• Improved styling. • Revised handling. • Bulletproof reliability.
• Relatively high fuel consumption. • Hybrid reduces practicality. • Design not completely coherent.
“The last Camry” is a phrase that’s being bandied about by motoring journalists across Australia, drumming up a lot more drama than is strictly necessary. Indeed, this will be the last Camry to come out of Toyota’s Altona plant, after which the Camry’s we get here will be built somewhere in the region. If you want to talk about the Holden Commodore in that way, fine. But a Camry? Probably not.
That out of the way, this Australia-unique model features sharper styling, better equipment, and greater value than ever before. No longer the reserve of pensioners and unimaginative managers, or so Toyota would have you believe. But can it pass the mustard in the ever-competitive mid-size saloon market, dogged by strong competition from every corner?
Exterior
“We will spare you cliches involving cardigans, but suffice to say that Australia’s dominant mid-sized car has shed any piece of drab clothing you’d care to name. It actually looks pretty sharp, save perhaps the naff blacked-out inlay within the C-pillar — especially with 18-inch wheels.” - CarAdvice
The Camry has always been viewed as a bit dowdy, and a bit yawn-inducing. And while the new Camry isn’t as head turning as the new Mazda 6 or Ford Mondeo, it’s definitely trying harder. There’s an angrier face and some bigger wheels, and for the higher-end Atara SX, those alloys are finished in black. "Very un-Camry-like,” as Toyota’s chief engineer put it.
Only the roof is carried over from the pre-facelift model, so you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a brand-new car. It has to be said though, that the overly-large rear lights may not be to everyone’s tastes, while the odd blacked-out inlay on the C-pillar is unilaterally described as being “naff.” Overall, the new car definitely pushes the envelope, even if only for a Camry.
Engine & Drivetrain
“There’s no change to the 135kW/235Nm 2.5-litre Australian-made petrol engine under the bonnet, however…” - CarAdvice
Where the Camry may have reinvented itself on the exterior, the drivetrains on offer remain the same. There’s the 2.5-litre four cylinder, pushing 133kW of power through a six-speed automatic gearbox, and then there’s the more powerful (but more frugal) 151kW petrol-electric hybrid model, which employs a continuously-variable automatic transmission instead.
Both engines are described as smooth and refined, but the hybrid takes the cake with a claimed combined fuel consumption of just 5.2-litres/100km. That’s much better than the 7.8l/100km claimed figure from the petrol-exclusive model, proving that performance does not always require a trade off in frugality.
Interior
“The Camry’s interior is spacious and neatly presented, and in upper-grade models like the Atara SX and Atara SL it’s a fairly nice place to be. It lacks the flair and cohesiveness of the Mazda 6, but it’s not too far off the pace.” - The Motor Report
Like the drivetrain, the interior merely serves to show that Toyota’s efforts were focused almost entirely on the exterior of the Camry and nowhere else. The interior sees changes to the seat fabrics, the design of the steering wheel, and unique instrumentation for the Atara SL and Hybrid trim levels.
The Camry’s interior is best described as ‘adequate.’ There’s plenty of room, and the seats are comfortable and supportive. They’re designed with ingress and egress in mind, so getting in and out of the Camry shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. All five headrests are adjustable, and the popular mid-size sedan should prove to be a dependable workhorse even over long-distance trips.
Drive
“The trade-off for the Camry’s ride comfort is steering that lacks the accuracy of many similar cars. And the petrol engine is all about getting the job done rather than doing it with any sort of excitement, producing a dull sound and moderate acceleration.” - WhichCar
We still remember this is a Camry, yes? Naturally, comfort is the priority here, with all cars enjoying smooth, unruffled progress through even the most pockmarked roads. The Camry is undoubtedly one of the best mid-size contenders out there if all you want is a point-to-point car, which is why company fleet buyers make up two thirds of its sales figures here.
Of special note is the Atara SX, which gains a unique steering rack ratio and revised suspension, making it a genuinely sporty proposition (over the other vanilla variants, that is). No matter what trim you go for, the Camry will always present itself as comfortable, settled, and refined. And in this segment, that’s no bad thing.
Safety & Technology
“A standard reversing camera and six airbags makes for a good safety package.” - WhichCar
ANCAP has awarded the Camry will a full five-stars. Top-drawer SL models benefit from advanced safety features, like adaptive cruise control, collision warning with autonomous braking, rear cross traffic alert, and lane departure warning.
All cars come as standard with ABS, traction control, and seven airbags. For the little ones, there are two ISOFIX mounts in the back, replete with top-tethers. Higher-spec cars enjoy satellite navigation, but all cars come standard with a touchscreen entertainment system.
Verdict
The Camry is likely to always be a large volume seller, for the same reasons that enthusiasts don’t take to it. It’s a safe choice. Never offensive, never daring, never imaginative. And although keeping to those rules make it about as memorable as a Kmart, it does mean that it sells well among people who just want something to get them from point-A to point-B with as minimal fuss as humanly possible.
With the exception of the Atara SX variant, the Camry is by-and-large made for dealing with motorway miles and inner-city commutes without complaint, and it most certainly does that. Our recommendation lies with the Atara SL though, as it’s the most pleasant daily driver of the lot. Unless your commute requires a lot of low-speed town driving, the Hybrid’s premium will be difficult to justify (though, if you are a town driver, this is definitely the best for you).
Drive - 7/10 - “Absolutely, the Camry tends to get a bad rap for being plan and a boring drive but honestly, it's no more boring or soulless than anything else in its class. It's a matter of personal taste, and it's one of those cars that very few people are ever disappointed they bought, there's plenty of room for the family, they are typically reliable, cheap to maintain and if you need one there's a Toyota dealer near most people. When it comes time to sell anyone will buy a used Toyota regardless of kilometres travelled - not all of those boxes can be ticked with a lot of the Camry's competition.”
Motoring - 6.7/10 - “Ultimately however, the new Camry will find plenty of buyers. It’s arguably the best looking Camry ever, and it retains all the hallmarks for which Toyota is rightly renowned. But if it were my money, I’d find it hard to ignore the compelling case that is the Camry Hybrid.”
CarAdvice - 7.5/10 - “Ultimately, with its new — and much more stylish — clothes and sportier suspension offering, the 2015 Toyota Camry is clearly better than before. And those big price cuts make a world of difference — and they have to if Toyota is to ensure sufficient scale at its local factory.“
WhichCar - 8/10 - “The Toyota Camry is the best selling mid-sized car in Australia, by far. You get a lot for the money, with plenty of space and the option of hybrid power. [Pick of the range is] The Camry SX. It gets plenty of trinkets that give it a unique look, and adds useful features such as the powered driver’s seat and leather trim. The unique suspension tune also makes it a more engaging car to drive, while still being spacious and comfortable.”
CarsGuide - 7/10 - “Great value for money, cleverly safe, super fuel efficient, comfortable and practical. The Camry Atara SL is the perfect penguin for so many people.”
The Motor Report - 7/10 - “The 2015 Camry, like every generation of Camry that preceded it, doesn’t push any boundaries. It’s not the product of cutting-edge innovation or design, it’s not edgy in any way. It’s a safe choice, and this is one of the primary reasons why the Camry has been so popular for so long. The vast majority of car buyers don’t crave excitement at every corner, they want good transport at an agreeable price.”
