The NRMA made the award to the overall Camry range - 2.2 litre four-cylinder and 3.0 V6 sedan and wagon - over new entrants to the class.

Camry 2.2 and V6 sedan claimed the Best Family Car award last year, prior to the launch of Camry wagon.

The Best Family Car category is the blue ribbon class of the NRMA Best Cars Awards, NRMA road-test engineer Bob Hudson told guests at the awards ceremony.

Toyota Australia's general manager - marketing,
Matthew Callachor, and NRMA chief Eric Dodd,
with Toyota's two awards for 1998.

Toyota received a special award as the manufacturer with the most awards in the 10year history of the NRMA Best Cars Awards, having won 17 awards from the NRMA during that time.

This makes Toyota the outstanding manufacturer of the last decade, according to the motoring editor of NRMA magazine The Open Road, Bill McKinnon.

Reporting on this year's awards, McKinnon said Toyota’s Camry sedan and wagon offer outstanding quality, refinement and dynamics.

"Camry’s appeal is the thoroughness, sophistication and refinement of its engineering," he said.

The NRMA award judges praised Camry’s V6 engine. as well as the car’s quality, chassis dynamics and versatility.

"The car has no major weak points," Bill McKinnon said.

"NRMA Technical Service reports no major problems at all with the car - Toyota did it right first time, a unique achievement for a locally built vehicle.

"Camry’s 3.0 litre V6 engine is the class leader in smoothness, quiet and responsiveness," he said.

"Camry is the best handling car of the group, with the most predictable, secure behaviour on the road. Its ride comfort is also excellent.

"Camry’s interior...has ample room for five. and it has the largest boot.

"Wagon buyers pay no extra performance or handling penalty for the extra carrying capacity. The wagon is as capable as the sedan, in every respect.

"As a car that is used every day. and driven over a wide variety of conditions, the Toyota Camry is a winner."

Toyota’s latest NRMA award comes hard on the heels of a Toyota double in Victoria’s RACV Best Buys Awards, for LandCruiser Prado and Starlet.

The NRMA accolade is the tenth major award the Camry range has earned since the new generation models were launched in 1997.

These awards include the title Best Family Car from the NRMA (twice), and from the Sydney Morning Herald, Canberra Times Hobart Mercury and Australian Doctor.

Sydney radio station 2CH made Camry V6 its Car of the Year in 1997 and Leader Newspapers named Camry "Leading Car of the Year" - also in 1997.