But this Camry is the last “new” car launch for an Australian-made vehicle we are likely to see in the foreseeable future. There will be Camrys sold in Australia beyond 2017 but they won’t be made in Altona.

Despite being a world car, Camry has suffered locally as a result of Australia’s love affair with SUVs. The fact is, though, this Camry does many things better than an SUV and, with a starting price of $26,490 for the entry level Altise (cheaper than many mid-spec small cars), represents extraordinary value in its own right.

MORE BALLARAT CARS ROAD TESTS HERE.

Our test model from Ballarat Toyota was nominally the “sports” version – the Atara SX – which may have been called a Sportivo in a past life. And it looks the part too with a mesh grille, rear lip spoiler, accented rear diffuser and leather accented sports seats. We also briefly drove the Atara S (pictured), which was the only model available for photos. It is pitched to private buyers but is less sporty.

My personal opinion is the Camry Atara is a handsome car with a quite a Lexus vibe about it.

The interior, on the other hand, is classic Camry. Toyota seems far more interested in instruments and controls which are safe and simple to use rather than sexy and sophisticated. Audio and connectivity functions – all perfectly easy to manage with a big colour touch screen; big, blocky climate controls; and dials which are perfectly legible – but without that design flair or colour of the similarly sized Mazda6 or Ford Mondeo, for example. That’s not supposed to be a criticism but it may have some private buyers looking elsewhere.

That’s a shame really because the Camry drive experience, particularly in SX trim, is vastly underrated. The Atara SX is not a sports sedan in the same sense of a Commodore SV6 or Falcon XR6, but it is sharper in terms of grip and steering than many other front-wheel-drive counterparts.

We took the SX on a spin through Invermay, Glen Park and Wattle Flat and had a lot of fun. The SX corners with surprising confidence.

The engine is a 2.5-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol four which is good for 133kW, which is marginally better than a Hyundai i40, marginally less than a Hyundai Sonata or Mazda6 and

fair bit down on the turbocharged Mondeo. In the real world it has decent pull and respectable

economy (7.8 litres/100km combined). The six-speed conventional auto has paddle controls or a manual mode and feels suitably solid.

The leather seats are an appropriate balance of comfort and support for a machine which will often be a second office for an executive or rep, which is where many Camrys end up for good reason. They have a peerless reputation for reliability and we doubt that will change with the modestly updated new one. 

The Camry stays true to its traditional virtues and remains one of the most sensible devices for anyone who travels long distances.

In that regard it is a much better choice as a company car than many SUVs which now do the job.

But the Camry Atara SX is better than that again, and is a worthy option for a private who favours substance over brand names but doesn’t mind a bit of style in the bargain.

•Your local dealer is Ballarat Toyota: 5331 2666

Toyota Camry Atara SX

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