Salute country, this is purely a test drive, and today we have a restyled Toyota Camry, in GR-Sport version, on the test. Let's see what has changed, we shall estimate design and driving characteristics, and at the end, we shall discuss its pros and cons with the owner of the car.
According to official data, in its segment, the Camry has been leading for 19 years. But if we recollect, then it appeared as conditionally accessible version to business-sedans. And now, it has already got more accessible competitors. And with the KIA K5 luring in the new bodywork, it's not easy at all for Toyota. At the end of the first half of the year, it lost sales for the first time. Will the restyling cheer it up, or not?
Toyota Camry - exterior.
Externally, there aren't many changes. And that's understandable: more than 30% of buyers are corporate customers, and 40% buy the car again. Considering such loyalty, it has to be changed carefully. The front bumper was updated a little bit (but so little, that without second picture (was-still), you won't notice it). Lines are changed, lower grille (which can be with chrome inserts, or in fashionable black glossy). Technically, the big question is the two front parking sensors. Not much for a modern car from Japan.
It's strange that the headlights haven't changed. Usually, after a restyled car, it is the first thing they change. Well, at least the running lights lines. But no. It's the same as before. Top versions will have slightly more fashionable headlights, though all versions are LED.
But the model is on the conveyor only for 4 years and looks still pretty fresh, so it is possible to understand marketers: we can say that they have changed it, but in fact we just make a show. On the other hand, exactly this version of GR Sport is a change (let's pretend that we do not remember existence of a sports version before). It went on sale exactly after the restyling, after all. It has a lot of black gloss, the rims are black, as well as the roof. True, GR Sport is offered only in white, black and red. How so? If I don't want to be like white collars, why are you making a bright car and not offering bright colours for it? Why is there a choice of seven for the other packs, but three?! Give us some colours, you greedy bastards!
On the aft side, the headlights look a bit different in this version - they're transparent. Plus the exhaust, plus the black gloss. Anyway, you can feel the work of the marketing people. They give what people like - a hint of both business sedan and sportiness.
Toyota Camry has new engines and boxes.
But under the bonnet, comrades, there are significant changes waiting for us. Strictly speaking, Toyota has been putting new engines on its cars for four years now. But the Camry has only now earned them. And then there's the new automatic. And the variator... Variator? On a Camry? Bold...
The new engine: 2 liters, 150 hp, not fast, but not disastrous 9,5 seconds up to a hundred. But it is close to a catastrophe that a variator is paired with it now. Is it in our latitudes, where such type of transmission is not trusted at all! As regards the engine, it is too fresh, so, it is too early to speak about reliability. They say that it is hard to start at low temperatures, but, it is maintainable.
The new engine: 2.5 liters, 200 hp, 8.7 seconds up to a hundred. The new automatic transmission has 8 steps (previously there were 6!). And probably, this variant will be the best selling. Exactly the same engine is in Lexus ES250 and Rav4. It is very young too, so there is little data on actual service life. But, it is rather interestingly forced: 200 horses from 2,5 litres is a result of very decent. In general, it has a positive attitude among the professionals, except for one but: in fact, it is disposable because of the thin walls of the cylinders. In a good way, it's better to look for replacement if anything. But, it is declared 300.000, it should suffice for three owners without problems.
Well, the most adult, time-tested, sung in songs - V6 3,5 liters, 249 hp, 7,7 seconds up to a hundred, 8ACP. The engine is well-known, goes well, it is used in Lexus RX350 and Toyota Highlander. In general, has established itself well, weaknesses are the pump (usually requires replacement every 100,000 km). A piston system is very picky about oil quality. Well and a classic problem for Toyota - dynamic variable valve timing system VVT-i. Someone is complaining of noise, someone complains of oil consumption because of it.
It is declared, that all three engines can be filled up with 92m petrol, but I wouldn't. It's also strange that there are no hybrids, which are successfully marketed in America and Europe. Pity, that would have been interesting.
Toyota Camry how it drives.
Both before and after a restyling, the Camry has a multilever at the back. This, of course, has affected both the smoothness and the handling. Compared to the last body, the car is more interesting to drive. But. There is very strange feature of this suspension: while overcoming lying policemen, the back axis makes such sound as if there is a beam.
On the one hand, one would like to praise engineers for character and brightness, which have appeared in this automobile. On the other hand, there are questions both to comfort (rigid), and to pass stretches with bad asphalt - somehow it creases irregularities not so much.
In my opinion, the new Toyota Camry has undergone a real revolution: previously, it was more of a passenger's car, but now it's more of a driver's car.
But in noise measurements, the Toyota Camry has done well! We have combined all measurements into one Google table, if you want to compare results.
Toyota Camry interior.
There's room in the back, it's OK to sit. Some versions have a nice remote control to control the climate and music. There are versions, oriented more likely to the driver. This remote control is absent there, but there are red spacers, stitching and other pleasant details, hinting at sports.
But there's one feeling I can't get rid of when I sit in the back - the complete feeling you're in a taxi.
What's at the front? It's like I want to say that the car has become much better in this generation (and it's true). But what a strange interior design it is... "Favourite" black lacquer, which is almost impossible to keep clean, total asymmetry of lines... and multimedia looks very out-of-date. Its screen got bigger (that's why the deflectors have shifted, and that's the only restyling change inside). And like it would be desirable to tell something good, in fact, the system certainly became more modern and quicker, now obligatory Apple Car Play and Android Auto have appeared. But what a strange design they make from time to time. Menus, radio, settings, everything looks like a tribute to Dandy consoles and not to the modern world of smartphones.
I assume this is because of the American market, which is more important for Toyota than ours. And there, such design is just the order of the day. May I say it is not beautiful? No, it's just not as it should be. Get it right: this car looks really cheeky from the outside, and once inside, you expect the same pleasure.
The left (driver's) part of a torpedo by the way does not cause any special questions. The dashboard with physical arrows is readable and pleasant. Ergonomics is also quite. If not for a strange row of buttons under the left hand (which are impossible to control while running) we could give you a solid four with plus.
Toyota Camry - a review of an owner.
But, let's still talk a little with the owner of this car. Konstantin bought it 3 months ago, so it will be interesting to know how he chose, what he liked, what frustrated.
- Kostya, tell us what were the main criteria for choosing a car.
- The main ones: Definitely not China, I considered Octavia, Superb, K5 and some others. I had a big choice, because I wanted something roomy. My previous car was Solaris and I needed something bigger, to accommodate a child in the future and for long journeys.
- Why not KIA K5?
- First - judging by the secondary market, Camry is more liquid and is not getting cheaper than Koreans. And when we took it for a test drive, the K5 seemed to be some big Solaris with not very good noise.
- Did it matter to you that it was Japan or Korea?
- No. It was important that it was comfortable. It doesn't matter if it's German, Korean or Japanese.
- I like red. How did you go for it? After all, a red Camry... I don't think everyone would understand.
- We were not planning to take GR Sport, and were thinking about a usual black one. But when I was taken out to the car park and saw one exactly like it, in this colour, with a black roof, I realised that's what I wanted.
- Choosing a black Camry, aren't you afraid of being confused with a taxi driver?
- Initially, I didn't think so. Then, when I weighed up the pros and cons, such thoughts came up. But now, I see only black and white taxis in traffic and I realise that I made the right choice because I want to stand out. And I don't regret it, because people turn around and look.
- Is there anything that's frustrated you in the three months you've been in it?
- The thin paintwork. I knew that, but I didn't think it was that thin. In 2,000 kilometres, I've already got a few chips on the bumper and the bonnet. The second is that I can't sit comfortably in the seat yet: there's always something in my way. And the third is the cricket in the driver's side door. I press the card with my foot and it moves and squeaks.
Bottom line.
Well, that was our introduction to the Toyota Camry, after the 2021 restyling. Well, I'll finish with a brief comparison of pros and cons in my opinion.
Pros:
the cool exterior.
two-tone performance in GR Sport (and in general, this complete set differs a lot of interesting details both externally and in interior)
more interesting ride, nice steering
liquidity and good price at the secondary market
good choice of engines
quite quiet inside
disadvantages
boring interior
boring headlights and headlights
not a good design front bumper, especially the bottom "beard
multimedia system from the past century.
loud rear suspension
you can be mistaken for a taxi driver
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