» Test drive the Toyota Camry Excel
JON SMITH GETS RE-ACQUAINTED WITH AN OLD FRIEND AS TOYOTA BRINGS BACK ITS BIG SALOON – WITH AN ELECTRIFYING UPDATE
THE name’s familiar...and so is the concept – a four-door, regularly shaped saloon with a boot at the back and the engine up front. After a gap of 14 years the Toyota Camry is back. And despite the conventional saloon-style body design it’s been electrified, following the Japanese giant’s trend in lowering emissions and maximising efficiency and it’s good timing for a petrol hybrid as diesel car sales plummet.
The new Camry isn’t going to take your breath away with its stunning looks, but neither is it likely to make you recoil in horror. This is a pleasantly styled, normal-looking family car that leaves other more radically honed SUVS and coupes to trend-set and hog the limelight.
Beneath the bonnet, there’s four cylinder 2.5-litre, four cylinder petrol engine coupled to an electric motor which knocks out a respectable 215bhp.
Two things stand out about the Camry after a couple of hours driving. Firstly, its uncanny refinement and general silence. It glides along with a hushed serenity that’s almost unknown in a car costing less than £40,000.
The other aspect that surprises, in a good way, is its economy. Few large saloons could come anywhere near the 45mpg we got during the test.
Unsurprisingly, the Camry packs in much of the technology used in the smaller and more radically styled Prius which has been with us what feels like forever.
Inside, cabin design is simplistic, with the switchgear where you’d want it and all the fittings are solid and well made. Unfortunately, there’s a fair amount of fake wood trim – inherited from the US, where the Camry is a big hit.
There’s no problem about cabin space. Front and rear passengers are well looked after in terms of leg and headroom. Seats are large but fairly flat, offering limited support.
Unlike much of the opposition, the big Toyota is a four door with a conventional rear boot, so not as versatile as a fastback or hatch. The boot, at 524 litres, is bigger than most rivals however.
While the Camry is no sports saloon, it’s brisk enough, with a 62mph sprint being achieved in under nine seconds. Only one gearbox option is offered and that’s the CVT unit. Continuously variable transmission tends to be even more big brother-ish than a normal automatic gearbox.
Fortunately, however, it comes with steering wheel paddles that allow you to drop the revs with a flick of the fingers. Sport mode is available for a bit of extra fizz.
Suspension is slightly on the soft side, but well damped so bad surfaces are coped with well. A bit of cornering roll, but drive reasonably sedately, and you will be rewarded by a comfortable ride.
The Excel version, driven here, has ample home comforts as standard, including dual zone air con, sat nav, power adjustable steering wheel, hill start assist, rain repellent door mirror glass and leather seating.
There are still enough buyers around who are unconvinced by the SUV surge, for a traditional saloon like the Camry to find friends. And it’s good news that the workings are less conventional than the sedate styling.
There’s a fair amount of fake wood trim – inherited from the US, where the Camry is a big hit