Bland, dated and boring: Why the Toyota Avalon failed in Australia

AutoExec Summary
The Toyota Avalon, introduced in 2000 to compete with the Falcon and Commodore, failed to make an impact in Australia. Despite being re-engineered and re-styled, the V6-powered sedan based on the American model did not appeal to buyers. With its front-wheel drive and outdated design, the Avalon struggled to compete against its rear-wheel drive rivals. Despite efforts to market the car to taxi fleets, sales remained low, leading to the end of production in 2005. Toyota Australia sold only 43,723 Avalons between 2000 and 2006, a fraction of what Ford and Holden achieved with their competing models.

Brands mentioned: Toyota, Ford, Holden