Fresh Avalon may preview 2015 Aurion

Toyota has revealed its new-look Toyota Avalon at the 2015 Chicago motor show, showing off a sleek new style that could have implications for the updated Australian-made Aurion due to be launched here in May.

The fresh-faced 2016 Avalon is based on the fourth-generation US-market Avalon launched in 2012 and features a number of exterior design updates comprising a new-look front-end with a wider, lower front grille.

The Ford Mondeo rival also gets updated LED brake lights, chrome highlights on the rear bumper, new alloy wheel designs and subtle changes to the interior upholstery round out the visual changes.

Along with the new look, premium versions of the Avalon, which was teased before its Chicago reveal, come with automatic high-beam headlights, a pre-collision system, lane departure alert and dynamic radar cruise control.

Like the Aurion in Australia, the Avalon is fitted with a 3.5-litre V6 generating roughly the same power – 200kW – and there's also a hybrid model available in the US, though the latter won't be offered locally.

The Avalon also offers two suspension options, a sports tune and a comfort tune.

Despite the changes to the US-market Avalon, the final update for Australia's locally-made Aurion is expected to be minor at best. That's because Toyota Australia is focussing what's left of its manufacturing budget on ensuring the strong-selling Camry goes out with a bang.

Although both the Melbourne-made Camry and Aurion will be discontinued at the end of 2017, the top-selling mid-size sedan will undergo a comprehensive mid-life update for launch around May, bringing the vehicle a virtually all-new look and a range of high-tech features.

Toyota Australia has previously said the new Camry will feature LED daytime running lights and recalibrated suspension as standard, with advanced features like adaptive cruise control, auto high-beam, blind-spot monitor and a pre-collision preparation system being other likely additions.

While the Aurion has been a consistent seller for Toyota in Australia, with 5163 units registered in 2014, sales were down almost a quarter on the previous year's tally of 6839 units.

Thanks to the majority of its sales going to fleet/business buyers, the Camry outsold the Aurion comfortably last year with 22,044 sales, making it Toyota's third most popular product after the Corolla small car and HiLux ute.