Production of facelifted Toyota Camry has officially begun in Australia at the Altona plant in Melbourne. The D-segment sedan takes after the US-market version and hence gets the more comprehensive and sportier American revamp unveiled in New York last year, rather than the supposedly classier global facelift that we received at the beginning of the month.
As such, the OZ-market Camry now has a more aggressive face with a gaping front maw and sharper headlights, while at the rear, more rounded wraparound tail lights join a new chrome number plate trim and a more sculpted bumper with a diffuser-like insert.
Even the doors are new, with a more pronounced character line joining the front fender with the tail lights, while the side glass area has been visually extended with a decorative garnish. Only the roof panel is carried over from the outgoing model.
The facelifted Australian Camry should retain the same powertrain choices as before – a 178 hp/230 Nm (181 hp/235 Nm on the Atara variants) 2.5 litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, as well as a 202 hp 2.5 litre petrol-electric hybrid with an eCVT. The smaller 2.0 litre engine (which receives VVT-iW, D-4S direct injection and a six-speed auto with the facelift) is absent here.
It should be noted that this Camry is not the only Camry Australia receives (and produces) – the continent also gets the global version that we have, badged as the Aurion and positioned above this car, powered solely by a 268 hp/336 Nm 3.5 litre V6. The facelift for that is expected to arrive within the next few weeks.
The facelifted Toyota Camry and Aurion will be the final models produced at Altona – the last cars will roll off the line in 2017 as the factory shutters its doors. The next-generation Camry will be sourced from overseas, likely from Thailand to leverage on the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.
US-market Toyota Camry facelift
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