Review
Introduction
There are people who perceive the Toyota Camry as boring, regardless of its packaging or power potential, and, yes, some of those people are Car and Driver staff members. But ask any of them, and they’d say that although a Camry might not be exciting, it has all the other elements that family-sedan buyers covet: excellent road manners, quiet operation, no-worries reliability, lots of features, and the option of a hybrid model.
The only serious reservation we harbor about the Camry is its languid response time in quick maneuvers, something that’s true of even the sportier SE models. (The Camry is also available in CE, LE, and XLE trims.) Quick responses are a key trait in active safety, i.e., accident avoidance, and they’re also the defining element in cars with a sporty character. The Camry’s chassis engineers prioritized creamy ride quality above all, and as a consequence it’s hard for us to perceive anything sporty about this car. But it’s clear that sportiness isn’t a high priority to Camry buyers. Now in its sixth generation, the Camry is America’s perennial bestselling passenger car and shows no sign of slowing down. It’s hard to argue with a track record like that.
All Camry trim levels begin with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic, except for the four-banger XLE, which gets the five-speed auto as standard. All but the lowly CE trim can then be upgraded to very quick V-6 spec, which means 268 horsepower and a standard six-speed automatic.
Verdict
The bland but beloved crown prince of family sedans.
Click here to read our full review of the Toyota Camry.
Click here to read our full review of the Toyota Camry hybrid.
Click here to read our latest comparison test involving the Toyota Camry.
What’s New for 2008
Aside from a change in the color of XLE wood trim, the Camry lineup is unaltered for 2008.
