Toyota Camry 2012 Review

Name: Toyota Camry 2012 Review
Brand: Toyota

Toyota is hoping to attract more private buyers to new Camry – and has crafted a model range with that in mind

Toyota Camry Altise and Atara

Local Launch
Ballarat, Victoria

What we liked
>> Leather-look dashpad adds interior wow
>> Room to move
>> Very refined

Not so much
>> Electric steering assistance masks feel
>> Engine note lacks soul

OVERVIEW
-- All-new, but somehow the same
Australia's top-selling medium car, Toyota Camry, needs little introduction. Solid, stable, dependable and, in many buyers' eyes, boring, it translates into metal all that is good (and bad?) about the world's largest carmaker.

In introducing the seventh generation of the medium car to the global marketplace, Toyota was never going to take any risks. With literally hundreds of thousands of Camrys sold worldwide each year, this car's styling, mechanicals and overall execution is nothing if not conservative. It's little wonder that Camry is the darling of fleet managers the world over.

Many at Toyota would argue qualities valued by such institutional buyers are not mutually exclusive with growing the car's share of private buyers. But the corporation's product planners are also mindful that user-choosers are looking for more than solid resale and a big back seat. A little wow factor doesn't go astray.

Within the bounds of its limited ability to tailor the Camry to chase local buyers' tastes with the latest car, Toyota Australia has tried hard. For instance, the carmaker has rejigged the model walk and introduced a new grade name aimed at private buyers. It has also sought to upgrade the interior of the car and injected added value into equipment and the chassis and drivetrain.

Whether these changes will be enough to raise Camry's private buyer share from above around one in four, time will tell. But extra equipment and little if any change in pricing for this new generation is at the very least a good start.

PRICE & EQUIPMENT

-- New name, same grades
Toyota Australia has launched its latest generation Camry with no price increases for the $30,490 entry-level Altise and range-topping Atara SL, which, at $39,990, replaces the Grande. The price increases for Atara S (which replaces Ateva) and Atara SX (the 'new' Sportivo) are $1000 and $2000 respectively, but, says Toyota, these increases are "outweighed by added features".

All prices are for six-speed automatic versions – there is no longer a manual Camry offered at any level.

At entry level, Camry Altise now gets seven airbags standard (some markets such as the USA get 10!) including a new driver’s knee airbag on all models. There's also 60:40 splitfold rear seat and seatbelt warning indicators. The latter item is necessary to ensure a five-star ANCAP rating.

Altise gets 16-inch alloy wheels. Metallic paint is a $400 option and for fleets steel wheels are a $100 delete option.

Inside, even the base model gets a stitched leather-look dashpad that significantly lifts the cabin's appearance and 'feel'. Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming are now standard across the range, as are aircon, cruise control, trip computer and an upgraded sound system with six speakers and controls on the steering wheel.

A reversing camera combined with Atara-spec audio (and 6.1-inch touch screen) is yours for an extra $500 if you wish to option up your Altise. No park sensors are fitted.

The three-car Atara range get's body differentiation (see PACKAGING below) and dual exhausts and is aimed at the abovementioned private buyer. It kicks off with the S ($33,490) which boasts foglamps, 17-inch alloys, 'Smart' entry and start, reversing camera, dual-zone air-conditioning, 6.1-inch touch-screen display audio, premium steering wheel and gearshift knob and electric driver’s seat adjustment. All Atara models also get gearshift paddles.

Leather upholstery is a $1500 option – or you can specific leather and moonroof for $3450.

The Atara SX ($35,990) is the 'sports' model of the new range. Tweaks and add-ons include black-tinted headlamps and "unique" rear bumper and rear bootlid spoiler. Inside the SX gets sports pedals and a "leather-accented" upholstery theme. Lowered sports suspension is also fitted, though there are no other mechanical changes.

The top of the new Camry range is the Atara SL. Taking a leaf out of the old Lexus ES300 book, this is a very well equipped vehicle. Features include proximity key, JBL premium audio with 10 speakers, a 7-inch touch-screen display with satellite navigation, digital radio, RDS live traffic updates, reversing camera with reversing guides, electric front seats and rain-sensing wipers.

New to Camry features include blind-spot monitor and an automatic high beam system that was uniquely calibrated for Australian roads.

The sole SL option is a moonroof, priced at $1950.

PACKAGING
-- Room to move
The Camry's body-in-white is all-new. Though stiffer and stronger, weight savings of around 55kg have been achieved via the use of more high strength steel and general design tweaks. Around 20kg has been gifted back due to a heavier engine/gearbox unit and the new electric power assisted steering.

Although major dimensions such as overall length and wheelbase are unchanged, Toyota claims the new car has a more spacious cabin. The PR blurb for the new car claims 46mm increased rear-seat knee room and the distance between front and rear seat hip-points (known as couple distance) has been boosted 15mm.

The rear end of the front console has also been modified to increase foot space and the front of the rear seat cushion has been reshaped.

Toyota says driver comfort has been improved with a new seat design, changes to driving position and steering column angle. There's an extra 15mm in driver’s seat height adjustment available, it states.

It also claims changes in roof-liner, pillar and seat cross-sections and shape help to create "a sense of visual openness". Says Toyota, the A-pillar is almost 10mm slimmer with attendant improvements in sightlines. Front and rear door trims have also been pruned to deliver more kneeroom outboard.

There's room for five and the rear seat is a 60:40 splitfold design. Boot capacity for the new car is an excellent figure of 515 litres.

The new Camry range seeks to differentiate Altise from the private-focussed Atara range. The latter gets different "lower-body design", a "sporty" mesh upper grille and "prominent" side skirts. The SX even gets a bootlid spoiler as described above.

Toyota says the styling changes emphasise the width and lower stance of the Camry but also improve cooling and pedestrian safety.

New alloy wheel designs are used: a ten-spoke design for the 16-inch Altise and a new 17-inch alloy with "five pairs of asymmetric spokes" for Atara. Even the 17s look undersized in the Camry's gaping wheel arches.

The new Camry's interior is a step forward over the rather bland and plasticky execution of the previous generation. Toyota Style Australia (TSA) was responsible for localising interior fabrics and colour and trim of the new range.

As noted above the stitched leather dash-pad is a departure for this class of vehicle but is not unique to Australia.

Variously, the models feature higher quality plastics and in some locations brushed metal finishes. Altise has a monochrome black themed interior while Atara S adds a "sports mesh pattern" in the dash, door and shift knob. Optional leather is available in black or ivory.

Atara SX has a black interior with a "unique-to-Australia premium plum-coloured leather-accented seat" while the top of the range SL offers black or ivory leather-accented trim and "dark woodgrain-look" trim highlights.

Used across the range, the Camry's new multi-function steering wheel features controls on the three and nine o'clock spokes. Though they are not the most elegant controls, they do offer a high level of amenity.

MECHANICAL

-- Upsized and upgraded

Despite getting what is billed as an all-new engine, there are few if any surprises under the Camry's bonnet. No turbo downsized or direct-injected high-compression engine or twin-clutch gearbox – rather a conventional 2.5-litre port injected four-cylinder and standard six-speed auto.

Called 'AR' in Toyota parlance, the new engine is a 2.5-litre dual-VVTi petrol four which pumps out a middle-of-the-road output of 133kW and 231Nm. This is up 16kW/13Nm on the outgoing engine. Atara variants get a twin exhaust set-up that marginally boosts engine output to 135kW and 235Nm.

Greater efficiency, reduced friction losses and improved combustion are claimed for the new powerplant. Advances such as low-tension piston rings, an offset crankshaft, three-stage variable output oil pump and roller rocker arms all feature in the new engine, which eventually will be built Down Under at a new $300m engine facility at Altona (Vic).

Dual variable valve timing is used for the first time (in Camry) and there's also a new "acoustically controlled" variable length induction system, which Toyota says improves torque from 2000 to 4000rpm. The new engine has a higher compression ratio 10.4:1, up from 9.6.

The Camry's new transmission closes up the ratios rather than just adding an overdrive top for better acceleration. It features paddleshifts on all Atara models. There's even a Sports mode with "throttle blipping control on downshifts".

All variants remain staunchly front-wheel drive but electric power assisted steering (EPAS) is used for the first time – across the range. Toyota claims the main benefit of EPAS is fuel consumption, though eventually it is possible self parking and other safety related systems could be incorporated.

The petrol 2.5-litre is the sole engine option for the Camry until the Hybrid model arrives in the first quarter of 2012. Though there are V6-engined Camrys overseas, that engine option is reserved for Aurion in Australia.

Toyota claims a 0-100km/h time of 9.3sec for the new range. Perhaps of more interest to most Camry buyers, claimed combined fuel economy across the range is 7.8L/100km – an improvement of 1.0L/100km on the outgoing model.

It says locally developed suspension and recalibration of the car's new EPAS set-up deliver "more engaging driving dynamics".

Toyota's local engineers developed bespoke suspension tunes for the Camry and its Atara SX sports variant. The sports suspension has the same ride height as the standard car but features higher spring and damping rates. There is also a sports 'tune' for the EPAS.

SAFETY
-- Seven bags and high-tech aids
In addition to a stronger body structure, new Camry benefits from seven airbags as standard including a driver’s knee airbag for the first time. All five seats have a seatbelt warning indicator. Though not yet tested by ANCAP, the new Camry is expected to gain five-stars in crash testing.

All the normal driver aids are in place – stability control and antilock brakes being the key systems. Toyota claims active safety has been improved as a result of "improved suspension, steering, aerodynamic downforce, brakes and tyres". We'll take the downforce claim with a very large dose of sodium chloride.

There's no reversing camera standard on the base grade Altise, but it is available as an option. The top of the range Atara SL gets a blind spot warning/detection system as well as a locally calibrated automatic headlamp system. This system automatically dips the high beams when it detects an approaching vehicle or itself closes on a vehicle travelling in the same direction.

Toyota says the blind spot system activates above 40km/h. It will detect any vehicle larger than a 125cc motorcycle, says Toyota's boffins. Better watch out if you're on a pushbike or scooter!

The Camry is also the first local Toyota to get Toyota's new brake override feature, which "gives priority to the brakes if the brake and accelerator pedals are pressed simultaneously". This is a system many European cars have featured for some time.

ON THE ROAD

-- Better than credit's given
Camry gets a bum rap in terms of its performance. Bottom line is the last generation was surprisingly fleet of foot – it's a shame most of its buyers don't value the chassis work that went into the car.

In its latest generation, the car is further improved. The launch drive route didn't give it a lot of opportunity to strut its stuff but showed the Atara S grade we drove, at least, as an accomplished, consistent and more than capable steer.

Ride is best on the base car with 16-inch wheels and tyres, but that's not to say the 17-inch Atara models are harsh or crashy. Over a mix of road surfaces we found the car displayed a worthy blend of absorption and body control. Big bumps are soaked up but there's little of the floatiness you might expect in a mass market car.

The new electric power steering is calibrated to deliver a reasonable amount of weighting but won't satisfy those looking for acres of feel. We could suggest that such drivers are unlikely to be looking at Camry in the first place but is not the raison d'etre of the changes Toyota's made in the new model all about getting new buyers to the nameplate?

There's little excitement in the engine's soundtrack but performance is good overall. The new six-speed transmission delivers closer ratios which aids acceleration and the paddles work well.

Changes aren't DSG crisp but you can kid yourself there's a touch of sportiness. When sport mode is selected (by moving the gated gearlever to the right from D) the throttle is blipped on down changes.... Though the car's that quiet it's hard to hear the 'theatre'.

Indeed, refinement is a key word in the Camry's vocabulary. It is a very quiet car both in terms of chassis and drivetrain and aerodynamics. Even at elevated highway speeds, ambient noise is very well controlled.

Toyota says it has dropped sound levels 2-4dBa but has deliberately targeted sound frequencies akin to human speech. That's a bonus when you want to hear your passenger. On the downside "Are we there yet?" just got louder.

Mostly freeway and country roads, our launch drive showed an average consumption on the dash mounted analog gauge of around the 9.9-10.5L/100km mark. We'd expect to be able to improve on that in a 'normal' seven-day test cycle.

Toyota says with new Camry it wanted to add 'emotional appeal' to 'rational attraction' and thereby win new buyers. Fact is there's very little reason to reject Camry from a midsized car shopping list. Critically, however, there's no standout reason why you'd put it at or near to the top of any shortlist either.

After a relatively short stint in new Camry I came away impressed but not enthused. I fear that after a test drive many user-choosers and prospective purchasers will be of exactly the same mind. With so many choices in the marketplace that's just not good enough...

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Toyota Camry 2012 Review

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