2024 Toyota Camry inches closer to local showrooms

The ninth-generation 2024 Toyota Camry has been approved for Australian roads ahead of its local launch in the second half of this year.

However, precise releasing timing and local specification details are yet to be confirmed for the first new Camry since 2017.

Last year Toyota Australia said the new Camry will be the first model to be equipped Down Under with the Japanese car-maker’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System, “delivering a more controllable and engaging drive experience”.

Preliminary factory data cites a 168kW peak power output for front-drive versions of new mid-size sedan, which will be a hybrid-only model in Australia, while the inaugural all-wheel drive version will be good for 173kW.

North America’s V6 version has been dropped and it’s unclear whether AWD will be offered here, but it looks unlikely judging by Toyota Australia’s previous press release, which was titled: “Stylish new design and high-tech interior for the popular FWD sedan”.

It’s also possible the new Camry could eventually be available in all-electric form, given Toyota recently filed trademark applications for the ES350e and ES500e names, suggesting new battery-electric versions of the Lexus ES – the sister model to the Camry.

Unveiled in November 2023, the new XV80-series Toyota Camry is underpinned by the same GA-K platform as the existing XV70, as well as sharing its roofline and front doors.

But it will bring a new front-end design that adopts Toyota’s latest ‘hammerhead’ grille, as seen on the new C-HR released in March, as well as a revised chassis and new interior.

The next Camry will only be available with hybrid power in the US, Europe and Australia, but won’t be sold at all in Japan due declining sales of its predecessor.

Toyota Australia has sold 6307 Camrys so far this year – enough to account for 63.7 of the mainstream (sub-$60,000) medium car market segment. Its nearest challenger is the battery-electric BYD Seal with 2384 sales or 24.1 per cent of the category.

Odds are the new model will sell just as well as its predecessor, despite the likelihood of higher asking price due to its upgraded powertrain and tech equipment.

In the US, where four variants will be offered, key tech updates include larger infotainment touch-screens (8.0- and 12.3-inch), a new multimedia system and the latest Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver-assistance systems.

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