Toyota Camry 2017 Review

Local Camry production ceases in October this year and, to fill the gap, Toyota Australia had to look no further than an entirely new model which will be manufactured in Japan.

Retaining the Camry nameplate ensures Toyota’s completely built-up imported replacement maintains a link with the past, but its specification and packaging mark a break with tradition for the model line. No longer should the Camry be judged by the previous generations’ cut-price model grade - the doyen of rental car companies and major fleet operators – as the all-new range moves upmarket to match closest rivals in the medium passenger-car segment.

Styling takes its inspiration from Lexus and one or two European prestige brands. Underneath, Camry sits on a new modular platform which is lighter and stronger and Toyota has dropped the Chapman strut-style rear suspension in favour of a double-wishbone type. Add driver-assistance technology for an active safety boost and the all-new Camry comes within striking distance of the Mazda6.

Toyota only had Camrys with hybrid drivetrains available for motoring.com.au to sample during the North American launch in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest. At some point, Toyota Australia anticipates the Hybrid will become the volume-selling model in the Camry range.

The engine for the 2018 Camry Hybrid is altogether new. While it's not a charismatic engine, the 2.5-litre four-cylinder ran quietly at touring speeds and wasn't discernible during acceleration until the revs had reached about 2000rpm. When the idle-stop system restarted the engine on the move, there was little audible or tactile evidence of the powerplant running.

Naturally the engine was more intrusive with the loud pedal pressed all the way to the floor. Whatever the engine lacked in melody was compensated for with performance (supplemented by the electric motor of course). The power, torque and throttle response provided by the naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder, driving through a CVT automatic transmission, was not to be sneezed at...remember this is a fuel-sipping family sedan.

In ‘Normal’ or ‘Eco’ modes, the engine did drone, something endemic to CVT drivetrains, but in ‘Sport’ mode, the Camry's revs climbed and fell much like the power delivery of an engine driving through a conventional stepped transmission.

A new fuel-saving feature introduced with the 2018 Toyota Camry is ‘Auto Glide Control’, which essentially isolates the engine from the final drive whenever the driver completely lifts-off the accelerator pedal. Then, as soon as the driver hits the brake pedal, the drivetrain reconnects the power units to the drive wheels for engine braking and brake-energy recovery.

On our drive route in Oregon, the system did work to specification; but the jury remains out as to whether coasting with the engine at idle provides any real-world fuel saving – let alone energy recovery for the nickel-metal hydride battery.

Driven gently, the Camry Hybrid achieved a fuel economy figure of 39.7MPG (5.9L/100km) on a test loop of 32 miles (51.5km). That figure reflected the nature of a drive program where roads meandered up some fairly steep and winding sections of terrain before turning back downhill (at which point fuel economy naturally began to improve).

On the flat, in typical suburban traffic, the Camry could be expected to do better than 5.9L/100km. Toyota won't reveal EV-only range; but don't expect much more than 1.5-2km. Mind you, in bumper to bumper traffic, where you're often waiting for two or three changes of traffic lights to cross an intersection, such a range is not only sufficient, it can actually underpin a dramatic improvement in overall fuel economy.

With abundant power and torque on hand, the Camry might have been a handful in the wet conditions, but the Toyota engineers have certainly found the means to keep performance properly in check. There was a hint of torque steer up to about 60km/h in a straight line, but no more than a hint. And, when making a left turn on wet bitumen, the

Camry Hybrid had enough grunt to spin the inside wheel from a standing start – but without manifest axle tramp.

The Camry's cornering ability impressed overall. While it lacks the useful ‘G-Vectoring Control’ of the Mazda 6, front-end grip was tenacious, nonetheless.

Overall, the Camry's steering was not particularly communicative, but the car could be placed on the road with a degree of precision. Crosswinds had negligible effect on the Toyota's on-centre stability, and the Camry felt stable and planted on the road. For the record, much of our time on the road in the Camry was in ‘Sport’ mode, which would have exerted some influence on those impressions.

Selecting ‘Sport’ mode alters the suspension settings from ‘Normal’ and ‘Eco’ calibration to something more dynamic. In that mode, we found the new Camry actually rode better and there was less body roll. A point to note, however: the roads of Oregon didn't test ride quality to the same degree that typical country roads in Australia would.

Some roar from the tyres intruded at the open-road limit in Oregon of 65MPH (105km/h), but there was zero wind noise apparent, despite a blustery cross breeze.

Behind the wheel, the Camry is much improved. The comfortable seats are built around a firm cushion in the base, which is allied with moderately aggressive side bolstering. While this sort of shape and cushioning is a good fit for press-on motoring, touring comfort wasn’t lacking.

Offering the right sort of relationship to the pedals and steering wheel, plus major instruments which were easy to read through the steering wheel and its spokes, the Camry's driving position was certainly up to scratch. The centre fascia was large and easy to use, but somewhat dominated the interior. Transmission shift paddles were fitted to one of the two cars tested, but not the U.S. taxi-specification  model which was identified by its 16-inch steel wheels.

This particular car also jettisoned adjustable air vents for rear seat passengers in order to accommodate a storage bin in the rear of the centre console. We’re unlikely to see such a spartan model in Australia and although local Camry specifications aren’t completely nailed-down, Toyota expects all model grades will get adjustable rear vents.

With a ride height 25mm lower than the outgoing model, entering the Camry’s rear seat required just a little more bending and ducking, but door apertures are wide and there's respectable clearance to the cant rail at head height. Rear-seat accommodation in the Camry was on a par with that of the Mazda6, but the sunroof fitted to one model did impinge slightly on available headroom for average size adults. Nevertheless, those in rear score plenty of room to stretch out with abundant space under the front seats to park the feet.

Camry’s through-loading doesn’t match the practicality of some rivals due to the narrower and lower aperture in the bulkhead between the boot and the split-folding rear seat. The rear seats don't fold completely flat either, due to the fixed headrests which jut forward when the seats are in the upright position. And there's no gadgets to drop the rear seats from the cabin; instead there are cable releases in the boot.

At 515 litres, the boot is comprehensive – in fact just 20 litres shy of the large car benchmark. The boot floor is flat, with a space-saver spare wheel stored underneath.

Fit and finish passed the ‘pub test’, despite the Camrys on-hand being pre-production units.

Toyota has certainly achieved a new level of sophistication with the latest Camry. But can it outperform rivals in the market? We look forward to pitting it against those rivals on home turf to find out...

Toyota Camry Hybrid pricing and specifications:
Price: TBA
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 131kW/221Nm (155kW combined)
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 4.5L/100km (Combined)
CO2: TBA
Safety Rating: TBA

Related reading:
2018 Toyota Camry due before year's end
Toyota Camry unveiled in Detroit