Autoblog

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res pics of the Toyota Aurion Sportivo SX6

For years, the large, family car market in Australia has been divided between the Aussie built GM Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon, both on the road and on the track. The large car market has been characterised not only by their size, but also by V6 or V8 powerplants running on rear-wheel drive platforms. For years, other competitors, including Mitsubishi with their Magna and more recently their 380 models, have tried to chip away at this virtual duopoly, with limited success.

The game is changing though. As the price of fuel has risen, the Australian car market has seen a massive shift away from large cars and towards more fuel efficient, medium sized models. The market is currently dominated by vehicles like the Mazda6, the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Sonata and in particular, the Toyota Camry. As Australia's largest passenger vehicle brand, Toyota has long enjoyed segment-leading sales with the Camry, and although it's not a sexy choice, Toyota's mid-sized sedan represents a smart purchase, with high re-sale value, good fuel economy and Toyota's reputation for outstanding reliability.

Continue reading the Toyota Aurion Sportivo review after the jump.