Ride Report - '13 Toyota Camry SE
Aug 5, 2013 | 5:54 pm
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Posts: 31
Ride Report - '13 Toyota Camry SE
Hello, again! 
If you read my past ride review for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ, at the very end I mentioned that I would be traveling to San Diego shortly after. Well, fellow FlyerTalk readers, that time came and passed. I was one of the lucky souls to snag a badge to the San Diego Comic Con, and had 2 weeks off for the event. After weeks of preparing for that vacation, it came time to choose a ride from Hertz. Since it was only $20 more to step up from an Intermediate to a Full-Size for the 2 weeks I was there, why not?
Due to an error on Hertz's website, I actually ended up with reservations for 2 Intermediates, a Standard, a Full Size and a Premium car. The San Diego HLE was nice enough to call to inform me of what happened, and they promptly cancelled all but the one full-size reservation I originally booked. While on the phone, I was asked what kind of full-size car I'd prefer. I mentioned that I would be fine with either the 2013 Fusion, Accord, Altima, Malibu, Passat or Camry. Upon landing at SAN, the Carfirmation came, and I... asked for it! I got it! Toyota! (That was a Toyota advertising campaign in the 1970's, for those who did not get the reference
)
Initially, the first Camry I received was a LE with NeverLost and 15,000 miles. However, the brakes were screeching, so it was exchanged a few days later at SAN for a Camry SE with 13,000 miles but without NeverLost. I could've gotten something different, but I wanted to compare it to the LE to see if the SE made the Camry better... or worse.
http://www.toyota.com/camry/#!/Welcome
Car Description: 13 CAMRY 2.5L S
Class: F6
The Camry SE I received came with no options, and is priced at $24,210.
Powertrain: Note: The engine photo above was from the Camry LE I initially received.
There are 3 engines available for the Camry. Most of them, like the LE and SE I rented, come equipped with the 2.5L 4-cylinder motor that makes 178 horsepower and 170 foot-pounds of torque. There is also a 3.5L V6 that puts out 268 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque, along with a 2.5L Hybrid 4-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and an unspecified amount of torque. While it would have been nice to get a Camry V6, I am fairly positive that almost all Camrys for rent will either have the conventional or Hybrid 4-cylinder motor.
The conventional 4-cylinder and V6 Camrys get a 6 speed automatic, while the Hybrid uses a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The 6 speed automatic comes with a manual shift gate on all trim levels, while the SE adds paddle shifters on the steering wheel to the mix. Even though the Camry is down almost 20 horsepower compared to the Malibu, it felt much more responsive and less strained when merging onto a freeway or climbing the hills and mountains of San Diego. The motor and transmission seemed more willing to execute commands and deliver power when needed. Part of that can be attributed to the simple fact that the Camry weighs about 300 pounds less than the Malibu. I did use the shift gate and the paddle shifters, both of which adds a little bit of control and fun, but again suffers the same CVT "hanging" effect the Malibu had. At least the Camry doesn't use a rocker switch to change gears.
The Camry is rated at 25 city/35 highway MPG, which is better than the Malibu/Passat, on par with the Optima/Sonata, and behind the Fusion, Altima, Accord, and 2014 6. In the gauges, theres an "eco" light that turns on when you're coasting or driving in a "green" manner (example: like a Prius driver). The light switches off when you floor the pedal, use the paddle shifters or the shift gate. It's designed to help you drive more efficiently. There's also a gauge that tells you your average fuel economy, but cycling through the trip computer accomplishes the same task. During my time with the Camry, I averaged roughly 28 miles per gallon, which is the exact combined MPG that Toyota lists. Better than the Malibu (26), not quite as good as my smaller Civic (32), but that's expected. At California's gas price of $3.89/gal, it costs about $55 to completely fill up the tank. Not bad.
Ride/Handling: During the time I first leased my Civic, I test drove the previous generation Camry. It rode like the road was made of pillows, and it handled like a limp noodle, with no feel to speak of in the steering, brakes or anything for that matter.
This generation of Camry marks the first time Toyota actually tried to make the Camry more fun to drive. No, it won't carve corners with a BMW; or heck, a Mazda for that matter. But, the new Camry handles significantly better than the previous generation. There's not as much body roll or a sense that the chassis has completely given up the first time you even think about turning the wheel. It feels more secure, more stable and composed than before. As for the SE, the sport suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires do help a bit in keeping the car more planted to the ground, but the Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Honda Accord have nothing to fear from the Camry.
The downside to making a car handle better is usually the ride quality, and this is true with the Camry. The pillow-soft ride of the previous Camry is gone, replaced by a firm ride that feels a bit cheaper than before. Going over some of the broken pavement around San Diego and Los Angeles, you feel more road imperfections than before. Things do calm down on the highway, however. The SE's sport suspension and tires make it slightly harsher, but they also add a bit more refinement to the ride as well. It soaks up the bumps a bit better than the LE's suspension does, quite surprisingly.
The steering is a bit heavier than the Malibu, which is good; it adds driver confidence. But there's little to no feedback from the road, even in the SE. No matter how much Toyota puts it in their marketing, this generation of Camry is not a lot of fun to drive because of it, not does it handle like a sports car. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OM_h6ERW4c)
Brake feel is merely okay, with decent feedback. Stops felt a bit shorter compared to the Malibu, with the SE stopping shorter than the LE.
As for the noise levels? It's quiet inside, but not as quiet as either the previous Camry or the Malibu. There's some road noise that creeps in, and the engine makes itself known when you step on the pedal. But it is quieter than my Civic, and a few other rivals too, with little wind noise.
Interior: I used to own a 2003 Toyota Corolla. Back then, and before that, Toyotas had nearly-flawless fit and finish inside, with plastics grained to resemble more expensive materials. Why do I mention this?
When the previous generation Camry debuted, Toyota took a bit of criticism for the materials and the fit and finish inside. With this generation, it takes 2 steps forward, one step back. Allow me to explain.
Materials inside are mostly improved. Toyota is quick to boast that every Camry has a stitched dashboard standard; unlike, say, a VW Passat or a Honda Accord. Yes, it does look nice; but stitching is usually applied to either faux leather (like on the Avalon, Genesis or RAV4) or real leather (such as on the S-Class or 7-Series) on the dashboard. With the Camry, it is applied to soft-touch plastic, which is designed to fool most buyers into thinking the cabin is more luxurious than it really is. Toyota tries the same trick again with the faux knee bolsters surrounding the center stack, but because it's fake stitching this time around, the effect won't fool anybody.
Moving past the stitching details; yes, there's soft touch door panels, but only for the front doors. The rear doors use hard plastic. There's silver plastic trim on the shifter and window switches that tries to masquerade as metal, but the texturing gives it away and lends a cheap vibe as it feels scratchy. Some of the switchgear, suck as the climate control knobs, feels downright cheap. I will say, however, that materials are a bit better than in the initial 2012 redesign. The door armrest now matches the interior color, instead of being just black. The headliner is a softer, friendlier looking texture than the mouse-fur headliner of 2012. But it still can't match the Accord, Fusion, Passat or 6 in either design or materials inside.
However, fit and finish was quite good. Everything fit together well, there were little to no squeaks, and the worst offender was the little plastic pieces on the LE's steering wheel. They moved slightly, and had a cheap texture. The SE's leather-wrapped wheel definitely looked and felt richer. Despite having 13-15,000 miles on it, the interior held up well to the use and abuse of life as a rental car. The one exception to this was that silvery plastic, like I mentioned before, there were plenty of scratches on those trim pieces.
As for the overall styling of the cabin? Well, it suffers the same problem that I mentioned in my ride report of the Malibu: It's busy, overstyled and a bit incoherent. There's little flow to the design inside; something even the Chevrolet Malibu managed to have. The upward kick of the window line outside and the stitched dashboard inside forces an awkward looking hump to form on the door panel. That nice stitching detail is interrupted by a traditionally styled-center stack, flanked on both sides by the fake knee bolsters mentioned earlier. Underneath that detail lies about 5 different kinds of plastic, not all of which are high quality. Overall, it feels as if Toyota just threw a bunch of parts and materials at the dash like pasta and chose what stuck to it to form the final design.
The seats were quite comfortable, able to hold up for frequent trips to Los Angeles and back. On the Camry LE and XLE, there is a contrasting strip of color on the fabric which I thought looked a bit distinctive. However, I prefer the Camry SE's cloth/leatherette upholstery, which felt a bit grippier when cornering, and looked nicer. The same goes for the SE's leather steering wheel, which is much nicer than the LE's plastic one.
Being the base Camry LE's and SE's available for rental, there's no Entune app integration, no uplevel JBL audio, no navigation system included. Toyota makes all of that optional on the SE and XLE. If Hertz is willing to pay for a Malibu LTZ, surely they could spring for a few more options on the Camry? In the meantime, most Camrys except for the base L and Hybrid LE come with a 6.1" touchscreen radio with 6 speakers. To me, it comes across as a bit trendy like the stitched dashboard; it's a "but there's a catch" effect that kinda mars the perk. The interface is basic, with small buttons and icons, but it took me a while to figure out how to set radio presets. When changing the volume or pairing your phone, you have to wait for the popup notification to disappear before you can change the audio source. You can't use the phonebook or dialpad for the Bluetooth phone system while the car is moving. I know that's for safety/liability reasons, but surely they could tie it into the passenger airbag detection system: if there's a front passenger, let them handle contacts and dialing.
The radio has AM, FM, CD, along with a USB port, auxiliary port, and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is used for both phone and for streaming music, so I'm almost ok without the app integration found on competitors. But it would be appreciated if Toyota could make their Entune app integration standard without having to buy navigation. The radio display also doubles as a trip computer of its own, telling you how long you traveled, how many miles are left in the tank as well as fuel economy during each trip. It's accessed via the "car" button, but it then takes over the audio controls, so I didn't look at it that much. As for the other controls, they're straightforward, with big buttons on the steering wheel, clear and friendly (and cheap-feeling) knobs and buttons on the center stack, and basic window switches on the doors. Remember that 2003 Corolla I mentioned I owned earlier? Pretty much every Toyota uses the same cruise control stalk on the lower right of the steering wheel.
There's not much to report on the audio speakers; they got the job done. It's a basic 6 speaker system. You can option JBL audio in the SE and XLE; that also usually throws in Navigation with Toyota's Entune app integration. Entune is an app that you install on your smartphone, and once connected to the car, you get access to Pandora, Bing, OpenTable, MovieTickets.com, and iHeartRadio. There's also access to fuel prices, sports scores, traffic info, and weather. The data to power all of these apps is handled via your smartphone's network connection and data plan.
One of the Camry's biggest strengths lies in its space inside, and that holds true here. There's plenty of leg, head, knee and shoulder room inside for both driver and passengers in both rows. Compared to the Malibu, where I could barely fit behind me, I could stretch out behind myself in the Camry's backseat. There's plenty of room inside for a car seat, or an adult.
Visibility is good, with plenty of glass area and reasonably thin roof pillars. It would have been nice if Toyota included a backup camera on all Camrys, especially since you get the large touchscreen radio standard. Again, Mazda and Honda make it standard on the 6 and Accord; surely Toyota could do the same. I won't complain as much about it as I did on the Malibu, since the Camry has much better visibility all around and a lower trunk line.
The trunk is a good size; with plenty of room for whatever I got from Comic Con. One nice feature: the trunk opens all the way when you press the trunk release button on the key fob. The back seats do split and fold down, but it was not needed. Inside, there's lots of storage, with big bins and cupholders everywhere.
Exterior/Design: To my eyes, the new Camry looks neither better nor worse than the previous generation. It just looks like a Camry, which is to say tall windows, flat sides, and a formal roofline with conservative body lines. I am fairly sure that Toyota has used a similar rear door/window design for the past 4 generations of Camry. When you sell 300,000+ cars a year, you can't afford to take as many risks with the styling as your competitors, or else you could alienate your clientele. Compared to the more beautiful offerings in the class such as the Ford Fusion, Mazda 6 and Kia Optima, the Camry seems a bit dated and conservative. However, it also seems more likely to age well over time, something you can't say about the heavily creased Hyundai Sonata, which was pretty at the time but is now seen by many as dated and overstyled.
SE Camrys adds a sport bodykit that is integrated with the body much better than previous generations of Camry SE, which had bodykits that looked like it came more from Pep Boys than from Toyota. There's a distinctly different front end with a body-colored grille, fog lights and darkened headlights. The sides lose the chrome trim at the bottom of the doors, but gains a side skirt and alloy wheels. The rear has a different bumper with a small lip spoiler on the trunk. To me, the Camry SE looks quite a bit better than the regular Camrys, but it still becomes invisible when parked next to something like the 6 or Fusion.
Features: The Camry SE comes equipped with Bluetooth, a touchscreen audio system, 10 airbags, 6-speed automatic transmission, cruise control, power windows/locks/heated mirrors, just like any other Camry. If you were buying a Camry, the $720 price difference between the SE and LE also buys you cloth/leatherette upholstery, paddle shifters on the leather 3-spoke steering wheel, 17" alloy wheels, fog lights, rear spoiler, the nicer looking bodykit, a sport suspension and the chintzy silver faux-metal plastic trim inside. Going to the SE also opens up additional options, such as Navigation with Toyota's Entune app integration, leather seats, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic detection, backup camera, and the V6 engine.
Compared to others in the class, such as the Malibu I previously rented, the Camry seems to come up a bit short in features. You can't get cooled front seats, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel or heated rear seats on a Camry at any price, unlike some of its competitors who offer them. Most buyers/renters may or may not care about those, though. The Camry LE and SE I rented had no options on them, aside from the Hertz NeverLost GPS unit on the LE.
Value: Considering the fact that San Diego was light on cars due to Comic Con going on during my time there, $221.40 for 2 weeks after a USAA CDP and a $35 off coupon isn't bad at all. To me, it was worth paying the extra $20 over an Intermediate car, since I had to shuttle friends and family around SAN, as well as have it hold all the stuff I got from Comic Con. For everything the Camry offers, along with the good for the class fuel economy, it's hard to complain for the money.
Summary:
PROS:
CONS:
Final Verdict: The Camry constantly gets bashed around by people as being a boring car to drive. While this generation does move one step in the right direction, it still has a long way to go to change that preconception, even in the SE trim. Truth be told, I enjoyed this car more than I thought I would. It's easy to see why the Camry is the #1 selling car in its class: it provides buyers with what they want. A car that's no muss, no fuss, no drama, with no risk to the blood pressure, aside from the finicky audio system. A car that can take its buyers well into the future, and starts every time doing so.
Now, compared to others in the class, the Camry doesn't stand out in any one way. The Accord and Passat are roomier, the 6 and Altima get better fuel economy, the Fusion and Optima look more distinctive. But the Camry, like the Accord, Passat and 6, is a well-balanced car, offering a good mix of space, fuel economy and reliability. Is it the best? Not by a longshot; the Accord, Passat, 6, Altima and Fusion are superior cars in my opinion. But if the nice Hertz agent assigns me a Camry again the next time I rent a car, I wouldn't complain. And neither should you. You could do a whole lot worse. *cough* Avenger *cough* 200 *cough*
One word of advice: whether you're renting or buying a Camry, try to get the SE. The sport bodykit, sport suspension, leatherette/cloth seats, leather steering wheel and paddle shifters are reasons enough to get it. All for an extra $720 over an LE when buying one, or no extra cost when renting one.
If you read my past ride review for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ, at the very end I mentioned that I would be traveling to San Diego shortly after. Well, fellow FlyerTalk readers, that time came and passed. I was one of the lucky souls to snag a badge to the San Diego Comic Con, and had 2 weeks off for the event. After weeks of preparing for that vacation, it came time to choose a ride from Hertz. Since it was only $20 more to step up from an Intermediate to a Full-Size for the 2 weeks I was there, why not?
Due to an error on Hertz's website, I actually ended up with reservations for 2 Intermediates, a Standard, a Full Size and a Premium car. The San Diego HLE was nice enough to call to inform me of what happened, and they promptly cancelled all but the one full-size reservation I originally booked. While on the phone, I was asked what kind of full-size car I'd prefer. I mentioned that I would be fine with either the 2013 Fusion, Accord, Altima, Malibu, Passat or Camry. Upon landing at SAN, the Carfirmation came, and I... asked for it! I got it! Toyota! (That was a Toyota advertising campaign in the 1970's, for those who did not get the reference
)Initially, the first Camry I received was a LE with NeverLost and 15,000 miles. However, the brakes were screeching, so it was exchanged a few days later at SAN for a Camry SE with 13,000 miles but without NeverLost. I could've gotten something different, but I wanted to compare it to the LE to see if the SE made the Camry better... or worse.
http://www.toyota.com/camry/#!/Welcome
Car Description: 13 CAMRY 2.5L S
Class: F6
The Camry SE I received came with no options, and is priced at $24,210.
Powertrain: Note: The engine photo above was from the Camry LE I initially received.
There are 3 engines available for the Camry. Most of them, like the LE and SE I rented, come equipped with the 2.5L 4-cylinder motor that makes 178 horsepower and 170 foot-pounds of torque. There is also a 3.5L V6 that puts out 268 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque, along with a 2.5L Hybrid 4-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and an unspecified amount of torque. While it would have been nice to get a Camry V6, I am fairly positive that almost all Camrys for rent will either have the conventional or Hybrid 4-cylinder motor.
The conventional 4-cylinder and V6 Camrys get a 6 speed automatic, while the Hybrid uses a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The 6 speed automatic comes with a manual shift gate on all trim levels, while the SE adds paddle shifters on the steering wheel to the mix. Even though the Camry is down almost 20 horsepower compared to the Malibu, it felt much more responsive and less strained when merging onto a freeway or climbing the hills and mountains of San Diego. The motor and transmission seemed more willing to execute commands and deliver power when needed. Part of that can be attributed to the simple fact that the Camry weighs about 300 pounds less than the Malibu. I did use the shift gate and the paddle shifters, both of which adds a little bit of control and fun, but again suffers the same CVT "hanging" effect the Malibu had. At least the Camry doesn't use a rocker switch to change gears.
The Camry is rated at 25 city/35 highway MPG, which is better than the Malibu/Passat, on par with the Optima/Sonata, and behind the Fusion, Altima, Accord, and 2014 6. In the gauges, theres an "eco" light that turns on when you're coasting or driving in a "green" manner (example: like a Prius driver). The light switches off when you floor the pedal, use the paddle shifters or the shift gate. It's designed to help you drive more efficiently. There's also a gauge that tells you your average fuel economy, but cycling through the trip computer accomplishes the same task. During my time with the Camry, I averaged roughly 28 miles per gallon, which is the exact combined MPG that Toyota lists. Better than the Malibu (26), not quite as good as my smaller Civic (32), but that's expected. At California's gas price of $3.89/gal, it costs about $55 to completely fill up the tank. Not bad.
Ride/Handling: During the time I first leased my Civic, I test drove the previous generation Camry. It rode like the road was made of pillows, and it handled like a limp noodle, with no feel to speak of in the steering, brakes or anything for that matter.
This generation of Camry marks the first time Toyota actually tried to make the Camry more fun to drive. No, it won't carve corners with a BMW; or heck, a Mazda for that matter. But, the new Camry handles significantly better than the previous generation. There's not as much body roll or a sense that the chassis has completely given up the first time you even think about turning the wheel. It feels more secure, more stable and composed than before. As for the SE, the sport suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires do help a bit in keeping the car more planted to the ground, but the Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Honda Accord have nothing to fear from the Camry.
The downside to making a car handle better is usually the ride quality, and this is true with the Camry. The pillow-soft ride of the previous Camry is gone, replaced by a firm ride that feels a bit cheaper than before. Going over some of the broken pavement around San Diego and Los Angeles, you feel more road imperfections than before. Things do calm down on the highway, however. The SE's sport suspension and tires make it slightly harsher, but they also add a bit more refinement to the ride as well. It soaks up the bumps a bit better than the LE's suspension does, quite surprisingly.
The steering is a bit heavier than the Malibu, which is good; it adds driver confidence. But there's little to no feedback from the road, even in the SE. No matter how much Toyota puts it in their marketing, this generation of Camry is not a lot of fun to drive because of it, not does it handle like a sports car. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OM_h6ERW4c)
Brake feel is merely okay, with decent feedback. Stops felt a bit shorter compared to the Malibu, with the SE stopping shorter than the LE.
As for the noise levels? It's quiet inside, but not as quiet as either the previous Camry or the Malibu. There's some road noise that creeps in, and the engine makes itself known when you step on the pedal. But it is quieter than my Civic, and a few other rivals too, with little wind noise.
Interior: I used to own a 2003 Toyota Corolla. Back then, and before that, Toyotas had nearly-flawless fit and finish inside, with plastics grained to resemble more expensive materials. Why do I mention this?
When the previous generation Camry debuted, Toyota took a bit of criticism for the materials and the fit and finish inside. With this generation, it takes 2 steps forward, one step back. Allow me to explain.
Materials inside are mostly improved. Toyota is quick to boast that every Camry has a stitched dashboard standard; unlike, say, a VW Passat or a Honda Accord. Yes, it does look nice; but stitching is usually applied to either faux leather (like on the Avalon, Genesis or RAV4) or real leather (such as on the S-Class or 7-Series) on the dashboard. With the Camry, it is applied to soft-touch plastic, which is designed to fool most buyers into thinking the cabin is more luxurious than it really is. Toyota tries the same trick again with the faux knee bolsters surrounding the center stack, but because it's fake stitching this time around, the effect won't fool anybody.
Moving past the stitching details; yes, there's soft touch door panels, but only for the front doors. The rear doors use hard plastic. There's silver plastic trim on the shifter and window switches that tries to masquerade as metal, but the texturing gives it away and lends a cheap vibe as it feels scratchy. Some of the switchgear, suck as the climate control knobs, feels downright cheap. I will say, however, that materials are a bit better than in the initial 2012 redesign. The door armrest now matches the interior color, instead of being just black. The headliner is a softer, friendlier looking texture than the mouse-fur headliner of 2012. But it still can't match the Accord, Fusion, Passat or 6 in either design or materials inside.
However, fit and finish was quite good. Everything fit together well, there were little to no squeaks, and the worst offender was the little plastic pieces on the LE's steering wheel. They moved slightly, and had a cheap texture. The SE's leather-wrapped wheel definitely looked and felt richer. Despite having 13-15,000 miles on it, the interior held up well to the use and abuse of life as a rental car. The one exception to this was that silvery plastic, like I mentioned before, there were plenty of scratches on those trim pieces.
As for the overall styling of the cabin? Well, it suffers the same problem that I mentioned in my ride report of the Malibu: It's busy, overstyled and a bit incoherent. There's little flow to the design inside; something even the Chevrolet Malibu managed to have. The upward kick of the window line outside and the stitched dashboard inside forces an awkward looking hump to form on the door panel. That nice stitching detail is interrupted by a traditionally styled-center stack, flanked on both sides by the fake knee bolsters mentioned earlier. Underneath that detail lies about 5 different kinds of plastic, not all of which are high quality. Overall, it feels as if Toyota just threw a bunch of parts and materials at the dash like pasta and chose what stuck to it to form the final design.
The seats were quite comfortable, able to hold up for frequent trips to Los Angeles and back. On the Camry LE and XLE, there is a contrasting strip of color on the fabric which I thought looked a bit distinctive. However, I prefer the Camry SE's cloth/leatherette upholstery, which felt a bit grippier when cornering, and looked nicer. The same goes for the SE's leather steering wheel, which is much nicer than the LE's plastic one.
Being the base Camry LE's and SE's available for rental, there's no Entune app integration, no uplevel JBL audio, no navigation system included. Toyota makes all of that optional on the SE and XLE. If Hertz is willing to pay for a Malibu LTZ, surely they could spring for a few more options on the Camry? In the meantime, most Camrys except for the base L and Hybrid LE come with a 6.1" touchscreen radio with 6 speakers. To me, it comes across as a bit trendy like the stitched dashboard; it's a "but there's a catch" effect that kinda mars the perk. The interface is basic, with small buttons and icons, but it took me a while to figure out how to set radio presets. When changing the volume or pairing your phone, you have to wait for the popup notification to disappear before you can change the audio source. You can't use the phonebook or dialpad for the Bluetooth phone system while the car is moving. I know that's for safety/liability reasons, but surely they could tie it into the passenger airbag detection system: if there's a front passenger, let them handle contacts and dialing.
The radio has AM, FM, CD, along with a USB port, auxiliary port, and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is used for both phone and for streaming music, so I'm almost ok without the app integration found on competitors. But it would be appreciated if Toyota could make their Entune app integration standard without having to buy navigation. The radio display also doubles as a trip computer of its own, telling you how long you traveled, how many miles are left in the tank as well as fuel economy during each trip. It's accessed via the "car" button, but it then takes over the audio controls, so I didn't look at it that much. As for the other controls, they're straightforward, with big buttons on the steering wheel, clear and friendly (and cheap-feeling) knobs and buttons on the center stack, and basic window switches on the doors. Remember that 2003 Corolla I mentioned I owned earlier? Pretty much every Toyota uses the same cruise control stalk on the lower right of the steering wheel.
There's not much to report on the audio speakers; they got the job done. It's a basic 6 speaker system. You can option JBL audio in the SE and XLE; that also usually throws in Navigation with Toyota's Entune app integration. Entune is an app that you install on your smartphone, and once connected to the car, you get access to Pandora, Bing, OpenTable, MovieTickets.com, and iHeartRadio. There's also access to fuel prices, sports scores, traffic info, and weather. The data to power all of these apps is handled via your smartphone's network connection and data plan.
One of the Camry's biggest strengths lies in its space inside, and that holds true here. There's plenty of leg, head, knee and shoulder room inside for both driver and passengers in both rows. Compared to the Malibu, where I could barely fit behind me, I could stretch out behind myself in the Camry's backseat. There's plenty of room inside for a car seat, or an adult.
Visibility is good, with plenty of glass area and reasonably thin roof pillars. It would have been nice if Toyota included a backup camera on all Camrys, especially since you get the large touchscreen radio standard. Again, Mazda and Honda make it standard on the 6 and Accord; surely Toyota could do the same. I won't complain as much about it as I did on the Malibu, since the Camry has much better visibility all around and a lower trunk line.
The trunk is a good size; with plenty of room for whatever I got from Comic Con. One nice feature: the trunk opens all the way when you press the trunk release button on the key fob. The back seats do split and fold down, but it was not needed. Inside, there's lots of storage, with big bins and cupholders everywhere.
Exterior/Design: To my eyes, the new Camry looks neither better nor worse than the previous generation. It just looks like a Camry, which is to say tall windows, flat sides, and a formal roofline with conservative body lines. I am fairly sure that Toyota has used a similar rear door/window design for the past 4 generations of Camry. When you sell 300,000+ cars a year, you can't afford to take as many risks with the styling as your competitors, or else you could alienate your clientele. Compared to the more beautiful offerings in the class such as the Ford Fusion, Mazda 6 and Kia Optima, the Camry seems a bit dated and conservative. However, it also seems more likely to age well over time, something you can't say about the heavily creased Hyundai Sonata, which was pretty at the time but is now seen by many as dated and overstyled.
SE Camrys adds a sport bodykit that is integrated with the body much better than previous generations of Camry SE, which had bodykits that looked like it came more from Pep Boys than from Toyota. There's a distinctly different front end with a body-colored grille, fog lights and darkened headlights. The sides lose the chrome trim at the bottom of the doors, but gains a side skirt and alloy wheels. The rear has a different bumper with a small lip spoiler on the trunk. To me, the Camry SE looks quite a bit better than the regular Camrys, but it still becomes invisible when parked next to something like the 6 or Fusion.
Features: The Camry SE comes equipped with Bluetooth, a touchscreen audio system, 10 airbags, 6-speed automatic transmission, cruise control, power windows/locks/heated mirrors, just like any other Camry. If you were buying a Camry, the $720 price difference between the SE and LE also buys you cloth/leatherette upholstery, paddle shifters on the leather 3-spoke steering wheel, 17" alloy wheels, fog lights, rear spoiler, the nicer looking bodykit, a sport suspension and the chintzy silver faux-metal plastic trim inside. Going to the SE also opens up additional options, such as Navigation with Toyota's Entune app integration, leather seats, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic detection, backup camera, and the V6 engine.
Compared to others in the class, such as the Malibu I previously rented, the Camry seems to come up a bit short in features. You can't get cooled front seats, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel or heated rear seats on a Camry at any price, unlike some of its competitors who offer them. Most buyers/renters may or may not care about those, though. The Camry LE and SE I rented had no options on them, aside from the Hertz NeverLost GPS unit on the LE.
Value: Considering the fact that San Diego was light on cars due to Comic Con going on during my time there, $221.40 for 2 weeks after a USAA CDP and a $35 off coupon isn't bad at all. To me, it was worth paying the extra $20 over an Intermediate car, since I had to shuttle friends and family around SAN, as well as have it hold all the stuff I got from Comic Con. For everything the Camry offers, along with the good for the class fuel economy, it's hard to complain for the money.
Summary:
- 2.5L I-4 engine (178 HP, 170 lb-ft)
- 6-speed automatic transmission w/manual mode (& paddle shifters on SE)
- 25/35 MPG (Regular fuel, 17.0 gallon tank)
- SE 4-cylinder (Sport trim)
PROS:
- Lots of interior space and storage
- Much improved handling
- Good balance of power and fuel economy with a responsive drivetrain
- Excellent visibility all around
- SE styling and additional features
CONS:
- Much improved handling, but still not much fun to drive, even in SE trim
- Inconsistent interior materials and design
- Fussy touchscreen audio system
- Missing some features available or standard on competitors
- It's a Camry; they're everywhere
Final Verdict: The Camry constantly gets bashed around by people as being a boring car to drive. While this generation does move one step in the right direction, it still has a long way to go to change that preconception, even in the SE trim. Truth be told, I enjoyed this car more than I thought I would. It's easy to see why the Camry is the #1 selling car in its class: it provides buyers with what they want. A car that's no muss, no fuss, no drama, with no risk to the blood pressure, aside from the finicky audio system. A car that can take its buyers well into the future, and starts every time doing so.
Now, compared to others in the class, the Camry doesn't stand out in any one way. The Accord and Passat are roomier, the 6 and Altima get better fuel economy, the Fusion and Optima look more distinctive. But the Camry, like the Accord, Passat and 6, is a well-balanced car, offering a good mix of space, fuel economy and reliability. Is it the best? Not by a longshot; the Accord, Passat, 6, Altima and Fusion are superior cars in my opinion. But if the nice Hertz agent assigns me a Camry again the next time I rent a car, I wouldn't complain. And neither should you. You could do a whole lot worse. *cough* Avenger *cough* 200 *cough*
One word of advice: whether you're renting or buying a Camry, try to get the SE. The sport bodykit, sport suspension, leatherette/cloth seats, leather steering wheel and paddle shifters are reasons enough to get it. All for an extra $720 over an LE when buying one, or no extra cost when renting one.
Last edited by JHnguyen93; Aug 5, 2013 at 7:02 pm
Aug 6, 2013 | 1:15 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Bristol, UK
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Posts: 658
Great report, which I really enjoyed reading. Thanks for the taking the time.
As to the Camry, well I've not yet driven then latest one, but you've pretty much confirmed all my expectations. And Kevin MD sums it perfectly, above, by saying it "will get the job done". It will, and it will continue to do so for years, which is why people buy them, but if it was my money and I was buying a car in this class, it would come pretty near the bottom of the pile, as I think it looks a mess (and the SE is the worst of the range with that crass body kit that is like your elderly maiden aunt wearing sneakers), and the completely lifeless vague steering that Toyota think everyone wants is a complete no-no. Standards are very high in this class now, so producing something that is merely inoffensively average is no long enough (except for the hordes who never bother to go anywhere than a Toyota dealer come replacement time). I have driven the latest Sonata, Passat and Altima and they are all excellent, and I suspect that the new 6and Fusion are even better, as by all accounts both are really good to drive even in rental spec and they both look good.
As to the Camry, well I've not yet driven then latest one, but you've pretty much confirmed all my expectations. And Kevin MD sums it perfectly, above, by saying it "will get the job done". It will, and it will continue to do so for years, which is why people buy them, but if it was my money and I was buying a car in this class, it would come pretty near the bottom of the pile, as I think it looks a mess (and the SE is the worst of the range with that crass body kit that is like your elderly maiden aunt wearing sneakers), and the completely lifeless vague steering that Toyota think everyone wants is a complete no-no. Standards are very high in this class now, so producing something that is merely inoffensively average is no long enough (except for the hordes who never bother to go anywhere than a Toyota dealer come replacement time). I have driven the latest Sonata, Passat and Altima and they are all excellent, and I suspect that the new 6and Fusion are even better, as by all accounts both are really good to drive even in rental spec and they both look good.
Aug 7, 2013 | 9:58 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Earth (PIT)
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Posts: 5,277
Camry drives well enough generally, though, but yes it is nice to get the SE over the LE.