The Insider—TMR’s man in the know—has crawled in from his drive in the Aurion TRD. Here’s what he had to say between mouthfuls of water.
Everybody, but everybody, knows that if you want a car to run forever, one you can’t kill, you buy a Toyota.
But, for driving enthusiasts, there has been a problem. Despite years of successful motorsport in rallying, CART racing in the US, and now in Formula 1, Toyota has all-but overlooked serious drivers in its model line up in Australia.
This has left a huge gap in the marque’s range and also left showrooms without a ‘hero’ model to pull customers who value the driving experience through the door. Aside from the rare GT4 Celica, the mid-engined MR2 and the odd imported Supra, Australia’s number one brand has been all about family cars.
Until now.
With the supercharged and deliciously swift Toyota TRD Aurion, all that has changed. And what we’ve got is a serious performance car with the security and bullet-proof engineering of the Toyota brand. What happy days we live in.
Of course, Toyota claims not to be targeting the HSV and FPV buyers with the TRD, but sure as eggs, it won’t mind if a few of them come across. If it’s a sure-footed executive express they’re looking to buy, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t.
Make no mistake, the handsome Aurion TRD is a fabulous car. And it’s fast. Thanks to 241kW and 400Nm of torque on tap, it bolts from the line like a startled matriarch. We don’t have the technology to accurately measure launch times, but 0-100km/h for the supercharged Aurion TRD is a claimed 6.1 seconds. In anyone’s language, getting into the ‘sixes’ is far from shabby.
Importantly, when you sink the slipper at any speed, throttle response (and kickdown) is instantaneous. Overtaking, or powering out of a tightening sweeper is a doddle. The extra power over the standard (but not underdone) Aurion comes from a Harrop-engineered blower sitting on top of the silky VVT 3.5 litre V6.
It is a tremendous unit – power builds and builds like a rising wave right across the rev range thanks to the characteristics of the four-lobe Eaton TVS (twin vortices system) design.
Mated to a six-speed auto, with sequential shifting mode, this Aurion is a seriously quick car.
But it’s not one for the inexperienced or unwary. With 400nm of torque belting through the front wheels, there’s a fair whack of torque steer under load. It’s easily managed, but you need a firm – and alert - grip on the wheel. At full power from the line, there’s some squirming as the TRD searches for traction.
Any powerful car requires care and skill; the TRD is no different. And, unlike some turbo-fed contenders, the linear nature of the supercharger’s power delivery means that, in the TRD, you can get onto the sauce mid-corner without wondering whether you’re about to jump sideways. (But you’ll need some steering input to manage the torque.)
For the mixed driving conditions of Australian roads, the TRD’s suspension is also a revelation. Firm, but with initial compliance, it is unruffled by broken bitumen or poorly profiled back roads. The overall impression is one of superb balance: Toyota engineers have done a remarkable job.
Understated but ‘tough’ externally, and sitting on fat charcoal-grey rims, the TRD is not for the boy racer, but for the Executive who loves to drive and values the totality of the package.
For the really keen drivers, a manual is not yet available. It must surely be a consideration for Toyota if it is to persist with the direction of the TRD. We’d also like a little more growl (make that ‘a lot’) when under the whip; perhaps Toyota is leaving that to the aftermarket.
In shooting for the executive market, you would expect the TRD to be well-appointed. It doesn’t disappoint. Inside, leather abounds – it is a very nice place to be.
Ours was kitted in burgundy leather and suede. Besides looking the goods, it was also comfortable and supportive in press-on driving. The brushed metal highlights and TRD appointments add a touch of class to a nicely-designed, functional cockpit.
So, well done Toyota Australia for the Aurion TRD.
In a few million years, an astonished palaeontologist will dig a Toyota out of the ground. It will have survived the eons remarkably intact. If there is any fossil fuel left in the world, it’ll probably even start. That’s the admirable thing about a Toyota.
- The Insider
| Configuration: | Supercharged transverse V6 |
| Cylinder capacity: | 3.5-litre (3456cc) alloy block and head |
| Valve system: | Chain-driven DOHC, 24 valves |
| Supercharger: | Belt-driven Eaton twin vortice supercharger |
| Maximum power: | 241kW @ 6400rpm |
| Maximum torque: | 400Nm @ 4000rpm |
| Fuel System: | Multi-point electronic fuel injection |
| Compression ratio: | 10.8:1 |
| 0 – 100 km/h | 6.1 seconds |
| Transmission: | 6 speed adaptive auto |
| Wheels: | 19-inch alloys |
| Weight: | 1615-1630kg |
| Consumption: | 10.9L/100km |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 70 litres |
| Prices: | $56,990 (base), $61,500 (luxury) |
2010 BMW 120d Hatch manual (E87) 
2009 Holden Commodore SS Sportwagon 
2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 
2009 Ford Mondeo MB (Titanium) 
2009 Honda Civic Type R 
2009 Nissan 370Z Auto 
2009 Volkswagen Passat CC V6 FSI 
2009 HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer
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Daaamn. I’m a RWD and AWD fan myself but I can’t dispute that thing looks the goods!! Hopefully I can get a drive sometime and see for myself if it’s worth giving up my RWD/AWD love for!
Great review Mr. Insider! Looking forward to more of your work! How often are you going to do these reviews??
Sheesh what a nice surprise right before bed!
Choppa says thats way tooo much power to put through the front wheels.
Tend to agree, that much power and torque in frequent use would become tiring and potentially dangerous especially after reading you’ll need a “firm and alert grip”. I can just see visions of Aurion drivers wrestling the wheel clipping the kerbs and ending up sideways across the street.
FWD’s OK for everyday driving but perofmance stuff RWD and 4WD is the only thing.
Couldn’t agree more, Stunt. I think it’s a top looking car, and as an alternative to the SS and XR8 as a means of getting around town, it’s pretty damn nice. If you’re not a track driver, the FWD element isn’t much of a concern really.
Damn, those seats look gorgeous! Very classy. Not sure about the dash in the low-end model, but the luxury spec dash looks pretty sweet I must say!
I agree with Mike though, when do we get the Crown! Come on Toyota Aus, don’t you wanna take over the world?!
My grandpapy always said “you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”
So just how is it TRD overcome the inadequacies of the Camry Chassis?
The Aurion is already a lead tipped arrow (without the added weight of a supercharger)just how have the magicians at TRD managed to overcome the laws of physics?
How does it address the poor steering? It manages to be light, indirect & lacking feedback apart from the incessant torque steer.
How did one not get sea sick from the body roll associated with its Jurassic park strut front suspension. If indeed it were to be dug up by archiologist in years to come one suspects they would carbon date the suspension to circa 1970.
Any rear passengers would loose their lunch from the figdety rear end. Ive seen better rear suspension setups on a baby buggy.
The TRD Camry is the car equivalent of Magda Subanzki (spelling) having breast enhancement surgery.
Auto, front wheel drive and a sedan. Truly, this is a Toyota sports car.
It looks pretty good and makes great power, at least, which means it has the same mentality as the Lexus IS-F.
Front wheel drive and sports car in one sentence? Sorry dont go together,it is an improvement on the Worlds most boring car but hardly one I’d buy over Aussie Muscle! Apparently a lot of others think the same.I mean Toyota dealers have dropped the price of them ,unheard of if FPV or HSV bring out a new model,they take orders,500 units made and 100 still lying around in their yards and the dealers are dropping their price says a lot really!
I think is the initials that put people off….”Oh I drive a TRD”.
I find the torque figure very UN-impressive. 400Nm with a supercharger only just pips an N/A Falcon with only 0.5L more capacity. So it gains approx 60Nm and 41Kw.
Ford (not FPV) put a turbo on and gain 75Kw and 138Nm.
Mind you, more torque in the TRD would put you into the nearest roadside object.
I think you’ll agree BM, they *rarely* go together; the Integra Type R would be one example of success there.
TMR, a nice quick read, interesting that you’re only reviewing it now, after it has been on sale since late 2007 though.
I’d agree with your driving impressions based on driving it meself. If this sort of car is your thing it definitely makes a lot of sense now that the price has been dropped.
You’d also consider a Mazda 6 MPS or a Liberty GT Spec B though, which would have the surefootedness of AWD and, although the Toyota nameplate *is* a bastion of reliability, that’s not to say the TRD will have great residuals. As I’ve just said, they’ve already dropped the price nearly 10%, not even 12 months into its launch. Wheelnut just summed it up. The TRD name is yet to be truly established. GIVE US A TRD COROLLA!
The term reliability is often thrown around when anyone mentions the word Toyota. For some strange reason the masses believe that if you buy a Toyota, your car will magically never break down or have any issues what so ever, well that simply isn’t true. The Toyota plant is not some ‘magic’ factory where the product rolls off the production line perfect in every way.
Regardless of badge, if you are buying any fully imported Japanese car you will have ‘exactly the same’ trouble free motoring as experienced by Toyota owners.
While the legend of Toyota build quality was justified in the dark ages of automotive manufacturing (we know those dark days as the 1980’s) High standards of build quality no longer just rests with Toyota. Plenty of manufacturers the world over can quietly say they also have a very low rate of warranty or ‘return’ work carried out on their vehicles, and in more than a few cases less of a percentage by the great brand of Toyota.
Also, when so many automotive parts are shared these days in an effort to cut costs, how is it possible that the same part used in a Ford, is more reliable when used in a Toyota? I for one don’t suffer that mentality! I do however fail to see how Toyota these days make a superior product to anyone else that makes a decent, well put together car.
Think of it this way. Is the steel they use for their panels any better from that of another brand? Or maybe the same chemical compositions of the plastic used in their dashboards are better. Perhaps you believe that the robots that assemble cars are smarter at a Toyota factory, than anywhere else because let’s face it, these days people don’t build cars, robots do.
The TRD Aurion is a perfect example of exactly what I am talking about.
You see, shortly after its release an Aurion TRD suffered an engine failure, the cause of which is still unclear. Toyota suspended sales in September 2007 while it investigated, but sales have now resumed.
Engine Failure? Still unclear? Now we aren’t talking just a few squeaks or rattles here, we are taking about makes the car tick, the power plant! This is about as serious a problem as you can’t get with a vehicle. I can’t think how receptive you would be if suddenly a loved one’s heart just stopped beating…
Still, it makes no difference, people will still line up like lemmings to buy the latest ‘whojamawhatsit’ from Toyota, because whatever Toyota have on offer, people will buy them because the brand makes them feel safe. If only they knew…
Hi Godspeed,
TMR has only been in existence for around a year and this and the TMR 380 are the first road-tests we have featured. Just so you know, The Insider does exist, he is real and he is well placed to provide TMR with some interesting info as time goes on (hence the alias) - but his identity will remain unknown, for the time-being at least.
There are a bunch of other road tests to come - including the Falcon G6ET and many others.
As the road test side of TMR develops we will be conducting in-depth reviews, video reviews and the like.
Its early days…
Fair enough Steane. I realise it may have come across as a somewhat stern criticism, but I mostly just found it a bit of a quirk.
Look forward to reading further road tests, as I’m sure everyone commenting here is.
And it’s probably a good time to say kudos to you and the team on the job you’ve done so far.
> Daniel>
I definitely see your point. But much of Toyota’s production philosophies are still alive; their way of doing things is that if something goes wrong, they STOP the production or sales process until a solution is found. Only then do they resume sales. It’s a different approach to many other manufacturers who will continue to sell cars only to later recall them if there is a serious problem which will cause future catastrophes in human casualties or an even greater financial outlay down the line.
Sure, there are now, more than ever, common suppliers for components going into competing manufacturers’ products, but the production philosophies can still differ.
Mercedes-Benz prided themselves on supreme reliability and build quality and this fell through the floor when they turned their focus away from quality and put it on production and spitting out as many model variants as possible. They swallowed their pride, acknowledged the problem, took steps to resolve it with the new S/C-Classes and from memory Toyota made the same admission recently, they they were focusing too greatly on expansion, and associated increases in production, forfeiting some of their quality in the process.
In my own opinion, I’d say what the market is calling out for is a public poll of customer satisfaction. We don’t have a JD Power survey equivalent and while anyone would admit it’s not a perfect yardstick of the ownership experience it would certainly clear the air a bit and remove some of the positive hype, or negative stigma, around some brands where it is not justified - such as Toyota as you suggest, or some European brands whose owners often have blinkers on!
As for the engine failure, I have been told from a reliable source that it was a dealer driving a demonstrator who was a bit overzealous with the shifter and knocked the car out of gear, causing the car to over-rev. Thus Toyota’s remedy of lowering the RPM limiter (whilst somehow keeping the maximum output the same) to prevent this from reoccurring. It was a scenario that Toyota apparently tried to replicate but couldn’t.
In any case I wouldn’t buy a TRD Aurion myself with that kind of money but it does seem like a good alternative buy at that price and the fuel consumption figure if it is to be believed is pretty good considering the performance on tap.
Having just read about the FG XR6 Turbo though, that does sound like a right bargain.
It was a fair question Godspeed and we appreciate any feedback, in fact we welcome it. If it helps to make the site better it is all good.
Thanks for pat on the back as well! TMR has been a long hard slog by all the crew who contribute to the content. We are all car nuts which is what keeps us going, even during the times when it seemed no-one was listening. Thankfully traffic and interaction are all going in the right direction.
We certainly appreciate the passion being displayed by our readers of late, who will all be rewarded with an all new site very very soon. It is with the developers and is very cool. We can’t wait…
Oooh exciting!!
Make sure you get your hands on the R35 when it lobs down under next year (if not before!!)
Matt
Funny you should say that. Although we haven’t secured a test drive as such it is in the pipeline for us to experience first hand the R35 in the coming month or two.
Unlike those who bang on about the TRD Aurion not being able to put the power through the front wheels, I have driven one and ….. it CAN and DOES readily, safely and with great precision put the power through the front wheels. It feels a lot like the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA which went on to win the European Touring Car series, and which cost twice the Aurion TRD when it was launched. And FWD means the Aurion TRD would kill any Ford or Holden on dirt or in the wet.
It would be interesting to see a TRD Aurion vs. TMR 380 comparison. I don’t suppose something like that is in the works?
Also, add me to the crowd of readers grateful for the effort put into this site. I am a complete omnivore car nerd and I like the way you guys are all-inclusive.
Hey Mookers - thanks! Glad you are enjoying the site.
It would be a good comparison. Nothing is impossible but I’m guessing that organising a TMR 380 would now be quite difficult with only 3 remaining unaccounted for. When Dan got behind the wheel news of the 20 to be built wasn’t ‘out on the street’ and few knew about them.
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart should have built a few more given that 17 have been snapped up with literally no marketing being done.
17/20 that’s 85% a much better figure than the 50 or so TRDs Toyota has sold so far out of the 2000+ cars most of which are still sitting in storage at Toyota dealerships.
Shows that the Supercharger fire last year did have and is continuing to have an impact on the sale of these over rated overpriced TRDs
Daniel - I’m with you in relation to those who think that the various components used in a Toyota are somehow better quality or more reliable than those in a Ford or Holden even though they are made by the same supplier. To think that is verging on insanity
There is one person I know of who [thank god] hasn’t been seen on this site; who does think like that.. This person is so obsessed with Toyota it’s almost as if he is Toyota.
I daren’t speak his name as I don’t want to jinx myself or the site - yet I feel a number of people on this site know hwo I am talking about
wheelnut, quite simply there is no convincing some people.
I looked at one in a showroom a month or so ago. Interior was delicious, wheels sexy (dark ones that is), but the continuation of the ‘fake exhaust tip in the bumper’ trend (the real exhaust tips are little ones behind the bumper) is an absolute joke. It’s like seeing a bodybuilder wearing Hello Kitty underwear…
Haha, perhaps it’s more like pealing open a bodybuilder to find Hello Kitty inside
Ahhh… brings a tear to the eye… love a veritable little bee’s nest. But here’s the thing blogsters: slam 400Nm through any wheels, front, back, or all, and, as sure as Bob Geldof’s got silly hair, something’s going to happen… anything will squirm a bit when you let that kind of erg loose on the tarmac (traction control wasn’t invented just to stop you and I from having fun).
And sorry blogsters, hard to think of another brand that bests Toyota in the “can’t bend ‘em, can’t bust ‘em, can’t break ‘em, can’t shoot ‘em stakes.” Y’see, every manufacturer on the planet makes stuff they know is going to break sometime. Everything is engineered for ‘a defined life’… otherwise everything would be so ridiculously over-engineered it would be ridiculously expensive to build. It just depends where ‘the bar is set’; Toyota has a high bar (…er sorry about the mental image there).
I’ve been stuck in the middle of cape york for three days on the count of toyota’s cant be bothered engineering department. Kaisen? “I dont think so”. Note: Put a locking cap on the lower CV pivots if your going anywhere near corrugations in a cruiser or live axle hilux. Proper tension and locktite wont do.
The reverse cut diffs in the cruisers are very strong as long as you dont need to use reverse they like to explode if you put any type of load in reverse such as backing a 5.5metre savage up a moderate driveway.
Now back to the TRD Camry as i said before its the equivalent of Magda Subanski having a boob job.
If your blind go right ahead be my guest!
First time posting here. Just wondering if this article was a ‘cash for comments’ post?
Good first post flying high. Got to keep the big T on side no matter how rubbish the chassis is.
Yep Insider your right Toyota’s bar is set,reliability{although thats slipping world wide} and comfort……driver excitement they know nothing about and that goes for Lexus too……..the IS-iF well thats the M of BMW ,well they would like too be anyway!hahaha
Im with Daniel and Wheelnut…….good to see some good constructive comments on what has become a lovem or hatem manufacturer! Toyota have a place in society I guess,but true car enthusiasts ,I haven’t met one that likes them yet. Although Godspeed babe….you seem to be leaning that way……you ok?hahaha 230kws through the front wheels..just ain’t right Im sure you would agree if BMW put that through the front wheels of the E36 M3 they wouldn’t have ended up with a legendary car that they have now.
“wheelnut, quite simply there is no convincing some people.”
Daniel was that directed at me?
haha yeah BM I’m feeling alright, maybe it’s just been a while since driving the GTR, I need this wet weather we’re having to pass!!
I only drove this thing in the dry and it seemed OK; I concede that in the wet or had I been rough with it, greater shortcomings in the chassis may have come to the surface.
Geez no, putting 230kW thru the front on a BMW would be sacrilege. Car and Driver have just rated the E92 M3 better than both the R35 GTR AND the Porsche 997 Turbo - shock as that may be (and they’re getting a pasting for it) there’s definitely something to be said for the BMW ownership experience and how it makes you feel when you drive it (althou C/D were notably subjective with their writing and didn’t really judge based on the figures / hard data very well.
Look I still wouldn’t spend the hard-earned on a Toyota myself, I just have to say there’s gotta be some reason why so many people buy them; we have to realise we’re in a segment of the overall motoring population that actually care (quite strongly) about how the car makes you feel rather than just “car as appliance”. And people wouldn’t be buying a certain brand of appliances if that brand was renowned for breaking down.
No Godspeed, it wasn’t directed at you, but to a comment made by wheelnut, and I quote:
“There is one person I know of who [thank god] hasn’t been seen on this site; who does think like that… This person is so obsessed with Toyota it’s almost as if he is Toyota.”
But I do stand by what I did say previously. There is no convincing some people as their ideas are impervious to change. Do I hate Toyota’s…? No, in fact I have owned two of them, both the same model only differing in colors. Do I think Toyota in the current climate is over rated? Yes, very much so. And to that end the TRD Aurion in my book is the perfect example of a Toyota not being the famed reliable car that the masses assume it to be, and being somewhat over rated. You have to remember $56,990 is ALOT of coin and you do have the choice opened right up in front of you at that sort of dollar level.
Godspeed, I too had heard of the overzealous sales person destroying a TRD Aurion, then again, being a robust Toyota, surely it should put up with some misuse… shouldn’t it? But just so you know, that wasn’t the only TRD Aurion to have issues. There are more than just a few, so if I get a chance I’ll write about it soon enough.
Cheers Godspeed,
Daniel McCoey
Hey Flying High. Thanks for dropping in and commenting. It was not a cash for comments post but if you are offering cash then we can arrange a comment. We are getting sick of cold baked beans and stale Saladas in the TMR office.
Mike, we might even be able to get the gas hooked up and get out of these damned sleeping bags!
It was The Insiders opinion, its that simple. We are in the process of developing a roadtest facet to the site and we have an interesting age cross section so you will be seeing different opinions on cars. There will be easy reading reviews and not-so-easy reading very serious reviews.
We really want to be the first car site that doesn’t take themselves tooo seriously, because so many of them do and frankly it bores us.
My personal opinion on the TRD Aurion? I like the concept but from a ‘30 somethings’ point of view it has three letdowns - 1/. The price (It cant compete with HSV and FPV products. 2/. Its FWD. 3/. No manual.
Hey Steve Klose. Nice to be here. I agree with the let down comments. Have to say that having seen one on the road it does attract a certain presence - but the let downs quickly quell any thoughts of purchasing one. Too bad Toyota Australia. Certainly a better effort, but no cigar.
FH - I actually think it looks the goods on the road. Much the same way that a bog stock Commodore or Falcon is nothing special to look at but the FPV/HSV versions look great.
Wheelnut - there was no fire associated with the TRD Aurion and the initial reports had to be legally withdrawn becuase it was proven false. Actually, the initial report stated that there was an accident with personal injury yet the whole senario was completely false.
The only damage that had occured to the single blown TRD Aurion was were the pistion detached from the rod - that’s it, no more.
As for Toyota reliability, if any of you would bother checking - they are still ranking amoung the best of any no matter what country it is conducted in.
As for the lone TRD Aurion incident, how many GEN3’s have caused thier owners grieve over the years. They drank oil, slapped pistons and seized engines but despite Holden’s full knowledge of the problems, they continued selling them to customers by the hundreds not to mention the clutch issues assocaied with the XR8.
To date, no TRD Aurion customer has reported to have experianced grieve with the car but fact is … hundreds upon hundreds of Holden and Ford owners over the years has suffered at the Hands of Holden and Ford.
Steane - your personal opinion … how well do you reckon the TRD brand (Production and Motorsport side of the group) will go in Australia.
Personally, i believe they will bring new talent and ideas to the market that i whole heartedly support.
I think there is a market for any manufacturer to produce performance cars. I doubt Toyota will seriously impact on HSV or FPV but I also don’t think that would be their aim.
FPV/HSV Ford/Holden folk are literally born into the brands and these manufacturers (particularly Holden/HSV) market very cleverly to kids - the future owners of their product. They plan generations in advance.
Toyota has built its reputation on quality and reliability and not passion, so they generally have a more conservative less passionate, less motor-enthusiast type of buyer group. They have passionate supporters but this is a relatively new phenomenon.
I think TRD are limited in what they can do with the Aurion, they cannot compete with the FPV’s and HSV’s and they will always get pulled up on the torque steer issue - although The Insider noted it but wasn’t overly bothered by it. If they can develop a different market, target a different type of buyer and get the price right then I think they could do well - and stand to do very well if petrol keeps going the way it is. Comparing HSV/FPV and Aurion TRD just isn’t worth the argument, they are very different cars built for different types of people.
Any manufacturer who is prepared to develop a performance road car division and spend money on motorsport is welcome in Aus IMO.
Steane - that was a very good and accurate response. I appreciate it.
The differance between TRD in Australia and HSV/FPV is that they are still relative new comers to the Australian market while the other two have been about for many years.
Because of that, HSV and FPV have established themselves a market over the years while TRD will virtually have to start from scratch.
Is it a challenge .. absolutely - but i also believe they will find relative success in time much like Toyota has today not to mention Lexus.
When Lexus was first released in 1989, they were critised heavily but today … well, they are amoung the most renouned and respected brands of all.
I agree the TRD Aurion has limited potential in it’s current form but at the same time, Toyota is generally conservative until otherwise.
The current TRD production cars are certainly a valuable marketing research tool for the group and nodoubt will strengthen thier presance in the future if they believe increased expenditure can be justified.
With regards to motorsport … TRD’s teaming with Neal Bates Motorsport (which includes Simon Evans) in the Australian Rally Championship (ARC) and now Tony Wedlock with the Toyota Dragcar should help considerably with promoting the brand.
I believe Neal Bates and Simon Evans will also be entering their modified TRD Aurion Road Racers into a variety of events such as Targa Tasmania (just recently), Targa West, 12hr production car race and so forth while Petter Kittle Motorsport who competes in the Australian Off-Road Racing (buggies) has formed an allinace with TRD aswell and now utilises the supercharged Aurion engine to power his off-road racer.
Reports to date is that he has been extremely satisfied with the engine.
Then of course thier is drifting with Beau Yates (i think that is correct) in the specifically modified 1983 Sprinter imported from Japan
So while i whole heartedly agree with your comment, i believe TRD is traveling in the right direction to hopefully be able to establish it’s own presance and support from the public in the coming years.
What is your opinion regarding TRD’s motorsport participation in Australia.
And if don’t mind, do you believe the TRD Hilux will score with the tradie … !!
With regards to the TRD HiLux, again I think it is somewhat overpriced but represents better value than the TRD Aurion - you simply get more for the money. More practicality, more car and the advantage of being able to go offroad - to a degree at least and the old FWD issue is a non-event.
Do I think it will be a success and score with the Tradie? This type of vehicle in standard form is a runaway success with Toyota selling as many as they can make and at a significant premium over the other brands (Nissan/Mitsubishi/Holden/Ford/Mazda). A benefit of their quality, real or perceived.
I’m not sure about the tradie though, I think its market lies with the family man who wants something better than a normal HiLux, more performance yet still able to cart the family, the kids bikes, haul the boat etc. That is if they feel comfortable coughing up the asking price.
Personally, If I was going to buy a HiLux and had $60k+ to spend, I’d buy a diesel and upgrade a few things myself.
TRD in Motorsport in Oz? Its great, but I really think TRD and Toyota, not having the benefit of a RWD platform to modify would be better concentrating their motorsport and roadcar efforts on performance small cars. A sensibly priced TRD Corolla with plenty of performance, trick suspension and interior would be a killer for the brand and make plenty of sense with petrol at $1.60 litre. There are high performance Corolla equivalents in Japan and there is no reason why they couldn’t do it here. They should.
Recently took a TRD Aurion for a drive and was impressed. Handling was great, power surge excellant and the brakes work wonders although torque steer needs to be managed. looks/visual appeal of the car work wonders although the interior can do with some added attention albeit high quality remains.
All-in-all, a better then expected package and one certainly worthy of a test drive, i’m sure many potential buyers will agree with me.
Defantly the best and most exciting car from Toyota Australia yet and look forward to more products from them in the future.
Good job Toyota … now time for a spin in the TRD Hilux !!
Hi Conquistador, Funny how outback Australia is nearly 100% Toyoya is it not? You had a bad experience, just remember that you probably would not have got that far in anything elese to have had that bad experience. Toyota sells because it gets the job done, that is why Holden and Ford are not in the hunt when it comes to this component! Kaisen, batch, continuous, just in time or whatever manufacturing system you employ!! so what Toyota are top because they are top and the opinion is worldwide. You seem to have a rather biased and unbalanced perception of reality!!
Wheelnut, people buy them because they are the best value for money. I own a V6 Camry (had a V6 Commodore before) and to put it mildly, the Commodore is nothing more than a crude beast in comparrison. I recently looked at upgrading and test drove Aurion, Commodore, Falcon and 380. There was no cpomparison, the Aurion was by far the best car! In fact I would not have traded the Camry for anything else! Apart from the excellent way the Commodore sat on the road, there is no other single feature in any of the other cars worth mentioning that tops the Aurion. In fact the 380 was the next best machine and a long last was the Falcon whose outdated motor was and is a disgrace. Under power it was noisy unwilling to rev and is from a decade long gone in motoring anals. I just laugh when I continue to read all this rubbish that people write about Toyota.
After owning a number of factory performance HOTROD’s such as Clubsport Commodore’s and later FPV GT Facon’s and a Typhoon, I took my first drive in a TRD AURION 3500SL a few week’s ago. I’ve never been a Toyota fan but since that drive, I’M A CONVERT! so I bought one! I never thought a FWD could be so much fun! This is a seriously GREAT car to drive and 1:59 at Phillip Island on road tyres is quick in any one’s language and not hard to drive either. GOODBUY HSV, GOODBUY FPV YOU OLD FASION CLUNKER’S. I’m still a FORD fan and will never part with my old MUSTANG but as far as modern car’s go, the TRD kill’s the FPV and HSV… Don’t knock it till you try it!!!!!!
The TRD Aurion is a very good car and a great drive may i add. Test driven one myself and had a ball but unfortunately a little out of my price range so i settled for a Aurion SX6 instead. Checked-out a black TRD Hilux aswell and must admit - very nice !!
Good to see we finally have locally manufactuered alternatives to HSV and FPV in this country now.
Cheers
Hi all. Dunno how I stumbled across this website but it doesn’t really matter, I’ve read with mirth the to’s and fro’s of TRD Aurion argument and thought I might pose a question to the masses. Firstly, some background - I currently drive a WL Caprice that has been ported, chipped, tuned, headered and exhausted(?) quite subtlely and yet leaves most XR8’s for dead. I’ve also had my share of HSV’s so I’m obviously a Holden fan and a fan of the benefits of driving a V8. But let me just say I’ve had one too many cosmetic or functional problems with what is supposed to be Holden’s flagship. Things that the guys in the service centres say “hardly ever happen”. Well I’ve got several mates who’ve had problems too - some in Fords, some in Holdens. What with my car getting a bit raggedy, and finally conceding I should take just a little bit of notice of the price of fuel, I started looking at alternatives. I checked out a couple of things I liked the look of but to cut a long story short I pretty much settled on an Aurion. Being the snob I am I knew it needed to be the top of the range Presara - having seen a black one and thinking it was definately classy looking. I went to a dealer for a test drive. Enter the TRD version. I really like the look of it, simple as that. And I was quite satisfied with the performance of the normal Prodigy I drove so any increase in performance is an absolute bonus. The new car price did put me off however. So I’m finally getting to my question. I’ve basically decided I’d like to buy one, I like the looks and I yearn for the well reputed build quality of a Toyota. If 61k for the luxury version is too much, what price should it be to make it irresistable - even to the knockers? For example would 45k for a 2007 model with 11k kms be considered good. Everyone has a point where they may say “well it’s not my dream car but for the price it was great value for money”. Too good to ignore per say. Lets face it, I’d even drive a Ford if they were free! Comments or opinions anybody?
Well, if you like the TRD Aurion and are thinking about buying one, you’d better hurry. They’re selling so well that Toyota is closing TRD down.