I spent a week in our 2007 Toyota Camry LE and drove a patriotic total of 1776 miles. If you spend that much time and those many miles behind the wheel you feel you should know the car through and through. So I feel I should have a summary comment about this car and it's value to the Great American Consumer.
An earlier blog post sparked a lively discussion of whether the Camry is simply an appliance...
One comment jumped out at me. I'm paraphrasing here but the gist of it was that while the Camry offers good ride comfort, roominess and practicality, there are lots of cars on the market that offer all that but with spirited performance. This set me to wondering what I would choose over the Camry. The first car that came to mind was the 2007 Nissan Altima SE. Quiet and comfortable on the highway, composed in the corners with plenty of acceleration for any situation.
Still, I found myself respecting the Camry and getting a better insight into its popularity. I was tempted to quote P.T. Barnum's famous saying, "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." But it's not that simple. Toyota has simply discovered what people want and has given it to them. It doesn't handle well but it rides great. It's got a cavernous trunk and a back seat that actually will accommodate three people. One of the best features that few other cars can match: over 1,776 miles of driving (about 75 percent highway) I averaged 30.6 mpg -- and that's with a V6.
Here's the one thing I really disliked about the Camry. The backseat is very high, the deck is long and the window slope is very shallow. Rear visibility for lane changes was terrible. The view forward isn't much better. The light gray dash reflects in the windshield and washes out your vision. And the chrome trim around the shifter is surprisingly distracting when the sunlight pours straight into the cabin. Occasionally it caught the sun and reflected into my eyes so strongly I had to hold my hand over it.
Still, the Camry is a good highway car, what my brother used to call a "shooby-cruiser." I like that term better than "appliance."
Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor, Edmunds.com, 19,990 miles.
v65magnafan says:
08:42 PM, 08/ 6/07
My family and I rented a 2007 Camry 4 cyl for a road trip from Toronto to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This was about thirty-four hours, there and back, of interstate, four lane, backroad and urban driving.
As soon as we got back to Toronto, my wife bought an Accord.
Here's why:
Everything Mr. Reed said in his blog entry is true. The Camry has an uncanny ability to isolate the driver. From everything. Everything except the following:
Try a left shoulder check. In the Camry, you see a pillar.
Try the AM radio band after dark. If you like talk radio, don't buy a Camry. Its radio has the worst sensitivity I've experienced in a modern auto.
Try an interstate merge. Much ado about nothing. The motor winds up and sound agricultural. The transmission is in no hurry to help out.
The steering is dead and numb. The plastic interior feels cheap.
The best thing about the Camry? The wipers above 60mph. They are the best wipers I've ever used.
My son and I decided after two days that driving the Camry was work. We decided that driving the Accord (We test drove one before our trip.) was fun. The Honda 4 cyl wants to help. The transmission knows what you want. The car body and suspension feel German. The controls are intuitive. One does not have to study the manual and practise for several minutes to figure out the cruise control in an Accord. The Camry's CC is, well, designed in an unfortunate manner.
I could go on. My next car will be an Accord.
hondacura4 says:
10:09 PM, 08/ 6/07
I would look at it differently if the Camry promised to be a sports sedan and didnt. But its not promising that. The majority of Camry owners are repeat buyers so they know what they are getting. If you want or need something with sportier handling there are alternatives. Some people prefer cushy ride, and isolation.
Yeah the tranny issue effects and has effected a lot of 6 cylinder powered Toyotas and Lexus vehicles. Its not a mechanical issue its the programing. My grandmothers 1995 Camry V6 does the same thing. You punch it, the tach jumps.................................................then the tranny finally decides to wake up. They also tend to shift when you dont want them to and get a little confused if you let off the throttle too quickly.
The same thing with my step mothers 2005 Avalon Limited and ES and IS300's ive driven. One thing about the Avalon is that once the tranny has decided to assist it shifts quicky and smoothly if you keep your foot planted.
blueguydotcom says:
09:27 AM, 08/ 7/07
I've driven the 07 Camry - as a rental but driven nonetheless. It's comfy, roomy and a well built car. And maybe 30 mpg on the freeway is an impressive feat.
It all works fine. But the handling is sloppy, the ride floaty and there's no verve in the way the car goes about its business. How often does one get to exploit good handling? Depends on the person and location. For me it's a daily thing and thus the handling is where I place a premium. If I were 80 and didn't like taking the long way home just for the roads, then the Camry would be a sensible choice. But I'm not 80, i'm not sensible and I really want to feel a car obey my moods.
jerrywimer says:
07:18 PM, 08/10/07
No offense, but the 2004 3.5L Malibu LT sedan consistently got better than 32 mpg when ferrying myself and my family around, 75% highway driving. I actually had more like 34-36 most of the time in 90%+ highway trips, with an all-time high of over 38 with that car. And unlike the way I drive my Avalanche (or any of the larger, thirstier vehicles we've owned since that Malibu), I didn't baby it. Just set the cruise at the speed limit (or often, 5 over) and let it go.
Definitely appliance-grade products, in both cases.
xoquixxoqafxo says:
10:21 AM, 07/21/08
The old Malibu was a HUGE POS!
gearhead1977 says:
08:19 AM, 01/29/09
To the first poster, if you ever read this. Your post is the exact reason we have an Accord and not a Camry. The Camry was no fun and not willing to be fun. The Accord is.
dbnthedon says:
11:23 AM, 03/26/10
I am a repeat Camry buyer currently on my second one and it happens to be a 2003 Se 4cyl. I must say that the Se does help with the handling equation and especially even more in the new model as i have test driven a Se v6. One thing i can say for sure after seven years and over 115,000 miles this car is every bit as good as it was new. I would venture to say that my generation has more soft touch material and more understated but comfortable interior. I can see someone who is all about the sport of driving complaining about it being to soft, but with an Se the trade off is much less and you still get all of the aforementioned Camry size, quality, and reliability. After seven years with less then regular maintenance though it was all done my the dealer, the Camry is an amazing family car and one I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone in that market, my Camry has another 100,000 to go I will be upgrading soon but I drive my 2003 Camry everyday and besides the exterior never once has it felt or looked dated this car has a longevity especially with interior materials that few others in its range can match.