- Run-forever build quality
- Adequate power from the 4 cylinder engine/automatic transmission combination
- Power driver's seat and side curtain airbags (LE model) are a nice bonus at this price point
- Options list gives more choice than Honda Accord
- Tiny trunk pass-through
- Stereo/climate control backlighting is too bright
- Available as a 4-door mid-size sedan
- $21,080 base (LE 4-cylinder), $22,404 as tested
- 2.4 liter inline 4, 158 hp @ 6,000 RPM, 161 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM, 5-speed automatic
- Front wheel drive
- EPA estimated fuel economy: 24 MPG city, 33 MPG highway
- Also available with a 5-speed manual and 3.5 liter V6 (automatic only)
- Built in US and Japan
- Best rivals: Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima
As the car that sets the benchmark for mid-size sedans in the US and Canada, the Camry lives up to its own standards nicely; it is roomy, comfortable and quiet, and the driving experience is relaxing if forgettable. The 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine pulls better than many V6s from a decade ago while returning decent fuel economy. The trunk shows signs of cost-cutting, though; grocery hooks are jammed into a corner, where they are almost useless, and the pass-through area when the seats are folded down is tiny. The new Camry uses old-fasioned hinges which intrude on cargo space. Come on, Camry -- even the cut-rate Kia Optima uses non-intrusive hinges.
That said, the Camry does what it does very well, and if the quality of past Toyotas is any indication, it will keep doing it well after the odometer rolls into six-figure territory.
More Toyota Camry articles:
2007 Toyota Camry full-line test drive
2007 Toyota Camry LE test drive
2007 Toyota Camry XLE V6 test drive
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid test drive
