Real world comparison...50th Anniversary G6E vs. '10 Toyota Aurion...

[2011G6E]

OK, interesting couple of days just gone by.
Our son and his family are visiting, and he drives an early 2010 Toyota Aurion automatic.
We of course have our fiftieth anniversary G6E (bought new in February 2011).

We have been taking them around the region...down to Rocky for the day, out to Emerald. Depending on who the grandson wants driving the car, Da or Daddy, I got to drive the Aurion pretty regularly over long distances and also around the towns.
So how was it?

You all know what a Falcon is like, so I'll only touch on it briefly to compare points. On to the Aurion.

It's roomy, it's pretty comfortable even though it's just a slightly-more-than-base-model version. The V6 is a great engine...200kw, smooth, pulls like a freight train, actually feels like it goes a little harder than the Falcon 4.0 (sacrilege!!! ). The auto is pretty easy going as well. All around, it's a great car, well screwed together, economical, quiet at highway speeds, and handles pretty well too. You can't tell it's front wheel drive (unless you're driving like a tool).
His car has steel sixteen inch wheels, so it wasn't quite as firm in the corners as our 19" shod G6E, but then again it soaked up the typical central Queensland lumps and bumps and had less road noise than our G6E.

So the big question is this:
Why couldn't I get involved in the thing?
The clichés are all true...it's white goods on wheels. It's perfectly serviceable, reliable, and you could easily buy one and know...just know...that it will probably never let you down, and will give years of fine service.

But you can say the same about a washing machine or fridge. Why is the Aurion like this??

I really wanted to like the thing...I did...I love my old Celica, which is a genuinely fun car to drive even though it;s not the most powerful thing on the road...something Toyota is now awakening to with the new 86.
Why can't they capture the fun in the big volume seller?

It isn't as simplistic as saying "Only old people drive them", because they don't. My son is 25 and when looking at fairly new second hand Aurions, really wanted a gold one, but had to settle for silver. Many of his friends also buy Camrys and Aurions either new or near-new, because a Toyota is pretty much a known quantity...it'll be reliable, if possibly a bit boring.
It isn't as simple as saying "It's Toyota...what do you expect", because you have to admit they can and have and still do make some great cars and four wheel drives.

Where did the Aurion (and Camry) go so wrong?

It's a real puzzle, especially when you get to drive the two cars one right after the other for long lengths of time and can easily compare.

[GTP534]

Maybe they've got no "soul" and no character? Just putting it out there and I don't think these can be explained, they're intangible values.

[2011G6E]

But then, the Falcon is just as much a piece of white goods, same as a Commodore (burn the witch!!! )...Australian white goods...but then so is the Camry and Aurion "Australian" and built here for our conditions. They're hardly exciting, they're extremely common, they're "nothing special".

The intangible can't be immeasurable, and I suspect there are guys deep in the bowels of Toyota HQ who are scratching their head about what they've done wrong.

[GTP534]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

But then, the Falcon is just as much a piece of white goods, same as a Commodore (burn the witch!!! )...Australian white goods...but then so is the Camry and Aurion "Australian" and built here for our conditions. They're hardly exciting, they're extremely common, they're "nothing special".

The intangible can't be immeasurable, and I suspect there are guys deep in the bowels of Toyota HQ who are scratching their head about what they've done wrong.

I gather from what you're saying is that it's a matter of perception.

[buickman]

My mum has the Prodigy model with leather it's quieter than my 50th XR6 and goes well if you put your foot down but and not sure if quality is better and it is not in the league of the FG in driving satisfaction it's harder to see out off and has both outside mirrors convex . In tight spots in shopping centres it needs more swing room to get into but does the job without excitement. Would I buy one NO.

[Fiesta_Man69]

Considering Australian and global sales of the Camry, I wouldn't say anything has gone "wrong". The Aurion is just a V6 Camry for people who see their car as a whitegood, a tool of getting from a to b: nothing more. It doesn't need to be involving or enjoyable because 95% of the car buying public don't care.

[mik]

i don`t think it`s perception, i reckon the falcon actually has a very good feel to it, the controls, steering, brakes, angle of the throttle pedal, throttle actuation, effortless pick up, the falcon model has had 50 years to get it right, i have an old lexus which has way more kit than my xr6, the lex is a good car (apart from servicing cost), but i have a weeks holiday coming up this week(road trip), which car will i be going in? the falcon.

[dieseltrain79]

I think it comes down to you being comfortable and used to your car , as opposed to jumping in something different .

When test driving cars , your comparing 10 minutes vs 10 minutes . And usually upgrading models . Ie newer , 05 vs 11 .

But also comparing a G6E ( luxury model ) to a more baseline model .

But very honest comparo never said you wouldn't own one or be unhappy , just the G6E is more luxurious .

Cheers for the write up

[grandpa_spec_F6]

A car is as much fun as you make it.

My AU Fairmont Ghia had character, but was whitegoods on wheels from the outside... so I lowered my fridge and gave it a noisy exhaust pipe

Most fun in a car? Mates 94 Corolla. Had it for about 6 weeks and it was awesome. Had lots of character for a 'small car', while not as quicky as the F6 or my V8, you had to 'work' to get to 100km/h and could throw it into a bend at 60km/h without even thinking, like it was on rails.

I've seen a few Aurions that looked great with a set of rims but otherwise they are (and are intended to be) a bland car for the masses who only give two hoots that they are currently at "A" and want to be at "B" with minimal cost, decent safety and a comfortable drive.

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by grandpa_spec_F6

A car is as much fun as you make it.


Most fun in a car? Mates 94 Corolla. Had it for about 6 weeks and it was awesome. Had lots of character for a 'small car', while not as quicky as the F6 or my V8, you had to 'work' to get to 100km/h and could throw it into a bend at 60km/h without even thinking, like it was on rails.

The first bit is about it in a nut shell
Most new cars unless the sporty version really arent much more than glorified fridges, to keep to the topic
The brother in law had the early 90 s corolla CSX, the freak of a thing would nail many many larger cars , the thing pulled 120 outta 2nd and still had more go, absolute freak
Back in the old days when the minister and myself bought new cars every 18 months or so, they were nothin but toyotas, and V6s
They could handle the Ks,good on fuel, and better resale even with high Ks than holden or ford
So bang for buck, reliabilty,resale, they were always the winner
Fast forward to nowadays and we look for the overall package,$$$ for $$$ and dont pay extra for the badge,theres too many options in the 2nd hand market that offer good value for money the badge premium price doesnt need to be paid anymore
Many many manufacturers had great reputations and toyota was one to be as reliable as a pair of old boots, but its hardly the case as with many new cars nowadays

[FG50T]

I drove a Hybrid Camry on Thursday with leather, gloss black trims, sat nav and even had a leather dash with nice white stitching. Drive was nice, brakes were great, comfort was good and the screen was convenient. Had everything a fully optioned G6ET had and more for 42,700 drive away.

You would be mad to buy a G6E or Calais over it if the FWD didn't bother you but even that was good as far as fwd car's go.

[XARATE]

One that some models lack- a rear right hand speaker!!! Toyota only put the left hand rear speaker in the base models.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by XARATE

One that some models lack- a rear right hand speaker!!! Toyota only put the left hand rear speaker in the base models.

is this for real? every base model 'yota i've been in since 2000 has had all 4 speakers

[Poetic Justice]

2010 ATX or Touring I would understand the boringness part, but the positives are spot on too.

However, spend a day in a 2012+ Aurion and then you'll rave about it. The interior addresses all the blandness issues, I feel.

[buickman]

If anyone was thinking of buying an Aurion before the lastest update I would be checking in the boot in the wheel wells as they had water leaking issues from the tail light gaskets. My mums had her right one replaced and a family friend had a 2009 Touring replaced on the right as well after the dealership pulled the spoiler of thinking it was leaking water there.

[baboon]

Hired a '11 Toyota camry and was nice to drive, but things I've noticed with that and the BA,

Drivers side mirror was annoying on the camry, the weird convex/concave style taking a while for my eyes to adjust. Wanted to remove it.

The auto gear lever zig zaging to get to drive in the camry I didnt like.

For me, thinking the camry was lighter then it is, I would brake later into a turn/intersection, and realised I needed to brake earlier then I thought.

Sitting in the drivers seat the steering wheel is much bigger in the camry then the BA. It also it feels like the camry has more room, where as the BA kind of "hugs" you in more, feels sportier I suppose.

Installing the baby seats in the back was a little difficult in the camry with its very sharp sloping rear roofline. Kind of difficult to twist your head in there to hook up the baby seat to the latch. Suppose the wagon makes it much easier though.

And lastly, it might be my driving style, but I prefer the BA's gear selection (autos). When rolling through a turn at 1/3 accelerator the camry would hesistate and change down mid turn, whereas the BA would hold 2nd and pull out of the turn without dropping back to 1st.

[pursuit2359]

At the risk of getting technical (not my forte), a lot of how a car drives is to do with the steering and suspension set ups.

The XV40 Aurion has MacPherson strut suspension front and rear (with L-shaped lower arms at the front and dual transverse links at the rear). The FG Falcon has double wishbone front suspension and multi-link independent rear suspension. The Falcon suspension is more sophisticated (and costly) and should provide greater scope for achieving a comfortable yet engaging ride. I suspect the Aurion suspension will be tuned for comfort and stability - nothing more.

[mik]

regardless how well a fwd has been set up , it`s still a cheap to manufacture fwd, and that`s why the manufacturers like it, not because it`s better, because they make more $$$$$$$$ out of it.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by mik

regardless how well a fwd has been set up , it`s still a cheap to manufacture fwd, and that`s why the manufacturers like it, not because it`s better, because they make more $$$$$$$$ out of it.

am reasonable certain that a FWD drivetrain has less losses than a RWD so fuel economy targets can be met easier too.

[nitro50th]

This is my opinion and experience so please dont burn me.

I think some of the unquantifiable feeling or 'soul' between the Aurion and Falcon can be put down to the 'halo' models in the range.

When i had my XD GL, all i wanted was a big ballsy 351 so i fitted one to it and loved the sound and performance.
When i had my EF Futura (boooring), all i wanted was an EL XR8 so i lowered it, fitted bigger wheels and exhaust and kinda enjoyed it for a while.
When i had my BF XR6, all i wanted was a BF XR8.
Now i have an FG XR50 but what i reeeeaaaaly wanted was an XR50 Turbo.

The Falcon has a model in the range higher up that most of us aspire to own because it offers more power and performance. Some lucky buggers on this forum already have one. (So they modify for more power)

When you move up the Aurion range all you get is leather seats (and other bits of course) but no real 'halo' model. (excluding the attempted TRD effort)

This may be down to local motorsport, dunno.

So i think its down to what you really want (but for some of us cant afford), not what you have.

What all this boils down to is if you enjoy the drive or all you can think about is where your going.

Thats why this very forum exists, because we all love the drive.

[RASER]

FWD, dull, NO LOW DOWN TORQUE, faux plastic,,,,yuk

The one i had, rode like rubbish too, hated it with passion

Fail....

[Cashie]

Good thread....
I'm on the lookout for a TRD Aurion (pretty hard to come by due to the limited numbers sold), enjoyed reading some of the feedback above.

[nitro50th]

And just to add to my comments above, click on the link below. If your not glued to the screen with goosebumps on your arms and a smile on your face, then i suggest you go and buy an Aurion or something else.

Its been posted before but i thinks it's just sensational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toLPTjE1GZk

[Cashie]

Originally Posted by nitro50th

And just to add to my comments above, click on the link below. If your not glued to the screen with goosebumps on your arms and a smile on your face, then i suggest you go and buy an Aurion or something else.

Its been posted before but i thinks it's just sensational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toLPTjE1GZk

Goosebumps - YES
Daily driver - NO

[nitro50th]

Originally Posted by Cashie

Goosebumps - YES
Daily driver - NO

Point taken.

[duaned]

Originally Posted by Cashie

Good thread....
I'm on the lookout for a TRD Aurion (pretty hard to come by due to the limited numbers sold), enjoyed reading some of the feedback above.

Shame your not in Newcastle. There is a silver Aurion TRD for sale privately, but strangely is has been for sale for some time. I've never had the urge to pull over and have a stickybeek though!

[Nikked]

I was surprised when i drove an Aurion, pulled hard, felt good, not alot of noise and liked the Keyless start.

the Interior is a bit dull, but it does the job, and looks hard wareing.

[ivorya]

Cheap Lexus.

I'm sure it has the same running gear.

[Nic85]

Originally Posted by Cashie

Good thread....
I'm on the lookout for a TRD Aurion (pretty hard to come by due to the limited numbers sold), enjoyed reading some of the feedback above.

If you're interested in a TRD Aurion, you should maybe consider taking a look at a TMR 380. 10kW less power, but 42Nm more - TRD = 240kW/400Nm, TMR380 = 230kW/442Nm. The Mitsubishi has a much better chassis too. I can see why you're keen on the TRD though, I just had a quick look on Carsales and there's 2007 models there going for like $25k with 50k on the clock. Crazy as hell.

Originally Posted by ivorya

Cheap Lexus.

I'm sure it has the same running gear.

Yep. Same 3.5L V6 (without DI) and 6 speed auto.

[mcnews]

I did the press launch at a track near Perth Airport in the TRD Aurion, even that was boring....