Toyota Camry

The Comfort Benchmark

The sedan market has been diminishing in recent years in India, thanks to the advent of SUVs of various sizes that aren’t just ‘rugged’ anymore. Most of these soft-roader SUVs, on paper at least, do all of what a comparable sedan could do, while also being better suited to Indian road conditions. This has seen the midsize and full size sedan markets take the biggest hits, with most of the once-iconic models like Accord, Civic, Corolla, Jetta, and Passat now being discontinued. However, despite this, there are a few cars that march on against all odds, and one of them is the Toyota Camry.

The Toyota Camry has a lot going for it, which keeps it in the market. For starters, you have the legendary Toyota reliability, that has attained the status of being bulletproof now, figuratively of course. Then there is the hybrid tech, that allows for this 200+ bhp premium sedan return fuel economy figures better than most hatchbacks. And if that wasn’t enough, once you are in the back seat, you’ll realise that it is one of the most comfortable cars in its price bracket. But does that alone justify its high price tag? Let’s find out.

Toyota Camry Pros and Cons 

Toyota Camry Exterior Design 

This generation of the Toyota Camry has been around for a while, and the design has aged gracefully over the past years. It has a traditional and elegant outline, with some futuristic touches to the details that keep it fresh. The LED headlights for example, are sleek and chiselled, and the design of the grille and the front bumper comes around beautifully. The sides are graced with a superb silhouette, and have elegant pinch lines and 18-inch machined alloy wheels elevating the appeal. The sleek design theme continues at the back. The large wrap-around LED tail lights that are separated with a chrome strip, the sleek bumper cladding that is barely noticeable unless you look for it, and the boot lid that has a ducktail spoiler-like shape, all come together for a very sculpted look which will age well over the years.

Toyota Camry Interiors 

Let’s start with the back seat, because that is the place where the Camry owners will spend most of their time. One look on the inside and it is evident that the Camry’s interiors were designed with only one purpose in mind — comfort. The huge headrests, the large foldable armrest, the extensive amount of space on offer and the countless other features on the back seat all come together to make sure you’re perfectly cocooned in luxury. 

Unlike other Toyotas on sale in India, the Camry actually packs in a ton of creature comforts. Unfold the centre armrest, and you will see a capacitive touch display for the rear AC vents. And yes, the Camry does get 3-zone climate control, so the rear passengers will be able to set their temperatures and fan speeds independent of those in front. The touch panel also lets you control a retractable blind for the rear glass. Pretty nifty for Indian summers. The rear windows also get manually retractable sunshades. But the best part is that the rear seats also recline a few degrees electrically, and that just takes the backseat experience to the next level. 

Up at the front, Toyota’s sleek design language continues on the dashboard. There are a lot of swooping lines throughout the dash. The centre console is wrapped with a Y-shaped element, which is reminiscent of Lexus’ design style. There are many soft touch elements throughout the dash too, and the overall fit and finish is quite premium. However, Toyota has skipped upgrading some parts, and there are some poorly finished bits. Things like the rear AC vents, some switches and buttons, and the flappy covers to charging ports are all too flimsy, and don't feel very Camryesque.

Toyota Camry Comfort 

Toyota has tuned the Camry’s suspension to offer a very plush ride, and it delivers on that to a great extent. There is a bit of vertical body movement at high speeds, but it’s not unnerving. Apart from that, the Camry rounds off all bumps and potholes really well. Adding to the comfort quotient are the seats, which are well bolstered to prevent lateral movement, and are very soft. There’s ample amount of under thigh support too, and the front passenger seat can be moved from the back row electronically, liberating more legroom. All of this adds to a sofa-like experience in the back row. 

Toyota hasn’t shied away while loading the car with almost all the creature comforts a back seat passenger would crave for in this segment. Yes, a massage function would have completed the package, but leaving that aside, the Camry has it all. Features like electrically reclining seats, a rear sunshade that can be propped up by the touch of a button, side sunshades for the rear windows, and 3-zone climate control complete the comfort package.  

Toyota Camry Performance and Handling

Toyota never designed the Camry with performance or handling in mind, and that still continues to this generation. However, with the powerful hybrid powertrain, the Camry is now as close as it can get to delivering a dynamic driving experience while continuing to offer what it does on the comfort front. The 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine paired with a strong hybrid setup delivers 215 bhp and 221 Nm torque. This powertrain mated to the eCVT transmission makes this a brisk vehicle despite its high kerb weight of 1,665 kgs. 

The TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform also offers more rigidity to the chassis, making this generation of the Camry the best handling till date. However, as is the case with most hybrids, Camry’s strong suit is city commutes, and the hybrid engine feels strained when pushed too hard, so driving this up a ghat isn’t going to be your best driving experience. 

Where the Camry loses points in driving dynamics, it more than makes up for in fuel economy. The Camry can deliver fuel economy figures synonymous with tiny hatchback, and for a car of its class, it is extraordinary. In fact, not only is this the most economical petrol powered car in the segment, but its fuel efficiency makes it economical than most diesels too, while also having significantly less tail-pipe emissions. 

Toyota Camry Key specifications 

Toyota Camry Safety Features

Toyota has loaded the Camry with a host of safety features. Being a Toyota, the Camry also has a high reliability quotient, which should also materialise in high resale values down the lane. It gets nine airbags, which is the highest number in the segment, and also includes a knee airbag for the driver. A switchable traction control, vehicle stability control, ABS, EBD, and brake assist are also a part of the safety suite. It also gets a reverse camera and sensors, but the resolution is quite poor. In fact, at this price point Toyota should’ve included a 360 degree parking camera in the Camry. 

Toyota Camry Technology and Infotainment

On the tech front, the Toyota Camry falls short of what you’d expect from a sedan of its price. The Camry gets a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and built-in navigation. It is paired to a 9-speaker and subwoofer JBL sound system. But the screen’s resolution isn’t up to the mark of what you’d expect. The fonts and animations in the menus feel from a generation ago, and the readability is also compromised under sunlight. 

Behind the steering wheel is a 7-inch digital instrument cluster which is flanked by two dials. The instrument cluster feels just as dated as the infotainment unit, and offers little information. Apart from the screens though, the Camry is fairly tech loaded, and offers a good amount of features. The most interesting one is a “nanoe” ion generator, which disperses positively charged ions throughout the cabin via the AC vents. Toyota claims that this helps in moisturising your skin and hair, and deodorising the cabin. Other features include a wireless phone charger, a heads-up display, electrically adjustable seats, electric rear sunshade, a sunroof, and a capacitive touch display in the rear armrest to control the rear AC and rear seat recline angle.

Is the Toyota Camry for you?

The Toyota Camry is not an all-rounder. Instead, it does a specific job, and does that very well. The Toyota Camry is the most comfortable car in its segment. It packs in a great deal of creature comforts too, which elevate the back seat experience. Add excellent fuel economy figures to that, and the Toyota Camry is a great choice if you plan on handing the keys to your chauffeur more often than not. However, if you plan to drive yourself, and are looking for something that’s more engaging to drive and packs more tech, then the Camry may not be the right car for you.