2009 Toyota Camry

2009 Toyota Camry 2009 Toyota Camry
Review

Introduction

For some time, the Camry has been America’s bestselling car, although it lost that crown this summer to two cars, the smaller and more-fuel-efficient Honda Civic and Toyota’s own Corolla. The Camry is a spacious, refined, and easy-to-drive vehicle that is well made and has a solid reputation for reliability. (A few recalls on early versions of this latest generation Camry, launched in 2006 as a 2007 model, took a little luster off the car’s reliable rep, however.)

Toyota offers the Camry with three different powertrains: four-cylinder, V-6, and hybrid. (Click here for hybrid information.) The four-cylinder models are powered by a 2.4-liter engine that makes 158 horsepower (155 in Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle states) and 161 pound-feet of torque (158 pound-feet in PZEV form) and is mated to a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The V-6 is powered by a stout 3.5-liter engine making 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, driving through an incredibly refined six-speed automatic transmission.

Verdict

The Camry is a fine vehicle that’s about as exciting as a ham and cheese sandwich made on white bread: bland but it does the job. Whether you choose the four-cylinder or V-6 version, the Camry does most things well. It rides nicely, has refined powertrains, is spacious, has lots of available features, and is relatively economical, with an EPA rating for four-cylinder models of 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. However, it isn’t much fun to drive, and it’s not that fast in four-cylinder form. The styling manages somehow to be both unpleasant and inoffensive.

In two recent comparison tests of mid-size, mid-price four-cylinder sedans, the Camry finished fifth out of seven vehicles and fifth out of six, beaten by contenders from Hyundai/Kia, Honda, Nissan, and General Motors.

Click here to read our full review of the Toyota Camry.

Click here to read our latest comparison test involving the Toyota Camry.

What’s New for 2009

The base CE model is now known simply as the Camry. Beyond a couple of additional minor changes, Toyota has left the Camry range unmodified for 2009.

Highlights and Recommendations

The Camry range is pretty simple: Camry, LE, SE, and XLE trim levels for four-cylinder models; LE, SE, and XLE trim for the V-6s.

The Camry is actually nicely equipped for a base vehicle starting at less than $20,000. It has air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, a six-way manual driver’s seat, and a six-speaker AM/FM radio with a CD player. Our choice among the lineup is the LE four-cylinder, which adds a power driver’s seat and remote keyless entry as standard.

The SE is the sporty version, adding features such as a blacked-out grille, integrated fog lamps, a mild body kit, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a sport suspension. The SE can be gussied up with a premium audio system that has a six-CD changer, eight speakers, satellite radio capability, and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Another option is a voice-activated, DVD-based navigation system that is mated to the premium audio system and leather seating (an option with automatic transmission models only). We’d avoid this trim level, because expecting the Camry to be a sports sedan is only going to end in disappointment.

Finally, the XLE is the full-boat luxury version, with dual-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and climate-control buttons, standard leather on the V-6, power front seats, and a rear-window shade. A smart entry system with a pushbutton start, the navigation system, stability control, and heated front seats are the only options on the V-6; leather is also available on the four-cylinder XLE. Fully loaded, a V-6 XLE goes well past $30,000, at which point one is getting into more prestigious vehicle choices, such as Cadillac, Infiniti, and even the likes of BMW and Audi.

Safety

Like most every other car, the Camry is brimming with airbags: front, front side, and curtain, and even one for the driver’s knees. Anti-lock braking is standard for the four-wheel discs, and traction and stability control is a pricey $650 option on all Camry models.