Toyota Camry all-wheel-drive? It’s a thing, but not for Australia

Toyota has poured cold water on the notion of an all-wheel-drive Camry for Australia.

The company is set to introduce an upgraded version of the car at the Los Angeles auto show this week alongside a similarly equipped Avalon, which is still sold in the United States.

Since the demise of the locally-built Camry, Toyota’s popular mid-size sedan has been sourced for local consumption from Japan and is built on top of Toyota’s multi-billion dollar global platform, known as TNGA.

The TNGA platform underpins cars like the Camry, Corolla and – crucially – the new RAV4, which is where the running gear for the new all-wheel-drive Camry is sourced.

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The Camry’s AWD system can send up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels if slip is detected, and the prop shaft to the rear wheels will uncouple itself when not in use to reduce drag and consequentially save fuel. The set-up adds around 100kg to the car.

All-wheel-drive is a popular option in the United States, especially in more snowy climes – and Toyota Australia has told WhichCar that’s exactly where it’ll stay.

“There are no plans to introduce the Camry and Avalon AWD to the Australian market,” said a Toyota Australia spokesperson. “These particular AWD variants have been developed specifically for the North American market to better deal with the snowy and icy conditions they experience and are not planned for introduction into our market.”

The Camry still rules the roost when it comes to mid-sized sedans, though its sales numbers are well off from its heyday of local manufacturing.

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However, the hybrid version (above) is going gangbusters, with almost half of all new Camrys sold from May this year featuring a battery under the floor.

Would you have liked to see an AWD version of the Toyota Camry in local showrooms? Let us know below!