One of Australia’s most popular sedans has received a redesign and it looks really good. The Toyota Camry may be the go to vehicle of choice for ride share drivers and taxi operators, but don’t let this put you off what is one of the best family cars, if you want to avoid the high riding alternatives.
The Toyota Camry range is exclusively powered by the fifth generation Toyota hybrid electric system with a 2.5 litre 4-cylinder engine that delivers increased power of 170kW and 221Nm of torque. It has three drive modes, Eco, Normal, Sport and also an EV only mode that operates under certain conditions. All elements of the new generation hybrid electric system including the petrol engine, lighter and more compact transaxle, and 12kW more powerful electric motor generator have undergone significant revisions.
I found the Camry was nice to drive and I didn’t even hate the auto CVT transmission, which is unusual because in most Toyotas it’s an unpleasant experience, and I think the plastic wheel mounted paddle shifters are unlikely ever to be used in anger. The official combined fuel consumption is 4.0L/100km and for my week in a brand new out of the box Camry, I used 5.0L/100km driving in the Normal drive mode.
This is the top-of-the-line SL Camry and I really think it’s a good-looking car, which isn’t something that you would normally say about a Camry. The front and rear are defined by the bold Hammer Head design concept with its functional and stylish aerodynamic elements and a more tapered rear roofline, gives the new Camry a distinctively dynamic appearance. There were a couple of design features that I didn’t like though including the lack of a roof lip, which meant that if it had been raining the water drips on to you when you open the door to get in. I also noted that there was a bit on wind noise coming from the driver’s side mirror, I think?
This Camry has smart entry on the front doors and push button start, so the key fob can remain in your handbag at all times. Inside, the flagship model features leather-accented upholstery, panoramic sunroof – front half opens, front seat heating and ventilation, heated steering wheel with power adjustment, and a nine-speaker JBL audio system. It had a distinct and not pleasant new car smell in the cabin and the leather on the steering wheel was course feeling and not nice to touch.
Both front seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height/tilt front and rear, two-way lumbar support and the driver’s seat also has two memory positions. The heated and cooled front seats both functions work well and the cooling relatively quiet while operating, unlike many vehicles with this feature. I like that these functions are operated by buttons, along with the buttons for the dual zone climate control.
The Ascent Sport and SL Camry receive a 12.3” colour touchscreen display and wireless phone charging, 1-year complimentary access to Toyota Connected Services including Safety and Security features, Multimedia Connect, Driving Insights and Remote Connect – accessible via myToyota Connect app. The SL also has a full digital driver’s dash 12.3″ Multi Information Display and head up display. The wireless Android Auto worked well for me (wireless Apple CarPlay also available) as did the voice control, which still designated by a masculine looking silhouette on the steering wheel mounted button.
The revised interior design of the Camry made me feel quite cocooned when sitting in the passenger seat with the solid edge extending down to the console, which is covered in my least favourite material, gloss black plastic. At front of the centre console there is a large cubby with three USB-C ports, two for charging and one for front USB-C audio jack and in the large cubby under arm rest there is one 12V socket. The two octagonal shaped cup holders have a removable base for easy cleaning and the drink bottle holder in front doors is suitable for 600ml sized bottles only and it’s on an angle.
The rear seats have a good amount of leg room, but I found head room was tight and the seats lacked under thigh support. There are two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points and three car seats can be fitted at a squeeze. The centre seats folds down as an arm rest with two rigid cup holders in it and the drink bottle storage in rear doors is also only suitable for 600ml drink bottles. Rear passengers get two central air vents with individual direction control and one central on/off roller switch with two USB-C ports below the air vents. But my fav feature back here is the single carpet mat that covers the entire rear floor, including over the transmission tunnel.
The Camry has a power assisted boot release with the button under the boot lid located off centre towards the driver’s side and there’s also a release in the cabin and on the key fob. The boot is a good size for a pram and the weekly shop and has deep cut outs behind the wheel arches. There is no tie down points, but two hooks and one light in the boot space. The rear seats have a 40:60 split fold with the release in boot, but they do not lie flat when folded down and there is a lip up of back of boot. You get a temporary use spare tyre under boot floor and I like that you can hook the boot floor up so you can access this space without the floor hitting you on the head.
The new Toyota Camry has a 5-star ANCAP (2024) safety rating with an Adult Occupant Protection score of 95% and a Child Occupant Protection score of 87%. Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, as well as a driver knee airbag, are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard. Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User, and Junction Assist) as well as a lane support system with lane keep assist, lane departure warning and emergency lane keeping, and an advanced speed assistance system with speed sign recognition are standard on all variants.
ANCAP Tests of the AEB (Car-to-Car) system showed GOOD performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in all test scenarios, including in the AEB Junction and some of the AEB Crossing scenarios where the test vehicle can autonomously brake to avoid crashes when turning across or into the path of an oncoming vehicle. ANCAP tests of the AEB Head-On system functionality also showed GOOD performance. ANCAP tests of lane support system functionality showed GOOD performance, including in the more critical emergency lane keeping test scenarios and the Camry’s overall safety assist score is 81%.
For convenience you also get adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and a driver distraction warning that actually doesn’t have an offensive bonging noise. The SL version has a standard rear-view camera plus a 360-degree view camera with front and rear parking sensors and a digital rear view camera. Last but not least, you also get auto lights with auto high beam and auto wipers.
The new Camry is covered by Toyota Warranty Advantage that includes a five-year/unlimited kilometre coverage term. Stick to your annual service schedule, and Toyota will extend your engine and driveline warranty from five to seven years and increase the standard warranty coverage on your new traction battery to up to 10 years as long as you undertake your annual inspection as part of routine maintenance according to the vehicle logbook (conditions apply). The Toyota Service Advantage provides Camry owners with five years of capped-price servicing, spread over 12-month or 15,000km intervals at a price of $255 per service.
The refreshed Toyota Camry wraps the hybrid electric drive system into a modern stylish package. Prices for the Toyota Camry SL start at $53,990 plus on-road costs and as tested with the optional Saturn Blue paint ($575) this Camry is $54,565 plus on-roads. You can Build and Price your new Camry online or visit your preferred Toyota dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Stylish exterior design | Water dripped onto me when I got in after rain |
| The single carpet mat across the rear floor | The gloss black plastic centre console |
| The distracted driver warning does not have an offensive bong | No tie down points in the boot space |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.