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There is a reason that
the Camry is the best-selling car in this group. It does most things very
well, and is surprisingly inexpensive (discounted in its last year on the
market before a redesign). It has a very comfortable and quiet ride, a roomy
interior, and excellent fuel economy. But as newer competitors have been
introduced, its flaws have become increasingly apparent. It lacks the
top-notch safety ratings found in several competitors, has rather sloppy
handling, and lacks power even compared to other 4-cylinder models. While this
4-cylinder model is easily a better choice than the overpriced V6, it is no
longer the easy pick among family sedans that it once was even before the
discounted pricing.
The Camry has a very
smooth, absorbent, and very comfortable ride, still the family-sedan benchmark
in that area. But unlike an increasing number of competitors, this ride
comfort has to come at the expense of handling. The Camry suffers from
excessive body roll in fast cornering, and while it never feels dangerous,
everything about the car seems to discourage the repetition of such behavior.
The steering is accurate, but all feeling has been stripped from it. In
general, the car seems to have been designed to ensure that its drivers do not
have any reason to drive it unsafely, which not all family sedan buyers will
consider a negative. The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder feels lethargic in most
situations, but it is the weakest in its highway-speed passing power. The
engine’s quietness conceals this shortcoming in some conditions. Wind and road
noise are well-suppressed. Fuel economy tied with the Accord for the best in
this group, but the Accord’s 4-cylinder is much quicker.
Inside, the Camry’s high
front seats are well-shaped, but a bit flat. The seat cushion could be longer
as well. The rear is very roomy, and also has a high, well-shaped cushion. The
interior is rather bland, but uses high-quality plastics that fit together
very well. The gauges are large and clear, and the instruments are well-sized
and well-placed. High seats, large footwells, wide door openings, and a high,
well-shaped roofline lead to easy entry/exit to both the front and rear seats.
Drivers have very good visibility, but the lack of a telescoping steering
wheel compromises comfort for some drivers. The trunk is large and
well-shaped.
The Camry has done
reasonably well in crash testing. It earned five stars for both the driver and
for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test, but a mediocre four
stars for the driver and three stars for the rear passenger in the NHTSA side
crash test, tested without the optional side airbags. The car earned a Best
Pick rating in its IIHS offset crash test, and was Good in the side crash test
with the optional side airbags (Poor without them). The IIHS rated its head
restraints Marginal.
The 4-cylinder Camry
reviewed here at $20,187, very well-equipped. That price includes the standard
antilock brakes and power driver’s seat, and the optional moonroof and safety
package that includes traction and stability control, and a system of
torso-protecting and curtain-style head-protecting side airbags. Such luxury
options as heated leather seats and automatic climate control are only offered
on higher-end versions, however.
Overall, the Camry is an
excellent family car. But even at excellent prices, it is not necessarily the
best. It is very comfortable, roomy, and quiet, and gets excellent gas
mileage, but now competing models have matched those strong points without the
underpowered engine and soft handling, and come with stronger safety ratings.
The Camry is still definitely worth considering, but it is not the class
leader. Maybe next year.
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