Toyota Aurion AT-X 2015 Review

Wafting up the highway in near silence (there's little in the way of wind, road or engine noise) and with a cossetting ride, it's easy to relax into the recently-updated Toyota Aurion. Just as impressive, however, is the way the Aurion – for so long derided as an 'old folks' car – attacks the acceleration run.

The 3.5-litre quad-cam 'six' may have been around forever, but its combined 200kW/336Nm outputs pulled the big Toyota along with fervour as it shifted through its six-speed automatic transmission, a sophisticated V6 growl providing the soundtrack through newly-fitted dual exhausts.

Another figure jumps out: the recorded fuel consumption figure of only 7.8L/100km. True, there's a lot of highway kilometres that contributed to that figure, but shopping runs and city driving also formed a significant portion.

Back at the highway cruise, the metallic Magnetic Bronze (metallic/pearlescent paint is now standard across the three Aurion grades, but is there another colour that so completely fulfils the bland stereotype?) Aurion AT-X shows off its new 10-spoke, 16-inch alloys and redesigned mesh grille trim.

There's also been some upgraded inside the cabin, which are worthy of considering in more detail.

In a word, it remains dated, but that's actually redeeming in some ways; its simplicity is its strength. The 4.2-inch screen may sound small in this day and age, but the functionality is easy enough to follow and the reversing camera effective; if only there was built-in sat-nav (instead, you can access your phone's connection via 'Toyota Link', a built-in app service). The Bluetooth hooks up simply and the dual-zone climate controls are straightforward.

Cloth trim remains standard-fit, but the AT-X gains power adjustability for the driver's seat.

There's also commodious interior space, with rear occupants well catered for in this regard, particularly in head and legroom. They also gain their own ventilation outlets. In the boot there's 515 litres of boot space, even with a full-size 16-inch steel spare stowed under the floor.

Interestingly it is the front passenger area that feels the least spacious, as the combined centre console trim and thick door cards trim leg widths for both drive and passenger. There's also the foot-operated parking brake issue, which can catch the left leg as you stretch on longer trips.

Once you come to the city, the V6 remains smooth and punchy, though it can excite the inside-front tyre out of tight, uphill T-intersections, especially when the surface is slicked with winter rain.

To be fair, though, Toyota's stability control on just such a surface proves capable of subtly intervening, only cutting enough power to limit wheelspin without leaving the driver stranded with no drive mid-intersection. It seems that the pre-load differential system now equipped to all Aurion grades also benefits the car in low-grip situations.

Less impressive is the Aurion's dynamic performance. The steering response, for example, is as relaxed as the Aurion's ride. A movement of the wheel reveals a slow and initially heavy response, as the big sedan eases into the turn with noticeable body-roll. As the load transfers to the outside wheels the steering lightens and the Aurion moves through the corner with little fanfare, but no engagement. Braking response and performance, however, is sufficient for a car in this class.

In the aftersales realm, the Aurion's service intervals are set at nine months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Toyota offers a capped-price servicing plan that covers you for the first four years or 75,000km, and covers five standard services. The maximum standard servicing cost is pegged at $140.

Where Toyota lacks behind some other market players is that it still provides only a three year / 100,000km warranty.

With its comfortable seating, simple functionality, wafty ride and smooth, powerful 'big six' engine, the lightly updated Toyota Aurion encompasses an Australia that seems to have passed us by.

It may lack excitement and, in some ways, modernity, but we'll miss its big distance ability in this wide brown land.

2015 Toyota Aurion AT-X pricing and specifications:
Price: $36,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 200kW/336Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 215g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP)

What we liked:
>> Supple ride
>> Well-suppressed road noise
>> Cabin space and comfort

Not so much:
>> Floaty cornering
>> Plain-jane styling
>> No built-in nav