2018 CAMRY Toyota’s family car not only has to take on competing sedans, it has to take on utility vehicles, too
Don’t believe everything that you hear or read about family sedans being overrun by utility wagons of every size and description. The 2018 Toyota Camry shows there’s still an abundance of life in the traditional family four-door.
The eighth-generation Camry that’s now on sale has undergone what can be considered Toyota’s version of radical surgery. Nearly all the car’s bits and pieces are produced from fresh moulds and stampings, yet the car still manages to remain, well, Camry-like. That’s critically important for a vehicle that year after year (for the past 15) tops the midsize sedan field in popularity. It was the choice of 400,000 North American buyers in 2016.
To update its long-standing superstar, Toyota extended the length by only about 2.5 centimetres and the width by a bit less than that. The distance between the front and rear wheels, however, has grown by a generous 7.6 centimetres, which translates into more interior legroom. The roofline is slightly lower, as are the seating positions, which according to Toyota means a lower centre of gravity.
Passengers in those seats will enjoy one of the more stylish cabins in the segment with lots of leather and wood trim available with premium trim levels.
But it’s the Camry’s sheetmetal that will likely garner the most interest. The grille, nosepiece and rear end have been more aggressively shaped, while the sloping rear glass has a more fastback appearance, not dissimilar to the Audi A7 Sportback. The net effect is a hunkered-down sedan with a sporting stance that just might lure younger buyers to scope out the brand.
The Camry platform is 30 per cent stiffer than that of the previous generation. Toyota claims that the new architecture adds a “fun driving experience that plays on all the senses.” That’s marketing jargon, but part of that improved sensory feeling includes a new 2.5-litre fourcylinder engine that produces 203-206 horsepower (depending on the model) and 186 pound-feet of torque. That’s 25-28 more horsepower and 16 more pound-feet than the previous 2.5.
Optional is a 3.5-litre V-6 with an output of 301 horses and 267 pound-feet, up from 2017’s 3.5 that was rated at 268/248.
For both engines, power is directed to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Note that, unlike most of the competition, both powerplants are naturally aspirated (nonturbocharged). They are also at the thrifty end of the fueleconomy scale, especially the four-cylinder that delivers a rating of 8.1 l/100 km in city, 5.7 on the highway and 6.9 combined.
Want better? The 2018 Camry Hybrid combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder with a 118-horsepower electric motor to generate a net 208 horsepower.
The base Hybrid LE uses lithium-ion battery technology and achieves 4.9 l/100 km in the city, 4.8 highway and 4.9 combined, which is way up from 2017’s 5.6/6.2/5.9 numbers. Interestingly, the better equipped SE and XLE Hybrid trims are fitted with oldertechnology nickel-metal hydride batteries. Economy in those models takes about a 10 per cent hit in combined city/highway use when compared to the lithium-ion cells.
The batteries are now located beneath the rear seat instead of the trunk, which means stowage volume matches non-hybrid versions, and the rear seatbacks can be folded forward.
Pricing for the base Camry L — one of five gasolinemodel trim levels — starts at $28,200 ($33,100 for the Hybrid LE), including destination charges. The L, LE and SE provide all the basics plus a number of activesafety technologies (same as the 2018 Honda Accord).
The top-end XSE and XLE are loaded with premium content, including dual-zone climate control, heated and leather-trimmed seats and a JBL-brand audio system with navigation system.
As the shift to utility vehicles shows no signs of abating, Toyota seems more determined to take them on by infusing plenty of styling, comfort, fuel efficiency and performance into its star sedan.
What you should know: 2018 Toyota Camry
Type: Four-door, frontwheel-drive midsize sedan
Engines (h.p.): 2.5-litre DOHC I-4 (203-206); 3.5-litre DOHC V-6 (301); 2.5-litre DOHC I-4 with electric motor (208) Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; continuously variable (Hybrid) Market position: It’s tougher sledding in the sedan segment these days, but people still buy millions of them and the turf is worth fighting for. That’s especially true for Toyota’s top-selling Camry. Points:
• Redesign makes a much bolder statement.
• Interior improvements add more space and class.
• Both the base and optional engines produce more power and are also more fuel-efficient.
• Hybrid model resets the fuel-economy bar.
• Level of standard passive and active safety equipment is to be lauded. Active safety:
• Blind-spot warning with cross-traffic alert (opt.);
• emergency braking (std.); lane-departure warning (std.);
• pedestrian detection (std.)