Go for a test drive in the Toyota Camry, and you’ll be impressed by the quiet ride, smooth transition through gears, quality materials, spacious surrounds and new technology.
The Camry got a complete makeover for 2012, though nothing really jumps out at you except that same overall refinement that has made Toyota’s midsize a perennial front-runner among sedans.
Criticism of the Camry generally comes from drivers preferring a sportier personality and look, or buyers looking for more value per dollar.
Although the 2012 ups the ante in driving dynamics and cuts a bit more aggressive profile, Camry remains a vehicle looking to please the masses. And on that target, it hits a bull's-eye.
There are three engine choices, all tweaked for the seventh-generation Camry. We tested a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder model rated at 178 horsepower and starting at $22,755 for L trim level. Six-cylinder models start at $27,400 and come only in top-line SE and XLE trims. Both engines are matched to six-speed automatic transmissions; the manual option is gone.
Toyota bumped up fuel economy in the 4-cylinder to lead its class at 25 miles per gallon in the city, 35 on the highway. The 268-hp 6 also tops EPA’s charts at 21/30, but Hyundai and Kia sedans eke out one more city mile with their 274-horse turbo 4's.
Still, the Camry’s stats are impressive for such a roomy sedan, weighing in at 3,190 to 3,395 pounds – about 1,000 less than the 2011s. Or you can go with a hybrid starting at $26,660 and rated at 43/39, which also was revamped for 2012.
New -- and optional -- on the technology front is Toyota’s Entune multimedia system, which I first experienced on the new Lexus GS. The idea is to leverage smartphone apps, such as Bing, OpenTable and movietickets.com, right on your dashboard screen.
Exterior dimensions are unchanged, but the already spacious interior feels even roomier, thanks to what Toyota calls “real” and “perceptual” changes. Seats are comfortable in front and back, access is easy, and outward vision is about as good as it gets.
Camry is all about making the driving a pleasant and nonstressful experience. Some people may take that to mean boring, but that’s not really fair.
Sure, Mazda and Nissan sedans are more entertaining to drive, but they don’t match Toyota in sophistication or quality ratings. Despite the spate of recalls a few years ago, Toyota was back in the No. 3 spot last year in J.D. Power’s annual quality survey.
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