ORDER THE CAMRY COMBINATION

VALUE

The highest drive-away price for a Camry SL is $44,700 when fitted with the 2.5-litre fourcylinder with a six-speed auto. That climbs to $45,900 for the petrol-electric hybrid with a continuously variable transmission and $49,200 for the V6 with eight-cog self-shifter. The cabin looks and feels classier and the dash design is, by Toyota standards, adventurous. The three-year/100,000km warranty is average but annual/15,000km servicing costs are exceptional at $195 each for the first three visits.

COMFORT

Wide, comfy front seats still provide decent grip to keep the occupants snug. Rear head and legroom are better than average for this class and a pair of USB ports will keep rear occupants’ devices charged. Three kids fit comfortably in the rear but it’s a two-seater for decent-sized adults. The boot is a commendable 524L and the SL comes with a space-saver spare wheel.

SAFETY

All Camrys are fitted with LED headlamps, reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist. The SL ups the ante with a head-up display, blind-spot monitoring and rear crosstraffic alert. Seven airbags are standard.

DRIVING

The four-cylinder engine, carried over from the previous generation, does the job without delivering a sporty drive to match the Camry’s fresh styling. New double-wishbone rear suspension gives the mid-size sedan good composure on rubbish roads and it is genuinely plush on the freeway and around town. Steering feel is an improvement and the Toyota’s poise will be more than enough for most buyers, if not matching the dynamic flair of a Mazda6.

ALTERNATIVES MAZDA6 GT $44,600 DRIVE-AWAY

Still the best-handling car in the class, the GT comes with most of the active safety tech found in the Camry, along with such luxury items as front and rear heated seats and traffic sign recognition.

SUBARU LIBERTY 3.6R $48,100

The six-cylinder Liberty has the most power and the reassurance of all-wheel drive for those who live in alpine areas or regularly drive on dirt. It can’t match the Toyota and Mazda for looks but is a solid buy.

FORD MONDEO TITANIUM $49,500

The Mondeo is under-rated and the 2.0-litre isn’t far off the Subaru’s outputs. It lacks the Camry’s new-found assertive exterior looks but matches it in most other aspects.