(photo by Scott Jacobs)
With January sales showing a 56-percent increase year-over-year, the Camry is enjoying a bit of a hot streak, and the model owes much of its current success to the SE trim. SE models accounted for only 7 percent of total sales in the previous-generation Camry, but in the wake of the car's 2012 redesign (which recast the SE as the line's most performance-oriented trim, with larger tires and a sport-tuned suspension), SE sales have swelled to 35 percent of the Camry's mix.
During an interview on Monday at the recent National Automobile Dealers Convention in Las Vegas, Bob Carter, Toyota's group vice president of U.S. sales, said that the manufacturer plans to exploit the SE's popularity by bumping it up to 40-42 percent of total Camry production. Carter noted that the SE is especially popular with younger female buyers, and their presence has lowered the average age of all Camry buyers to 45 -- a figure that's lower than the segment average.
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor
exnevadan says:
09:28 AM, 02/ 8/12
and gentlemen love the SEX, definitely
throwback says:
10:19 AM, 02/ 8/12
I probably see more women driving Camrys than men, so I'm not suprised. Glad to see the SE selling so well, hopefully Toyota will realize a bread and butter car doesn't have to put you to sleep.
teampenske3 says:
01:14 PM, 02/ 8/12
I wonder if this applies to sporting versions of other family sedans (i.e. Optima/Sonata Turbo, V6 Accord)
se_riously says:
01:48 PM, 02/ 8/12
My lady wanted a 2012 Camry over a 2011 Prius because of the interior quality and rear torso airbags (safety first). I wanted the SE because of the minimal price difference over the LE.
We bought the SE, but still no 'X'.
emajor says:
07:06 PM, 02/ 8/12
The SE was cast as the last generation's performance oriented trim as well, so this is not new. This one seems to be selling much better though, so I wonder what the difference is.
bassrockerx says:
07:33 PM, 02/ 8/12
i tired of posts like this females are the majority of the buyers of brand new cars so most cars are going to be predominantly bought by females
billt9 says:
08:27 PM, 02/ 8/12
This is a nice car.
Perhaps these buyers need to be talked into buying a GS instead.
se_riously says:
11:51 AM, 02/ 9/12
emajor - The key difference is that the 2012 SE is only $500 more than the 2012 LE model, and gives you the option to add nav and leather that the LE does not offer. In 2011, the price difference was $1,265. Both 2011 and 2012 SE offer sportier interior/styling, fog lights, alloys, etc. But the 2012 SE now also adds faux leather and paddle shifters - the paddle shifters exclusive to the SE only.
bonzjr says:
12:16 PM, 02/ 9/12
Camry SE. The "Cool James" of Camrys.
csubowtie says:
12:45 PM, 02/ 9/12
"We bought the SE, but still no 'X'." Well duh, you guys drive a Camry. Get a Mustang and see how things spice up. Nah, I'm just messin with ya.
I've met a lot of girls that claim to be "sporty" and like "sporty" cars. They also scream like, well girls, when you get them into an actual sporty car and drive it sporty. It seems when they said "sporty" what they really meant was I'm upbeat and not boring. So it does not surprise me that many of them walk into a Toyota Dealership and want the "sporty" model.
kyolml says:
10:33 PM, 02/ 9/12
the new SE looks much different and expensive while really is about the same price as all the camry on the dealer lot with same equipment.
the last SE was equipped much more expensive and was really way more expensive than the LE and base when you went to the dealer lot.
For the same price and good surprise to the customers, people will buy the SE when they just shop for the base models and in need of a new car, because people shop for a new family sedan 90% of time don't have much time to shop around.
litewerk says:
04:00 AM, 02/10/12
I'm glad that Toyota wisely lowered the price differential over the LE to make it more affordable. To me, the SE looks sportier than the other Camry models. Were I to get a Camry, the SE is the one I'd want.
blackdynamite1 says:
10:10 PM, 02/21/12
Camry SE
Babe Magnet
BD