VE SV6, XR6 Flogged by Aurion Sportivo

[Carby]

Drive has done a test on the three performance sixes and it's a no contest!

The Toyota, is more powerful, more economical, has better safety, more equipment, and is better for the environment plus being significantly cheaper! About the only area the SV6 is better is in Handling - Game set match Toyota!

The XR6 is still very formidable and they don't really say they prefer the SV6 over the XR6 - has Holden got it so wrong??

Having just purchased a SV6 it brings me no joy to write this, the notion of the Aurion being quicker and a better car is painful, but by the same token it is clear that the Aurion is a true contender in the big car stakes and certainly as far as a six cylinder cars are concerned it is the class leader.

Will WHEELS make the Aurion car of the year? It would be a major blow to Holden, but I really can't see a Commodore winning any major awards - it's just too thirsty and in this environment what motoring mag or motoring scribe would vote for the class leading gas guzzler.

The sooner Holden sharpen their pens, get a Six speed auto, diesel or DI six with Euro 4 emissions and wack in the curtain airbags, the better.

The Aurion could be the car that will force Holden and Ford out of Australian manufacturing. Toyoata dominate the Industry, and now they have taken away the acendacy of Commodore and Falcon in the quality of their Aurion. Sounds Bleak? But once they crack a few Fleet owners and with the power of their marketing and profitability, I think it will be a matter of survival for the two Aussie US car makers.

[Danv8]

Why take the motoring journo words as gospel!

I never let a motoring journo cloud my judgement.
Hey you bought an SV6 enjoy it for what it is not what the magazines say!

Anyways drive has as much credibility as an old burnt down piano. :)

[Ghosn]

A link would be helpful ...

[Danv8]

A link would be helpful ...

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=21521&vf=7

Sorry I cant get excited over a Toyota.

Bah!
:)

[Y2kGoofball]

one thing ive learnt, DONT LISTEN TO EM, otherwise you wouldnt buy any bloody car. At the end of the day the important thing is that your happy with your purchase, not some jurno whose payed to wring good or bad comments.

Its like how they write a supercharged V8 Range Rover or a V8 Jag XK wont sell because of fuel, yet I know their still selling :yahoo:

The only thing not selling is the 380, which is acctually a nice car too when done properly, but not a direct Holden/Ford/Toyta competitor really

[ShanghaiVZ]

Will WHEELS make the Aurion car of the year?

Your joking right?? we all know wheels criteria when it comes to COTY, and the Aurion is a camry with a new front/rear and engine! sorry not enough to be even a contender.

[Carby]

Your joking right?? we all know wheels criteria when it comes to COTY, and the Aurion is a camry with a new front/rear and engine! sorry not enough to be even a contender.

Why not? It very economical for a large car, has great standard safety, better motor than the Holden and arguably the Falcon, and does it all being friendlier to the environment. DRIVE even reckon both it's high beam and low beam lights are better!!! - overall that makes it a pretty damn impressive. If the Motoring associations (Inc NRMA) made the 380 the best large car last year the Aurion is at Makybe Diva odds for it this year !!
WHEELS may cop out of the locals and pick an import, will be interesting to see how it goes.

[jamesd]

I guess you also watch current affairs shows? Don't like to think for yourself? God knows it would be terrible to have your own opinion. How about test the cars instead of believing journalists?

Aussie journos don't have the guts to say what they really think about cars, all they do is jump on bandwagons with the media.

[Ghosn]

Toyota can't even think of a slogan without ripping it off it's competitor.

GAME OVER.

[Danv8]

Why not? It very economical for a large car, has great standard safety, better motor than the Holden and arguably the Falcon, and does it all being friendlier to the environment. DRIVE even reckon both it's high beam and low beam lights are better!!! - overall that makes it a pretty damn impressive. If the Motoring associations (Inc NRMA) made the 380 the best large car last year the Aurion is at Makybe Diva odds for it this year !!
WHEELS may cop out of the locals and pick an import, will be interesting to see how it goes.

And they get paid to tell us all this.
The COTY award is no measure of quality or excellence. Not by a country
mile. In reality it's nothing other than a statement of what a group of
pencil necks journo's feel they like the most from a select group of offerings on any
given day.

[clixanup]

Your joking right?? we all know wheels criteria when it comes to COTY, and the Aurion is a camry with a new front/rear and engine! sorry not enough to be even a contender.
What about the BA? That was just an AU with new front/rear & interior. Same engine, transmission and body (mostly) as the AU. And that still won it.

[Carby]

I guess you also watch current affairs shows? Don't like to think for yourself? God knows it would be terrible to have your own opinion. How about test the cars instead of believing journalists?

Aussie journos don't have the guts to say what they really think about cars, all they do is jump on bandwagons with the media.

I think we should all understand that for the most part the journo's are experts, they drive a greater varity of cars than the average person ever does - their comparisons must be worth more than say a mate of a mates.

Believe me when I say I dislike Toyota with a passion - I will never, ever own a Toyota, nor test drive one, I don't like the way they do business and their are other reasons I don't like the company, but to the average consumer these are not concerns and I have to acknowledge that they do make good vehicles. Unfortunately the Aurion seems to be one of them, and I just fear that this time, in this environment, they have got it more right than Holden and Aussies may relinquish the love of RWD large cars.

[EfiJy]

hardly a crushing defeat is it? the article just says arion ticks the most "boxes". it hardly matters what they think as it really doesnt drive as great as ve. ride and handling is usually what wins most comparisons but not on this occasion it seems.

[Dacious]

Better rush down to your Toyota dealer and trade in. After all, they wrote it, so it must be true.......

A midsize car with a big motor is faster than two large cars - a Mazda MP23 is probably quicker, and cheaper to boot, too. But it isn't a large car, and neither is the Borion.

[Noah]

hardly a crushing defeat is it? the article just says arion ticks the most "boxes". it hardly matters what they think as it really doesnt drive as great as ve. ride and handling is usually what wins most comparisons but not on this occasion it seems.

Spot on!
How it handles and looks is more important than the extra cup of fuel it used between tanks (don't buy than can of Coke when you fill up, then you will be even).
If you don't like being beaten by half a cars lenght, then buy the V8 and :driving: right past.

You will find the old couple in the Toyota won't race you anyway:sleep:

[Tron2004]

I certainly wouldn't say that the SV6 was flogged by the Aurion.
The Nov edition of Wheels has the following claims...

SV6 (M6) 0 - 100 kph in 7.4 sec / 0 - 400 metres in 15.5 sec

Aurion (A6) 0 - 100 kph in 7.5 sec / 0 - 400 metres in 15.5 sec

Considering that the SV6 is rated at 195kw and the Aurion at 200kw, AND that the SV6 is around 100kgs heavier, it's not doing too bad at all.

Take it all with a grain of salt really.

[BossV8]

Some car mags/sites are a pain in the bum, average joe reads them and takes it as gospel

A mate I know swapped from a Ford dealer to a Toyota deal, while he gets more sales he doesnt appreciate when you ask him to do a burnout in a camry!

[Tron2004]

A mate I know swapped from a Ford dealer to a Toyota deal, while he gets more sales he doesnt appreciate when you ask him to do a burnout in a camry!
I find it hard to believe that he actually gets requests like that for his Camry. :lmao:

[BossV8]

I find it hard to believe that he actually gets requests like that for his Camry. :lmao:

No that was from us giving him shyte for selling camry's!

[Tron2004]

I've mentioned this before and maybe it's just me, but why is it that ppl who drive those Sportivo models think that they're actually driving something that relates to the model name??

When will they learn that 0-100 in anything over 7 secs is NOT really sports car performance!! :sleep:

[lowriding]

well it did pretty much stated the Commode was the better drivers car - but without the emotion aurion is the white bread car for white bread people ,obviously drive has white bread readers and testers !Maybe drive.com.au should change to valueconsumergoods.com.au !
Also interesting to read the Toyota quality was no better then the others on test - drive claimed toyota doesnt need to put in the effort in this market !!Here's a clue drive a corolla against its smallcar opposition and you will see the same cheap interiors and cutprice finsh .Toyota's are the most overrated cars on this planet ,the might of toyota's marketing budget and reach would surprise a few people i think !

[JimmyXR6T04]

What about the BA? That was just an AU with new front/rear & interior. Same engine, transmission and body (mostly) as the AU. And that still won it.

:hmmm: don't think thats quite true... perhaps you should look into the AU/BA a little more, and you'll realise that they're really quite different.

[Road Warrior]

I've mentioned this before and maybe it's just me, but why is it that ppl who drive those Sportivo models think that they're actually driving something that relates to the model name??

When will they learn that 0-100 in anything over 7 secs is NOT really sports car performance!! :sleep:

Because its a Sportivo!!!!!!!!1!!!!111

[Marco]

On my reading of it, they're saying the Holden is the better driver's car, but the Toyota comes with more stuff, so the Toyota gets the prize.

Hey, when I buy a new appliance, I try to get as much stuff for my money as I can too. Did I tell you guys about the new sandwich press I bought?

When I buy a performance car, on the other hand...

[Freaky]

cracks me up how people get so defensive in this thread.

I thought it was a good writeup.

At the end of the day who cares. Drive what is best for you and dont get too caught up with these reviews. They are all subjective.

[SCiFiRE]

eh im not even gonna read the writeup. I do value what alot of motoring journos have to say, but that website gives me the heebiejeebies, bit like the car show. its like a car website for non-car people. Ill stick to Wheels&Motor, and Top Gear on occasion. B-)

as for aurion vs VE in COTY, one comparo doesnt cut the mustard. in every standalone aurion review ive read so far they've pretty muched summed up with "yeah its good, but its still just another good toyota", where as there has been much more glowing reviews of VE, SS's in particular. Id say our general has a bit more chance at it

[SS Enforcer]

Can anyone here really imagine a Holden or Ford guy ever switching to a FWD Toyota if they like there sporty cars ?
Maybe as a commuter then the 4 cyl is the way to go but FWD for performance no way + it's not a big car either it's the same size as the 4 pot.

Guy at work gave his misses his VX S and bought a 380 .. he likes the 380 but is kicking himself for buying it, he has to keep it for another 15 months before he can get out of it, he is counting the days till he can buy a VE /VF.

I noticed that the Aurion did same 1/4 as the SV6 so why the kicked it's ass comment ... the 0-100 kph test isn't the most accurate in comparisons and that only had 1/10th in it.

cheers

[ti0350]

I was reading the drive blog for a laugh and found this post toyotas said they were going to steal sales from Holden from this post it looks the other way around it seems that size does matter to some people and maybe the borian wont sell as much as thought it would..
Firstly let me say i've owned a lot of toyotas over the years now i have a family the camry just isnt big enough so when I heard toyats was making a large car I got excited.. I could continue owning a toyta and get the large car I needed.. You dont know how disapointed I was when we went down to test drive the Aurion first thing I noticed was size, when I walked into the yard I saw what I thought was a camry so I asked the closest salesman where the aurion was.. He said your looking at it I replied i thought they suppose to be a large car this is the same size as a camry.. I was told basically the same as a camry accept for the front and back styling and the V6..
Despite being put off by the size we decided to test drive it, the interior didn't really impress me the seats weren't as comfortable as I expected.. The engine and transmission were good but I thing the 200kw is all marketing hype, as in normal driving you dont rev the car enough to reach where the max power is achieved.. The handling wasnt too bad but it didnt really get me excited..
We left yard disappointed yes it has some good points the transmission but the rest including the size is a let down..
While we were on the way home we decided to stop at the local holden dealers and test drive a VE Commodore..
The first that we noticed was the size the VE is a bigger car on the outside and once you sit inside there no contest the VE has more room.. I wasnt blown away by the interior but the seats were better and i didnt like the dash layout..
The big surpirse for us was the test drive while the engine is not as refined as the Aurion, the VE has torque down low and you can feel the difference.. The way the VE handled put it in a class above the Aurion is felt so much better on the road.. While the VE did have some short comings they weren't as bad as the Aurion.. Needless to say I have put my hard earned money down on a VE Commodore.. After 10 toyotas I am buying my first Holden and cant wait to get it.. Toyota should really come clean and admit that the Aurion is just basicallly a V6 camry as no way is it a large car..
Yes the Aurion might have better fuel economy but yes it's also a smaller and lighter car.. Which to me means it should be compared more to the 380 then the Commodore or for that matter a Falcon it doesnt matter how big the engine is.. For me a large car is just that a large car not a mid sized car with a big engine..

Posted by: toyonomore | November 11, 2006 03:57 AM

[Souljah]

The day it can pass my ute i'll be worried. Until then its just another washing machine on wheels.

[Fnomna]

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=21521&comparisonID=735
Drive got 10.5s for the 0-100 for the SV6 (9.5 for the other 2)
Need I say more?

[brentonsav]

it should be race 1:
commodore vs falcon

race 2:
mazda 6 mps vs borion vs 380 vxr

i hate it when fwd are compared to rwd. completely different architecture.
not to mention a medium car vs a large car

anyway, im sure all the grandpa's out there will love the new toyota, bcoz performance car enthusiasts certainly wont be jumping on board...

and if ve doesnt win coty, its a sham!

[shep]

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=21521&comparisonID=735
Drive got 10.5s for the 0-100 for the SV6 (9.5 for the other 2)
Need I say more?

They must have stopped at the shops, mid run.:cool:

[Danv8]

Thursday I am going to have a quick look at an Aurion. I doubt I would have time to actually test drive one but I will give my initial what I see report.

[myles]

...removed.

[csv rulz]

Didnt motor get 6.8seconds 0-100km for SV6 so it shows you how far drive is off, even wheels is slow.

It wasnt that long ago that V8,s were only getting that time, so by no means is the SV6 a dud

[Vulture]

I think we should all understand that for the most part the journo's are experts, they drive a greater varity of cars than the average person ever does - their comparisons must be worth more than say a mate of a mates.

I agree with that. Not sure why people are keen to bash journos for the hell of it. Their opinion must mean SOMETHING. They do sometimes contradict themselves rather badly, though. Eg, one year they love a model and write how great it is, the next year they are criticising things that they stated were excellent in the original opinion.

I would consider something like the Toyota as a family hack but certainly not as a sporty choice for myself.

[csv rulz]

dont the cars that normally handle the best win?

Isnt that why in the mags the journo's use to say the GT's were better than the Clubsport even tho the Clubsport blew the GT away in a straight line???

At the end of the day it shouldnt matter what anybody else thinks as long as youre happy with the product you have purchased.

[paulvdb]

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=21521&comparisonID=735
Drive got 10.5s for the 0-100 for the SV6 (9.5 for the other 2)
Need I say more?

Yes but if you read between all the other rubbish posted you'll have seen that they used a really standardised test of putting 4 people in the car going up a hill.

The write-up was dumb amateurish garbage, as were nearly all of the blog responses. I note also that the journos have all been paid to mention only the sticker consumption, not real consumption. Toyota's marketing team has done a great job here. And everyone completely ignores the fact that the super economical 4cyl version uses exactly the same amount of fuel.

[paul05]

my wife is due for her new company car and i have looked at both the commodore and orion but remembered that sitting at the brooklyn boat ramp waiting for the ramp to clear to get my boat out ,a magna (late model)sat on the ramp front wheel burn out in the wet:rolleyes: could'nt get his boat out of the water.commodore for us.

[chook]

It's stil butt ugly!

[flappist]

What is the problem here?

Toyota's new "top of the range" sport sedan is slightly better than Holden's "bottom of the range".

It is not like "Aurion is better than whole commodore range" or whatever. Build a bridge.

But then again, I HAVE seen toyotas with holden badges and commodores with toyota badges.......

[monaroCountry1]

Real world tests have indicated that the aurion guzzles more petrol than its ADR submitted figures. The problem is that many mags have relied on the ADR figures. Holden tests as have indicated that real world they are better on petrol. This is because of the torque produced by the holden and ford, the aurion needs to be revved the hell out.

The aurion/camry can have the fleets all to themselves. From all reports Holden is trying to more upmarket i.e. luxury and performance cars. Any spare capacity at the factotry will go to producing overseas cars. This will mean that Holden get more $$$$$$$ per car.

Cant wait for diesel next year. BTW are people forgetting that the cheapest car to run on petrol are holdens and fords? albiet in LPG/dual LPG form....................why doesnt toyota offer this option?

[clubbie]

But then again, I HAVE seen toyotas with holden badges and commodores with toyota badges.......[/QUOTE]

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month I see age has not wearied you:thumbsup:

Will you ever forgive and forget that one night stand

[Nobby]

Strike me down, I know I'm responding by (already) page 3, but get this right guys, the Aurion is a MEDIUM car as it is exactly the same dimensions as a Camry.

To the mm.

[Marco]

What is the problem here?
But then again, I HAVE seen toyotas with holden badges and commodores with toyota badges.......

Yes....it was a shameful period where our favourite brand was at its lowest ebb, and we shall not speak of it again.

[lowriding]

Yes....it was a shameful period where our favourite brand was at its lowest ebb, and we shall not speak of it again.

actually i think opposite here . back in the late 80's /early 90's Toyota made cars that were better than the avg ,eg .the AE92 Corolla and the SV22 Camry . The lexcen (VN) was a blight on them.times have changed these days though,where as Toyota mostly trade off slick marketing now with below avg cars .

[Dacious]

I think this is called 'picking your contest' - like people being amazed that the turbo 2.3 Mazda SP23 'between 80 and 120' would out-acclerate a Clubsport. No mention of what happens either side of that small slice of road.

Think about it: you have a FWD with a revvy, peaky motor and low gearing. According to the article it has the smallest tyres, and from the sounds of them, they are hard (probably so they last more than five minutes on the front). The mag reviews all say the traction and stability is over intrusive compared to the Commodore and Falcon. It has a weight advantage, a gearing advantage and a (on-paper) power advantage. So what do you do? You stick four people in all of them. I've heard of mags putting 2 people in to get real world figures, but never performance testing with four aboard. What are they doing, pre-bogan Saturday night cruise testing? Why didn't they test them with Darwin award candidates hanging out the windows screaming 'shows us your tatts' or similar?

All of a sudden, on a flat dry road the FWD car can hook up and not loose traction, so the traction control don't cut in and it can get into its' powerband and hitch up it's skirt and go. Once it gets off the line it has enough 0-100 to hold out the taller geared-Holden. Note they did the same 400m time. I'd be interested to see the terminal speed, because I bet the Holden was running it down.

Bear in mind 'Dive' is there to attract readers - nothing attracts readers like controversy. Just imagine all the extra readers they got from this post on LS1.

Yes, interesting they quote the manufacturer's fuel figures, isn't it? Did they actually test these cars against each other, or not?

And note how the Falcon, the handling of which they used to rave about, is now 'floaty with nervous steering'? What, did Ford change the suspenders, or is that the only way they could make it sound like the Borion handles OK?

[stockhorse]

Are you going to hold the same opinion of COTY and these same journos if VE is given the award?

[Carby]

I was thinking the same thing!:love: Though some of the posts here are incisive eg why did they not use the real test fuel figures, why 4 people on test, and how come the SV6 appears slower than other tests have produced?

Can't see the VE getting car of the year - the fuel usage will hold it back. The SS/SS-V should pick up a few sports orientated gongs - economy is not so much an issue there.

[black stallion]

I was interested in the Toyota marketing strategy at the recent Sydney motor show. Camrys at one end of the stand, Aurions at the other with other vehicles filling the gap in between. The cars were never placed together. To obtain a brochure, one side could give you Camry, the other side could give you Aurion. Are Toyota so scared of people realising the product is nothing more than a V6 Camry with cosmetic changes?

[CharlieDontSurf]

I think its ridiculous that the camry can be classed by Vfacts as a medium size car and Aurion al arge car considering they are the same apart from front/back sheetmetal and a different drivetrain. Might have something to do with the fact that the presedint of Toyota is on the V facts board.
I smell a rat....

[Fnomna]

Are Toyota so scared of people realising the product is nothing more than a V6 Camry with cosmetic changes?

Yes, Wheels weren't allowed to take a photo of their profiles next to each other.

[pussysoldman]

The day it can pass my ute i'll be worried. Until then its just another washing machine on wheels.


Amen:teach: