Three Toyotas Named Drive Car of the Year Winners
Three Toyota vehicles - Aurion, Kluger and LandCruiser - have been awarded prestigious "car of the year" awards by leading Australian motoring journalists.
The 200kW Aurion AT-X V6 was named Best Large Car; seven-seat Kluger KX-R 2WD was voted Best People Mover; and LandCruiser GXL with its twin-turbo V8 diesel engine was judged Best 4WD over $40,000.
For the second year in a row, voting in the Drive Car of the Year awards gave Toyota three winners - more than any other vehicle manufacturer.
Lexus also won the coveted Best Luxury Car over $60,000, with the LS460 limousine determined as superior to rival cars from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Toyota's home-grown Aurion - which won its category last year - was cited as "an easy winner" over its three Australian-built rivals for Best Large Car honours.
The entry-level Toyota Aurion AT-X was pitted against the Mitsubishi 380 SX and the more expensive Ford Falcon Futura and Holden Commodore Berlina.
Judges, including Sydney Morning Herald motoring editor Joshua Dowling, commended Aurion for its smooth, responsive V6 engine, high levels of standard equipment and sharp pricing.
They praised Aurion as the only one of the Australian-built large six-cylinder cars to have stability control and curtain airbags standard across the range.
Two of Aurion's competitors do not offer curtain airbags at any price; one does not offer stability control at all.
"The Aurion is well priced, has the most standard equipment (including a fully power adjustable driver's seat), a full complement of safety features (front, side and curtain airbags as well as stability control), and it also happens to have the briskest and most powerful six-cylinder engine among its peers," Dowling said.
"Despite this, it is also the most fuel efficient in its class. It was an easy winner."
Dowling said the Aurion's performance is "quite astounding" for its class, moving from rest to 100kmh in just 6.9 seconds - 1.4 seconds faster than the best-selling vehicle in the segment.
"Who'd have thought a Toyota would outpace Australia's two top-selling six-cylinder sedans?"
Toyota's two-wheel-drive Kluger KX-R beat Honda Odyssey Luxury and Mitsubishi Grandis VR-X for the Best People Mover award.
Judges said the new Kluger was proof that a 4WD-style wagon could work brilliantly as a people-mover, particularly with its seven seats, sharp pricing, engine performance and safety - including seven airbags, stability control and a reversing camera.
"Add in the fact that the [7 seat] Kluger [KX-R 2WD] is more than $3000 cheaper than the Odyssey Luxury and the odds continue to swing in the Toyota's favour," said judge Richard Blackburn.
"The punchy V6 means the Kluger is always going to deliver enough performance for the job, no matter how many kids and how much luggage is on board," he said.
"Add to that a comprehensive safety package that keeps your loved ones better protected than anything in the class and you have a worthy winner."
Toyota's LandCruiser GXL diesel won for its "supreme ability and impressive overall package".
It overcame challenges from the Audi Q7 and Land Rover Freelander. Toyota's AWD Kluger KX-S was also a finalist in this category, praised for its engine performance, impressive value and strong safety artillery.
Judges highlighted LandCruiser's "supremely quiet cabin". One judge said it was the quietest of all 44 vehicles being judged - including luxury cars costing more than twice as much.
They also commended LandCruiser's impressive equipment list: keyless start, dual climate control air-conditioning, eights seats, "refined and potent" engine with 650Nm of torque - almost twice that of a petrol V8 - and 3.5-tonne towing capability.
"The big story with the LandCruiser is its off-road ability," said drive.com.au editor Toby Hagon.
"It has a dual-range transfer case for heavy-duty off-road work, as well as a downhill assist system," Hagon said.
"Combined with locking differential and a traction control system it makes the LandCruiser a formidable companion in the outback.
"It's immensely capable and user friendly."
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