With a fresh face and a more lively demeanor, the 2012 Toyota Camry is a new take on an old favorite that does everything its expected to do plus much more.
The Camry looks to retain its perch atop the affordable midsize sedan market in the face of competition that’s more fierce than ever, offering more aggressive looks and more capable performance while still retaining the comfort and fuel efficiency that has been its bread and butter for more than twenty years.
With four different model trims and two engine options, there are many ways for customers to mix and match to create the Camry they desire. Traditionally, this is a car that’s hardly known for its speed and agility, but Toyota focused on bringing more to the engine bay and the result is the choice of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder pumping out 178 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque, or a 3.5-liter V6 offering 268 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque – impressive numbers by most standards, especially considering the class-topping fuel efficiency with 25/35 for the 4-cylinder and 21/30 for the V6.
Upon opening the doors, expect the same level of comfort that the Camry has been delivering for decades, plus an extra dab of refinement and luxury with a long list of standard features.
The Camry comes in an L ($21,955), LE, SE or XLE trim, which all come with power controls, Bluetooth capability, USB ports and a six-speaker sound system. The list goes on with the LE ($22,500) and sporty SE ($23,000) – available with paddle shifters to improve the Camry’s lethargic reputation – and all the way up to the XLE ($24,725), the V6 version of which comes complete with fog lights, sunroof, heated leather seats, a 10-speaker JBL sound system and a 7-inch touchscreen navigation.
Some find the redesign just so-so and the driving experience far from thrilling, but the value and overall quality of the 2012 Toyota Camry is far from debatable and will surely make it a top seller yet again.
