The Toyota Aurion was a mid-size sedan built by Toyota in Australia and sold across parts of Asia from 2006 to 2017. It shared its foundations with the Camry but used a restyled body and a V6 engine, effectively serving as the sportier, more powerful version of the Camry line. Production ended in 2017, so there was no 2019 Aurion; the car’s role was taken over by the V6-powered eighth-generation Camry.
What the Aurion Was
The Aurion was derived from the equivalent Camry, with changes mainly limited to revised front- and rear-end styling and a different interior. In Australia and New Zealand it replaced the Toyota Avalon, and it was positioned as a locally built large sedan with a standard V6. In much of East and Southeast Asia the same car was sold simply as the Toyota Camry, while in Australasia and the Middle East it kept the Aurion name. The name itself came from the Greek word for “tomorrow.”
First Generation (XV40; 2006–2012)
The first-generation Aurion went on sale in 2006 and was produced until 2012. In August 2007 Toyota Australia released a high-performance version known as the TRD Aurion, which used a supercharged V6, a full body kit, and upgraded chassis components. It was discontinued in March 2009 after only 537 examples were built and sold over roughly 18 months, a reflection of its limited appeal in the Australian market. The regular XV40 range included Prodigy and Sportivo ZR6 grades.
Second Generation (XV50; 2012–2017)
The second generation arrived in 2012 and continued the formula of a Camry-based sedan with a V6 engine and front-wheel drive. Grades included the AT-X, Touring, and Sportivo ZR6, along with a range-topping Prodigy in some periods. Over the model’s ten-year Australian production span, Toyota sold a total of 111,140 Aurions, with peak sales in 2007 and a steady decline thereafter as buyers moved toward SUVs and smaller cars.
Engine and Specifications
The Aurion used a 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 producing 200 kW and driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The same engine family powered the Camry V6 and several Lexus models of the era. The Aurion’s combination of a large, naturally aspirated V6 and front-wheel drive made it unusual among Australian large cars, most of which were rear-wheel drive.
| Specification | Aurion (XV50) |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3.5 L 2GR-FE V6 |
| Power | 200 kW |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Body | 4-door sedan |
| Production | 2006–2017 |
Why Production Ended in 2017
Toyota ended Aurion production at its Altona plant in Melbourne in 2017, a few months before the factory closed entirely. The large, non-luxury sedan segment had shrunk sharply as Australian buyers shifted to SUVs and pickup trucks, and a V6-only sedan with front-wheel drive had become a niche proposition. The final Aurion rolled off the line in 2017, bringing the nameplate to a close.
The Camry XV70 Replacement
The car that filled the Aurion’s role was the eighth-generation Camry, the XV70, which arrived in Australia in late 2017. Built in Japan rather than Australia, it brought a new platform and reintroduced a V6 to the local Camry range, offered in the sportier SX and SL grades. Buyers who would once have chosen an Aurion V6 were instead directed to the V6 Camry. You can read more in our 2019 Toyota Camry Redesign, Review.
Buying an Aurion Today
Because production ended in 2017, the newest Aurions are the final XV50 models from that year. The V6 is durable and parts are shared with the Camry, which keeps running costs reasonable. Buyers should check for a full service history and inspect the front-end components, which carry the weight of the V6. For readers interested in the wider range, our Car Review hub and the 2019 Toyota Auris Release Date and Redesign cover other Toyota models.
Design and Equipment
The Aurion used the Camry’s central body structure with unique front and rear styling, and its interior was trimmed to a higher standard than the mainstream Camry in several markets. Equipment on upper grades included leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, and a premium audio system. The car was a four-door sedan with seating for five, and its front-wheel-drive layout gave it a flat rear floor that aided passenger comfort.
Market Position and Rivals
In Australia the Aurion competed with large rear-wheel-drive sedans such as the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon. Its front-wheel-drive V6 layout differed from those cars, which prioritized towing and rear-drive dynamics. Buyers who wanted an Australian-built Toyota with six-cylinder power and lower running costs than a V8 rival tended to choose the Aurion, while fleet and family buyers often stayed with the four-cylinder Camry.
Ownership and Parts Availability
Because the Aurion shares so much with the Camry, many service parts remain widely available, which helps keep maintenance costs reasonable for a V6 sedan. The main consumables, filters, brakes, and suspension components are common to the Camry range of the same period, and independent workshops are familiar with the 2GR-FE engine family. Buyers in New Zealand and the Middle East may find even better parts support than in Australia, since the car was sold widely across both regions.
Legacy of the Aurion
The Aurion was the last Australian-built Toyota sedan range with a dedicated name of its own, sitting above the Camry in the local line-up. Its retirement, followed within months by the closure of Toyota’s Altona factory, marked the end of mass car manufacturing in Australia. Today the Aurion is remembered as a comfortable, quietly quick family sedan that offered V6 power at a price below the European alternatives.
