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CLE ELUM, WA – Toyota unleashes a new version of the reigning midsize-car champion when the ’12 Camry launches U.S. sales in October, but brand loyalists should not hold their breath.
The Camry has dominated its segment for most of the last decade. But in the five-and-a-half years since the current model debuted in early 2006, rivals have been on the move.
The seventh-generation Camry is a good effort, but not a great one. It likely will see Ford and Hyundai/Kia closing in, along with other popular brands looking to grab a piece of Toyota’s D-segment market share.
The ’12 Camry has 100% new sheet metal, although a side view reveals little difference between the current and new generation. Inside, however, the interior is completely reworked. And the hybrid version gets the latest-generation of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive Technology, introduced in the ’10 Prius.
Other than a more spacious interior, much of the Camry is carryover, including its dimensions; suspension; and non-hybrid engines and transmissions.
Like the new Honda Civic and Nissan Versa, both of which are No.1 in their segments, the Camry is another next-generation model that goes largely unchanged. That’s disappointing, but at least the Camry’s few tweaks are for the better.
The ’11 Camry Hybrid’s 31/35 mpg (7.6-6.7 L/100 km) rating, which falls far behind the ’12 Ford Fusion Hybrid’s 41/36 mpg (5.7-6.5 L/100 km). So it’s no surprise the ’12 fuel sipper receives the most modifications. These include:
- Swapping out the 147-hp 2.4L 4-cyl. for a 156-hp 2.5L 4-cyl.
- Upping the compression ratio from 10.4:1 to 12.5:1.
- Eliminating exhaust-port variable valve timing.
- Adding cooled exhaust-gas recirculation technology.
- Slicing vehicle weight by using more high-tensile-strength steel.
- Improving aerodynamics by incorporating underbody covers, fins and aerodynamic corners.
