2012 Toyota Camry XLE V6 Road Test Review

Since its introduction in the early 1980s as a compact car, the Toyota Camry has garnered sales success as a "sensible" automobile. Its solid but relatively spartan construction has translated into reliability and thrift, but even as it grew in size (it's now midsized) and gained available luxury appointments, it remained, at its core, a bit of a Plain Jane conveyance. Indeed, when I tested a previous-generation Camry a couple of years ago, I wrote that it was like "comfort food" - a reference that grew from a comment I made to my wife when she asked what car we had for the week and I replied "A big slice of Wonder Bread."

But that was a couple of years ago. Nowadays my comment would be unfair to Wonder Bread, which has simplified its recipe to create an improved, more wholesome bread, and it would be even more unfair to the Camry, which for 2012 has been redesigned and restyled, and boasts a new interior that takes things to a whole different level.

The 2012 Camry, which carries the platform designation XV50, is the seventh generation of Camry in North America since it became an independent model line in 1982 (the Japanese and North American Camry lineups diverged with the third generation in 1990-91). In keeping with Toyota's evolutionary approach to the Camry, the exterior styling has been only slightly tweaked: The sheet metal is all-new, sharper and more angular than the previous-generation car, but it retains the same basic shape and most of the principal styling cues. At the front, a new grille (or new grilles, actually, as the SE gets its own treatment) presents a more upscale appearance, while at the back the taillights have been given a more dynamic shape.

Mechanically, the 2012 Camry gets improved versions of the same engines used in the previous generation: There's a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder that produces 178 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque, or a 3.5-litre V6 that produces 268-horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to 6-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmissions. While my test car had the V6, I also got a few hours behind the wheel of a 4-cylinder LE, and I can attest that either engine offers plenty enough power for comfortable everyday driving.

What the V6 offers above and beyond the 4-cylinder is an extra level of refinement and acoustic enjoyment, and whole bunch more torque for that "instant response" feeling at any speed. It also offers a lot more work for the traction control system, as it has more power than the front-wheel drive Camry can easily get to the pavement from a standing start. On the bright side, Toyota has done a fantastic job taming torque steer - at no point did I feel any noticeable torque steer effects. City/hwy fuel economy for the V6 is rated at 9.7 / 6.4 L/100km, compared to 8.2 / 5.6 L/100 km for the 4-cylinder cars.

No matter which engine is fitted, the 2012 Camry benefits from electrically-assisted power steering (previously used only in the Camry Hybrid) and a retuned suspension that offers a more alert, responsive driving experience than the previous generation Camry. In XLE trim it stops short of being athletic exactly, but it handles itself with reasonable aplomb and is pleasurable enough to weave through the corners, while still maintaining a comfortable and refined ride.

Comfortable and refined are also the operative words when it comes to the Camry's completely redesigned interior: For the seventh-generation, it appears that Toyota sent the Camry off to the company's Lexus luxury division for finishing school.

The Camry retains Toyota's excellent interior ergonomics and high standards of fit and finish, but most everything else has changed: The seats have been slightly repositioned to provide improved rear legroom, and throughout the interior pieces that were previously featureless plastic or polyurethane have been replaced with soft touch materials and upscale decorative trim. Perhaps the most striking change is the dash, which even in base LE trim is now a luxurious double-stitched, leather-look affair.

The new Camry is well-equipped with comfort and convenience features, too: The entry-level LE gets air conditioning, tilt and telescoping steering, outside temperature gauge, cruise control, power door locks with keyless entry, power windows and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3/WMA compatibility, USB and auxiliary inputs, a 6.1-inch display screen and Bluetooth connectivity.

My XLE V6 test car added to this list with dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seating (heated in the front), woodgrain trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, backup camera, pushbutton start, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power moonroof, and a very nice sounding 10-speaker JBL audio system with Sirius satellite radio, a seven-inch display and a built-in navigation system in addition to all the features of the LE's stereo.

Outside, the XLE gets dual exhaust and 17-inch alloys instead of 16-inch steel wheels, and whatever trim level you choose the Camry comes fully-equipped with all expected safety gear such as ABS brakes, traction control, stability control, and a complete array of airbags.

Starting at a suggested priced of $23,700 (plus $1,490 in delivery charges) for the entry-level LE, and with my XLE V6 test car coming to $33,700 plus delivery charges, the 2012 Camry continues to offer good value in the midsize market. What it now has that previous generation Camrys didn't is a genuinely upscale interior and a more dynamic driving experience - attributes that should help it in the battle to retain its top sales spot against such competition as the Chevrolet Mailbu, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima and many others in the crowded midsize sedan market (or full-size, in the case of the Honda).

You could say that, as a staple of the midsize car market, the Camry is still much like that family kitchen staple, a loaf of bread - but now it's not so much plain sliced white bread as it is an artisan-baked French loaf. Tasty!
©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)

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