consecutive championships. The last few years they’ve slipped compared to HSVDT on the otherside of the team. Maybe that’s why they poached Tander.
wheelnut,
and the other notable thing about the couple of years it took FPV to come online with great speed is that it is also run by an experienced european motorsport company in prodrive.
it just shows, no matter how good you are its still tough to break into a new category
^^^^sorry i meant Watto,
Wheelnut,
i wonder what toyota management think about a RWD Aurion? i dont know if they would be interested in creating another platform. they seem pretty efficiency focused in trying to get as many cars out of the one platform as they can (just like the way ford and holden are heading).
sales of the Aurion in OZ is just a drop in the ocean for them too so i’d be surprised if they saw it as a worthwhile oportunity for them
I reckon they should not sell production cars if they are over a certain amount of Kw’s for a front wheel drive car. For example if the car is over 240kw it should be allowed to be FWD, it should must be made RWD or AWD, like the TRD Aurion should have been!
^^^^^ I meant it shouldnt be allowed to be FWD!
HAHA Duck!!! I made a typo on the Commodore SS review.
Yes Watto, I won’t believe Toyota will leave F1 in 2010 untill it’s offcial. And yes FPR were a slow team when they came out, now look at them. Yeah HRT in the Craig Lowndes days & the days when Mark Skafie was winning alot, you could say they were the best team out there but 2007 season wern’t that wonderfull.
The RWD Aurion woudn’t necessarily have to be built by Toyoda at their Altona Plant.
They could get TRD and Neil Bates to do the development work on it.. afterall look what they did to the Corolla inorder to compete in the ARC
I say this because the V8 Supercars is a silouhette series where the only thing that resembles the car in the showroom is the body. So provided it looked like an Aurion
it should be able to compete
Besides after sinking $500m a year over the last 5 years in to F1 why not blow another couple of Mill on such a project.. I’m sure they’d love it in the US given the reaction to the G8
Daryl McBeth built an Awesome a RWD Magna [Coupe] powered by a Hemi V8 and it cost him no more than $400;000. So if a Street Machiner form Victoria can convert a car from FWD to RWD surely a large Multi-National Car Maker can do it.?
I agree with Andrew – Toyota won’t go down the RWD path in a normal family sedan for thier own corporate reasons.
Having said that, now having the TRD project team onboard and the experianced that would have been achieved through the TRD Aurion project, Toyota Australia should now have the capacity to vastly improve the handling on the Camry / Aurion and if they don’t utilise that experiance during the upgrades of each model then they would be foolish at the very least.
So basically stick with the FWD format but pay greater attention towards it’s most critised concern and then we will undoubetly have a global leading ‘family’ FWD platform manufactuered right here in Oz.
Toyota Australia should/will have that capacity but wether they choose to employ it is another topic.
Andrew – Neil Bates and his rally team in conjunction with TRD have modified a TRD Aurion to be used in road going events with it’s debut race at Targa Tasmania.
It has been good that Neil Bates is getting on the TRD bandwagon here in Oz because not only is a he an experianced motorport racer but a good face to help establish some recognition for the brand.
As you know, thier TRD Corolla is a rocket with them comfortably dominating the ARC while i believe he will be a good driver for the TRD Aurion. His understanding of the car from a drivers point of view would undoutedly better then any other.
It will be interesting to see how they fair in Targa Tasmania and other events this year.
So yeah … admittedly im gunning for Neil Bates and the TRD team here in Oz – still only small but haa – gotta start from somewhere.
sorry wheelnut,
but i feel very strongly that no other manufacturer should join V8 supercars whether they make an eligable car or not.
the way i see it why should any other manufacturer be able to walk in on the glory and fame that ford and holden have created over many years with many a dollars to promote and formulate the best and most popular racing category in australia.
i also reckon that if another manufacturer joined it would actually take a slide on the popularity stakes. the lesser the manufacturers, the better the category seems to be. i’d prob class the second best category as carerra cup and they have only i make.
if they would be better with more makes then i ask the question of why no other series has enjoyed the success of V8 supercars. there are plenty of series still running that do allow pretty much any make to race but no one ever hears about them. they still have big HSV’s and FPV’s versus EVO’s, Supras, Lotus etc. A great mix but it doesnt bring the crowds
Watto never insulted or offended me as far as I know TP, but please dont take it out on TP either, he was simply stating his own opinion and what he thinks. I Agree with Watto, name calling and stupid childish convo’s need to stop. Look, no matter how much you fella’s sit here and post figures people will always disagree and wont believe if they dont want to…Anyways, it seems we’re slowly steering away from the original topic.
Honestly, I dont give a rats arse what car has more power, better fuel eco. What matters is, what I enjoy driving, what I feel is more comfortable and reliable, thats it.
People talk about ‘fun’ missing from Toyota’s Aurion ZR6 cars.. Just because it is FWD makes it not fun? I definitely disagree.. Just a question (or poll) for everyone: Who has driven the ZR6? Just a yes or no answer. I want to get an idea thats all. Adios for now Amigo’s.
I think I will buy one of these over a Commodore or Falcon. Definitely a better car than either of those two.
AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH See, they still do sell V6 Camarys!
Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo is better than this sportivo thingy, mainly because RWD has superiority in acceleration, cornering, dynamics, braking and top speed….plus overall perfomance..
FORD AC COBRA, is this a hard question? Would you rather a Toyota Aurion ZR6 OR a Holden SV6?
The Holden SV6 for sure, being (RWD) and if I only had two choices… CHEERS !!!!!!!!!!!!
Gotta say the Aurion and Camry from 1997-2002 you could never see them becoming womens cars. That Aurion certainly looks masculine and the extra stuff on this one I guess just makes it a bit more upbeat and manly in a mild saught of a way. This is only the first generation of Aurion and Toyota Australia apparently must of only had limited funds and resources to create this car so I think they have done a cracking job overall. Maintaining Toyota’s established traits and adding a great engine and gearbox into the mix along with probably the most sophistication and features on a model-by-model basis it only makes me look forward to what they will cook-up for the next generation. A lexus-derived rear-drive chassis would be a very good start. The option of a Manual transmission on sports variants along with a V8 model using a lexus-derived V8 would also be worth considering.
Toyota Aurion Sportivo with 200kw’s of POWER is just too hot to handle. One thing, I want to see this car doing is 4×4 instead of FWD because even on a dry day this car can not deliver to its wheels what its engine is promising. Too much power loss due to FWD. I wish they ll make 4WD plus a fancy turbo and Toyota will be achieving 5 seconds in about 60K range…
Hey guys just get all car seem they are cheap here…unless you want to try to buy the same cat of car in Singapore…haha cars are dirt cheap here…
Well, alternative you may change the different cars every half a year you want. So long you are not buying Ferrari, Lamborghini and ect….what a shame here in Australia, could not see anyone on the street…..maybe you can try to go to Singapore and down to town to find one…haha small country but rich..here big country but poor…more over people here are trying to act rich than us….haha very funny….still can urgue about different cars…just buy all you like …to me they are dirt cheap car….as i said try to get one in Singapore if you can..haha Poor Aussie…
Hi, I recently bought a ZR6, was going to buy sv6 but after test driving zr6 I wanted it. power, fuel economy,quietness and it just felt better to drive.
I am very happy with it but was just wondering if its normal for FWDs to shudder in the wet when accelerating from standing start. The front end feels a bit unstable when accelerating hard to. This is my 1st fwd so it might be normal, some input would be appreciated.
I am a bit confused with its fuel economy to, I did a long trip with AC on and got 700km, but only got 450km last tank driving short distances, 250km difference seems to much, is it normal or should I have it looked at.
I would appreciate input from other Aurion owners thanks.
George did you even test drive the new FG XR6? Its much closer to Aurion performance than the SV6. RWD and better features, and more economical to boot. Never mind.
Yes it is perfectly normal for a FWD car to have front end shudder when taking off with any sort of intent. The minute differences in traction that each front wheel has creates small torque moments on the steering rack that change direction depending on which wheel has the most traction. This combined with a fast take-off causes the shudder you feel. It won’t damage the car, you’ll just need to manhandle the steering wheel more to keep it straight.
Thanks Geni,
I had a quick look at the xr6, a big improvement but they still look like a taxi.
any idea on the huge difference in my fuel economy?
toyota cars is thiner body it means rubish car its easy to get dent in parking street…
George, if this helps, I have owned a ZR6 for over 2 years now, and I really like the car. With a mixture of city and country driving with temperature control always on, I have always averaged spot on 10L per 100 km using unleaded RON 91.
Okey Dokey I’ll admit just about any Toyota product is better than either Facon or Commodore. So too are Honda’s, Mazda’s Mitsubishi’s and Subaru. But guess what, i don’t freakin care ! I will happily go and buy a 6.2ltr V8 Commodore, yep i know it’s a dinosaur and inferior quality but i’m supporting the aussie workforce and keeping the money i pay for it here in Australia. And yep i’d even buy a base model V6 Omega over the Aurion even if the Aurion was cheaper. Now why would i do that ? Because i am sick and tired of front wheel drive transverse mounted motors that you cannot work on yourself. While your paying the toyota dealer $600 for tune up and service, i can do all that my self on any Commodore of Falcon for the price of parts $100 . So i’m $500 infront already each year and i don’t have to worry about my timing belt breaking either, in my Falcon or Commodore i have a sturdy timing chain that will never break. I don’t give a rats arse how many high tech gadgets your Toyota has, as i said i don’t freakin care !!! When Toyota make a rear wheel drive V6 with motor mounted inline(the correct position) then i may buy one, until then i will keep buying Falcons and Commodore’s. BTW i don’t care how much fuel cost’s and am certainly not a greenie. Oh what a ricer Toyota !!!
Maurie, both the commodore and the aurion are locally made, by foreign owned companies. So your argument is idiotic!!
Maurie – you can do just as much or just as little in self maintenance of an Aurion then you can on a Falocn or Commodore and when your warranty runs out, i can 110% gaurantee you that most Falodores will cost alot more in repair bills then most Aurions because of thier poorer quality and reliability.
What will be your arguement when local products from Holden and Ford eventually go FWD as it will most likely happen in time ??
Be interesting
Yes….ford falcon looks like for taxi..Holden Commodore looks like daewoo….thats what we call HOLDENWOO Right guys…Reliability and Durability Holden is still an issue that needs to fix and Toyota aurion is Rubbish car oversteer and thinner body i dont like it…I WOULD PREFER 380 MITSUBISHI…Durable and Reliable Car..adjustable steering,talkative and chassis is fantastic guys….
Tomas79,
You are right to an extent, however Aurion is assembled here not made here. Every time a toyata product is sold here that money goes back to japan !
The Commodore is designed here, and built here so most of the money stays here. Yes im aware the motor’s both V6 and V8 are American !
DDG38.
Ever lifted the hood on an Aurion ? Tried getting to the rear plugs have you ?
Unless you remove the fuel injection system you cant change the rear plugs.
This is my argument against front wheel drive, also you may want to search the web a rear wheel drive car handles better and is far safer to drive than front wheel drive.
rear wheel drive vehicles are better balanced, get the power down more effectively and should you hit a bend to fast it’s easly corrected and you get home safe !
Hit a bend to fast in front wheel drive and most people would do this, theye’d lift off the power…wrong move ! Do that and you have a nasty accident.
Now
Part 2.
DDG38.
Think about all the work the front end and tyres have to do on a front wheel drive car.
You wear out tyres quicker then rear wheel drive, you put more strain on cv joints suspension etc,any Falcon or Commodore is still and will always remain cheaper to repair if it be now or in ten years.
This is because they don’t have trans axle’s and timing belts, quad cams etc. And your mechanic can easily get to any side of the motor to work on, unlike a front wheel drive vehicle.
Should Ford and Holden switch to front wheel drive for Falcon and Commodore, then i won’t be buying new…i will continue to buy pre owned rear wheel drive vehicle’s !
And finally, the only reason they make front wheel drive is cos they are cheaper to make, and what do i drive at present you’d think a Commodore right ? Well you’d be wrong
i drive a Verada ! Yep that’s right a front wheel drive ricer, and i can’t wait to get rid of it and get me a V8 Commodore again !
I have a Toyota as a first car and through my many driving experiences in it have saught of developed a quasi-loyalty to Toyota and think that even if I respected and liked another car when it came to buy I would probably get another Toyota (similar to how Ford/Holden people feel I guess). I gotta say however, as much as I love the idea of the Aurion, Ford seemed to of done the best with their base 6-cyl engine. Now with the official figure of 9.9L/100km and 236co2/km and with 391Nm@3250rpm and 4.0L it is in a big sense superior even to the great 3.5L Toyota engine. Of course you need to option the 6 speed auto for this and thats another $2,000 but well worth it I guess. I also agree mostly with some comments that the Sportivo Aurion is very light in its sportiness, its mostly just dressing up. With the Falcons and Commodores this can work because the chassis is more suited to these applications therefore making them proper every-day sports sedans with the dressing up. I suspect the suspension and light chassis tuning on the Aurion would merely highten it up to XT/Omega handling standards. With the reports I have read I could call a reasonable conclusion that the FG Falcon is the best Australian full-size sedan now followed with a bit of the gap by the Aurion then quite a close gap by the VE (its drivetrain largely lets it down, especially in Omega form). Toyota with the next update of the Aurion seriously need to consider perhaps AWD to compliment the Front-drive chassis (if another bigger engine or blown version comes out). Finally, when is there a Aurion update coming? Its going on 3 years now and not a single update.
There is a reason toyota is leading all other car companys they build high quality products that the majority of consumers want. I wanted a car that offers good safety features, good fuel consumption, a car that will hold its value better and plenty of power, as a bonus it also has fixed price dealer servicing up to 60000km $130. With the base model ATX I got all of this without having to buy an SS or XR6 doesnt seem “boring” to me just common sense.
People, toyota are the crappiest cars I have driven.
Sure they are reliable and built better but, drive, handle and brake like sh**.
THe new VE commodore, is more refined, handles superbly and has a fantastic IRS system that gets all that power to the ground without a fuss. they can be driven at the limits and you have total control.
As for fuel economy, during normal driving you will not see past 15 litres in the city.
Any front wheel drive car is rubbish and cannot be driven hard. The only people who would get a toyota are ones who are tightarses on fuel, or who have no taste in cars and only look at reliabilty and build quality and fuel consumption.
Even though the toyota is 70kw less than the VE SS, the SS destroys it by a longshot, off the line, or top end speed. thats 200kw as toyota say is only there in ideal conditions as forced induction creates a lot of heat and on a warmer day, you will have considerably less.
What people don’t want to to admit is, that the HSV engines are race engines tuned for the road and being in the corvette’s they are quick.
they can be thrashed time and time again and they won’t have any issues.