More
manufacturers are trying to eat Toyota’s lunch
with dramatic mid-sized options aimed at taking at least a small number of
Camry buyers away. The organic Hyundai Sonata and Euro-styled Kia Optima are the two biggest challengers for now,
with a broad range of four-cylinder power options, including hybrid electric or
turbocharged.
FAST FACTS
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1. SE models get 17 or 18-inch wheels, a
stiffer suspension, custom bodywork with a rear spoiler, steering-wheel
paddle shifters, silver trim and a leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel
with audio and Bluetooth controls.
2. SE options include a rear-view camera,
heated seats, a power moonroof, as well as leather and faux-suede seats.
3. The SE trim is available with a 178 hp
4-cylinder with a class-leading 25/35 mpg or a 268 hp V6 with a 21/30 mpg
rating.
4. 4-cylinder Camry SE models start from
$23,000 with the V6 at $26,640.
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In contrast, despite its near-identical size and similar styling,
the 2012 Camry is in fact, all new. You won’t find a single body panel that
swaps over from older to newer, and if you park the two side-by-side, the
differences are more apparent. But that’s just fine with Toyota – most of its
customers actually value the ‘driving appliance’ tag enthusiasts generally
paint on it. They don’t want to stick out. They don’t want to be the loner. For
them, the Camry will suit their needs just fine – much better than the last
generation, in fact.
SE: FOR THE RARE SPORT-MINDED CAMRY DRIVER
But to appeal to the paper-thin slice that puts a greater value on
driving enjoyment, Toyota has regularly offered an SE package that generally
packs a thimble-full of extra visual punch.
So, surprise, surprise: Toyota’s efforts on the new Camry SE go
far beyond the usual wing-‘n-sticker brigade. We shouldn’t be so shocked. After
all, this is the same company that went above and beyond with the SE version of
the Sienna minivan, turning it into a genuinely enjoyable machine.
The Camry SE follows the same recipe: the front strut suspension
is stiffened and lowered slightly, while the rear gets a more thorough
makeover, including a fractionally longer, solid stabilizer bar that replaces
the more pliant tube design. Also, Toyota engineers removed some of the
fluid-filled bushings with more-rigid ‘pillow-ball’ designs for greater
control. The result is hardly razor sharp and kidney-killing in its firmness,
but compared to the regular isolation chamber Camry, the SE is a pleasant change.
4-CYLINDER A FUEL ECONOMY LEADER, V6
OUTSHINED BY TURBO RIVALS
Like the rest of the Camry line, the SE is available with either a
2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 178 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque or
an optional 3.5-liter V6 with 268 horses and a useful 248 lb-ft of torque. Both
engines use the same six-speed automatic transmission that drives the front
wheels alone. Mechanically, they’re identical other than the V6 getting wider
225/45/18 all-season tires on 18-inch wheels – four-bangers get 215/55/17s on
17-inch wheels of the same design – and dual chrome exhaust tips instead of
one.
Upgrading to the V6 only adds 180 lbs to the 3,240-lb 2.5 SE, but
the four-cylinder wins in fuel economy: 25/35 mpg (city/hwy) compared to 21/30.
It is critically more efficient than the Hyundai/Kia twins, but is down on
power – though doesn’t feel that way in daily driving. The V6 has no such
victories, losing to the more potent and less thirsty turbo-fours.
The four-cylinder version is quick enough for most situations –
we’re guessing 0-60 mph in the eights – and plays out more as a momentum
machine. The steering doesn’t have a lot of feel to it thanks to the new
electric power steering system, but the car is tidy to drive, if still overly
comfy compared to its rivals. Braking is actually pretty good, with no overly
active ABS getting involved in normal situations.
The V6 offers more options to the driver since it has 90 more
horses to play with and feels like a rocketship in comparison. The larger tires
help the car respond quicker, although it does have that extra weight over the
nose.
Ultimately, both cars will probably never be driven anywhere
near the limit intentionally, and if they are, Toyota’s Catholic nun-like
electronic safety suite will severely rap your knuckles with a ruler by cutting
engine power severely when activated. No fun for the enthusiast, but not
surprising given the expected customer profiles.
SPORTIER LOOK, MUCH IMPROVED INTERIOR
The visual changes amount to an Acura TL-like front fascia,
blacked-out grilles and headlamp surrounds, lower side sills, and a rear
spoiler. Even with the added adrenaline, the Camry SE may still cause bouts of
yawning.
Inside, the SE builds on the already improved 2012 cabin, which
now features higher-quality materials, more luxurious touches like stitching on
the dash, and more supportive seats in every Camry. SE exclusives include a
three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated audio and Bluetooth
controls, silver trim and... paddle shifters. They’re perhaps the most useless
feature on the car given a) the number of customers who would actually use them
is so small it’s incalculable, and b) Toyota doesn’t like drivers thinking for
themselves, and it’s an easy bet that the computer would automatically reject
any shift request that it deems unacceptable.
Standard equipment is long and generous, including Toyota’s Entune
audio system, an attempt at hitting Ford’s SYNC where it hurts. Here, it comes
with a 6.1-inch touch-screen display that can be used to access songs, vehicle
data, phone books and text messages. In V6 models, it also features a
navigation feature.
SE-only options include a convenience package with a rear-view
camera, heated seats and auto-dimming rearview mirrors, leather and faux-suede
seating and a power moonroof.
THE VERDICT
Critically, Toyota has addressed one major problem, and that’s
value. The four-cylinder SE starts at $23,000, the V6 at $26,640; both
essentially unchanged from before despite the increase in standard equipment. For the dozen or so customers out there who are desperately
looking for a ‘sporty’ Camry, this is the best yet. But compared to similarly
equipped Optimas and Sonatas, the SE doesn’t hold up on the ‘sport sedan’
front; Hyundai, and especially Kia, deliver more go and more whoa for less
dough.
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