WHEN the Australian production line for the Toyota Camry came to a halt in October 2017, it was a sad moment for the local auto industry.

After 54 years of production and 3.4 million vehicles manufactured, the company closed its plant in the Melbourne suburb of Altona, which had produced over two million Australian examples of the Camry mid-size sedan since 1987.

For the eighth-generation model launched in November 2017, Toyota began sourcing its Camry from Japan, with it featuring more aggressive styling, added spec and an updated line-up of powertrains.

While the patriot in us is sad the Camry is no longer built here, the new Japanese version is a big step up over its predecessor, adding some much-needed polish to Australia’s favourite mid-sizer.