- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.5i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
200kW, 336Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 9.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2012)
2013 Toyota Aurion Prodigy: owner review
I bought my Aurion Prodigy late 2017 because I wanted something Australian built. I ruled out Ford because the Falcon was so dated, and ruled out Holden because of its Alloytec V6, so that left me with the Aurion.
- It's extremely fast
- It's very comfortable
- It's good looking
- Economical considering the size of the engine
- Locally manufactured
- Some elements of the interior are 'tinny'
- Front-wheel drive can be a little fiddly
- Dated touchscreen
I decided to take one for a test drive, and took it on some open country roads and immediately I was like a kid in a candy store. I'd never driven a vehicle that accelerated as hard as the Aurion, so I bought it.
Having lived with it for well over eight months now, I have some gripes and praises for it.
I obviously obsess over the power, but I also love the economy of it, as it averages around 7.5L/100km on the Hume Highway.
I can honestly say I actually really like the woodgrain in the cabin. It's a nice touch to the black leather and the soft black rubber on the dashboard, and having an ashtray and lighter fitted in the car is handy as well.
I also love the exterior styling of it, with the chrome adding another nice touch.
The interior is really ergonomic, with a foot-mounted parking brake to save room in the centre part. The steering wheel controls are handy, as well as a decent back-up camera and an excellent smart key system.
Having back problems like I do, the lumbar support on the seat is a lifesaver as well!
However, this car is not completely perfect. It's not hard to find some nasty scratchy plastics throughout the cabin, and the very obvious vinyl backings on the seats do bring the cabin down a notch. And because the Prodigy is based more on the ATX rather than the Presara, it misses out on a decent infotainment system, instead using a more aftermarket-style screen.
Driving the car is an interesting experience as it's a front-wheel drive. Taking off from traffic lights in the wet can sometimes lead to the front of the car shuddering, which is a horrible experience. But considering the weight and drivetrain of the car, there isn't too much understeer – a lot less than I expected anyway.
Having bought the car at 79,000km, it now has 105,000km on the clock, and every single one of those kilometres has been hassle free, mainly highway driving for me as I live in a rural area. But this car has also tackled plenty of dirt back roads, city streets, mountainous roads with steep inclines, and even a beach once (don't ask).
Travelling to work one morning, I was involved in a car accident (the other person at fault), and the repair for the car was quick and easy as it is an Australian-built Toyota.
The past eight months in this car have been excellent, and I do not regret my purchase whatsoever. The Toyota Aurion Prodigy is an excellent-value car, and it can cater to many different people as it has endless purpose.
A Note from the Editor: A stock image has been supplied with this review.