Family values

Where once the big front-engined, rear-drive sedans and wagons ruled the roost, other styles have made inroads with a view to heading off-road.

Industry pundits muse over the rise of light and small cars – blamed on petrol prices and the age of the present crop of large cars – but the latter stages of 2006 will see a refreshing change.

While it might not be the segment leader, Mitsubishi's make-or-break 380 sedan has been the focus of intense attention, as the future of the company's Tonsley Park manufacturing facility hangs in the balance. With some awards to back it, the 380 is undergoing a major revamp and is slowly gathering momentum, thanks to decent looks, a strong on-road package and local patriotism among the positives going its way.

Holden's VZ Commodore has been updated with a new six-litre V8 in the sports and luxury models, fi ghting on in the face of renewed competition from its other locally built opposition.

The potential for a segment resurgence at the end of the year will rest largely with the VE, an all-new model that replaces the VZ.

Ford’s Falcon received a minor facelift and plenty of underbody work with the introduction of the BF, but the main claim to fame for the new big sedan from Broadmeadows was the addition of a six-speed automatic.

The new transmission pips Holden's latest auto by one ratio, or two if you include V8 availability, and the Ford six-speeder has a background that includes applications in big names such as BMW, Jaguar and Land Rover.

The BF Falcon also introduced some changes to safety equipment – traction and stability control on much of its range – as well as improvements in body sealing and sound insulation.

The brand everyone wants to beat is Toyota, but the Japanese-owned Melbourne-based car maker is not relieving any pressure on the market. In fact, the foot on the throat of its opposition, if anything, will have more force behind it. The manufacturer has long been held as a yardstick for build quality, reliability and longevity, but was equally well known for building "white goods on wheels".

Toyota Australia boss John Conomos has promised no more appliances on wheels and the new Camry speaks volumes for the modern design credo. Unveiled earlier this year at the Detroit Motor Show, the new Camry has lost its V6 power plant but gained styling to match the quality.

Bold predictions of Avalon sales to rival Holden and Ford in the then-booming large-car segment soon came back to haunt Toyota, which has learnt much (by its own admission) from the Avalon experience and has put the knowledge to use with Aurion. The new Camry-based big car from Toyota has been styled to please the eye, and has also had much design and engineering input from Australia.

The medium segment is growing and it's in no small part due to the rise of Honda's Accord Euro, the Mazda6 and Subaru's continued success with the Liberty. Mazda revived the medium segment with a sparkling fi ve-door four-cylinder range that offered decent dynamics, attractive styling and a bit of vigour beneath the bonnet.

Honda has followed suit and the Accord Euro – albeit only in a sedan model – also has an enthusiastic demeanour on the road, plenty of features and a sharp price tag.

Subaru has been the quiet achiever but the Liberty's fans are plentiful – the new look has introduced more room, more features and a wide choice of four and six-cylinder power plants.

Subaru also offers a wagon – another point of difference to the other top-selling mediums. Only the Accord (a step up in size from the Euro) offers a V6 and Mazda offers a wagon. Never before have Australians been so spoilt for choice.