2008 Toyota Camry takes on competition Down Under

While these vehicles cost from roughly $A29,000 ($26,867) and up, each one seems to bring something a little different to the table for Australian
consumers:

The multitude of engine options for the Ford Mondeo gives price-conscious consumers the option of trading in incrementally more power for slightly higher costs, from the 2.0 liter turbo diesel to the 2.5 liter turbo gasoline engine. This European import marks the return of the car to Australia, where it was dropped after five years of weak sales in 2000.

The Mazda6 is a hip car that also manages to be the most fuel efficient, though this is a relative term as the vehicle takes a minimum of 95 octane premium unleaded. That aside this was the fastest of the pack, even during an uphill under-load 0-60mph test - and includes a three year unlimited mile warranty.

The Camry is the best-selling mid-size vehicle in Australia, though the majority of those sales are as fleet vehicles. Without outstanding mileage or acceleration, this car seems to be a vehicle strictly meant to appeal to those concerned with established reliability and quality.

The three vehicles rate fairly close together at the end, with no car clearly being clearly superior than the others. Having come back from a trip to Australia some months ago, I can definitely understand the growing popularity of mid-size vehicles there, especially with gas prices that rivaled the prices seen here in Southern California. Given my own choice, I'd opt for the Mazda6 with that three year/unlimited-mile warranty.

And start a blog about my adventures crisscrossing the country.