Introduction

The Toyota Camry has been America's best-selling car for past few years. That's an important title for auto manufacturers, so Toyota is quite pleased that the Camry has outsold the Honda Accord and Ford Taurus, its arch-rivals among mid-size sedans. Now comes a completely redesigned Camry for 2002, making this the fifth generation. This year's Camry is a slightly larger car. Yet performance and fuel economy have been maintained. Styling is all new, designed to add sensuality to what has been a bland design. Better yet, prices have dropped slightly over last year's models. Given Toyota's reputation for quality, durability and reliability, the new Camry will once again prove to be the ideal car for about 400,000 new-car buyers a year who don't want to worry or even think about their car.

Walkaround

When Ford introduced its new version of the Taurus back in 1996 it made the mistake of making the new design too radical (and many would say too ugly) for many buyers. Within a couple of years it had to tone down the curvy look, but sales dropped. Toyota obviously took this lesson to heart as the exterior design of the new Camry does not stray too far from the previous Camry in appearance, even though Toyota says it has made it look more exciting. Ironically, the rear deck and tail light treatment is the most different and it has a distinctly Taurus look to it. The front of the Camry appears to have a bit of Lincoln LS in it, thanks to the way the grille cuts into the top edge of the front bumper. Overall, the new Camry offers a more sculptured appearance, with slightly flared wheel arches and a distinct dual crease line in the hood, which leads nicely into the grille. The new Camry has a much taller stance on the road than the previous model as its height has increased by more than two inches, while gaining less than an inch in length and width.

Interior Features

Toyota knows how to build quiet cars that with a comfortable ride quality. Toyota's Lexus division has excelled in this area and this expertise appears to have worked its way into the Camry. Not only is the engine quieter, but it is mounted to the body in a new way to lessen vibration. There is more sound deadening, so that even when the four-cylinder engine is driven hard the engine noise is quite subdued. Other Lexus-type touches are the air conditioning controls that are electronic rather than mechanical giving a smooth tactile feel when operated. On the SE and LE models these large knobs are mounted in a prominent position in the center of the dashboard. Unlike some cars, the Camry's dashboard is relatively plain with no large curved surfaces and it is set relatively high. Although it blends nicely into the door panel trim, the cover for the passenger-side airbag is surprisingly noticeable as the seams show clearly. Many other car manufacturers have managed to make the passenger-side airbag invisible. The instruments are located in a relatively small pod right in front of the steering wheel with large half moon tachometer and matching speedometer. The fuel and temperature gauges are located within the two larger instruments. Lights and windshield wiper/washer controls are on stalks on the steering column, leaving the left lower edge of the dash free of switches. Radio and climate controls are mounted high in the center of the dash. Manual controls suffice for LE and SE models. XLE trim gets automatic climate control, upgraded sound system controls. A navigational system is an option on the XLE. A wide center console separates the two front bucket seats and contains useful storage areas. The parking brake on the LE and SE is also located in the center console whereas the XLE gets a foot-operated parking brake. Rear-seat passengers will find the accommodation to be quite pleasant for a mid-size passenger car. Head- and legroom have increased compared to the previous Camry. The rear seat splits 60/40 allowing pass through for large objects in the trunk, although the actual opening is smaller than it might be. The trunk itself is a decent size and shape. Although the gooseneck hinges take away valuable space in the trunk, at least they are hidden under a cover eliminating the chance of contents being damaged when the lid is closed.