Rethinking the Everyman's Car
The Toyota Camry remains one of the best midsize cars in the country

Don’t you hate the really “popular” people? They always seem to have the looks and ability that the average Joes only wish for. Truth is, they usually are the ones who work the hardest and strive to be the best. I’m sure that’s how competing car companies must think of the Toyota Camry. Already the best-selling car in America, the folks at Japan’s No. 1 car company have to constantly keep thinking of ways to keep their “number one son” America’s favorite.

The newest offering from Georgetown, Kentucky comes away a winner in a number of categories. The most obvious difference is with the exterior. The designers radically changed (for Toyota) last year’s rather plain sheetmetal for a look that while typically Toyota conservative is still a more aggressive take on the four-door sedan. This should help appeal to those looking for more than just something to get them from point A to B.

The resulting body changes bring welcome growth in length, width and headroom. Rear seat passengers will be the first to notice the extra leg and hip room, making the ride seem less claustrophobic. Entry for everyone is better and the seat height, with its better contoured and more comfortable surfaces, makes travel that much better.

And safer too. The chassis uses a MacPherson strut front/Chapman strut rear that is totally new to bring better and safer road manners in all driving conditions. The body is structurally stiffer to reduce road noise and translate into a more sturdy driving experience.

The standard four-cylinder engine, a 2.4 litre in-line four is all new. Seventy-five percent of all Camry owners choose this as their engine of choice and those customers will find a more powerful (15 percent in horsepower and 10 percent in torque) but lighter (by 50 pounds) powerplant compared to last year. The six-cylinder remains relatively unchanged from last year and could stand some tweaking of its own to catch up to others from Honda and Nissan. Still, Toyota remains a model when it comes to building reliable, powerful (and now meeting California’s strict ultra-low emissions standards) engines that will keep running for years to come.

Improvements in the manual and optional automatic transmissions show better gear and drive ratios, bring better fuel efficiency and performance to long drives.

Interior comfort is at an all-time high. A more European style design abounds, from high-quality materials to functional ergonomic placement of controls. Everything is where it should be, with switches and knobs within easy reach. Optional features like auto climate controls, premium CD audio systems, and power seats are a few of the nice touches. Trunkspace is greater than before, and the 60/40 split rear setback makes toting a set of skies or golf clubs that much easier.

The new Camry further sets the standard when it comes to practical transportation. Now it adds better looks, performance and other cosmetic and style touches to add to its world-class fit, finish and reliability. Toyota should still be the standard that others seek to meet.

Chris Taylor is a contributing writer to The Lane Report and an auto enthusiast.

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