Toyota Camry Review & Road Test
November 5, 2009 by Paul Maric
The latest iteration of one of Toyota’s best selling appliances.
Model Tested:
- 2009 Toyota Camry Ateva; 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, petrol; five-speed automatic; sedan – $32,490
Interior space; suspension (ride); standard features
Fuel consumption; handling
CarAdvice Rating: 
Whitegoods on wheels, uninspiring, old man’s car and boring. These are all terms that have become synonymous with the Toyota Camry.
For years Toyota has been using its reputation to take advantage of the buying public, selling countless cars on the basis of rock solid reliability and perceived value for money.
Toyota released the new four-cylinder Camry to the Australian market in July 2006. It hit showrooms missing stability control – it wasn’t even an option (only standard on Grande) – along with reasonable fuel economy. Despite its shortcomings, people still bought it in droves.
It wasn’t until the Mazda6 – and more recently the Ford Mondeo – crept into the market that Toyota was forced to pull its finger out and reconsider the package they had on offer.
Great styling and impressive value for money from its competition hit Toyota for a six and so here we are now, with the revised Toyota Camry.
At face value, it looks much the same. The only visible differences lie in minor headlight and taillight styling changes. It’s only when you delve deeper that you see exactly what Toyota has done.
Toyota has reduced the price of the Camry, reduced the fuel consumption and increased the level of standard features – it’s a win-win in anyone’s language.
Our baby blue test vehicle was still a treat to look at, despite the Camry’s three and a half year tenure in the Australian market.
Inside the cabin, Camry drivers will be familiar with the general layout. While the radio fascia has changed, the rest remains well-known territory.
Rear seat passengers will remain amazed with the amount of leg room available. A 6-foot person will easily fit with leg room to spare, likewise with head and shoulder room.
Visibility from the driver’s seat is superb both front and rear. The thin A-pillars are great for city driving where cyclists and pedestrians are often lost in their girth.
A reversing camera is now standard fitment on both Ateva and Grande, further enhancing visibility during parking and low-speed manoeuvres. The reversing camera is integrated into the 4.3-inch LCD screen that controls the audio. Its small size makes it a bit difficult to see smaller objects, but is a step in the right direction considering the boot’s high waist line.
Standard features include: Dual-zone climate control, electric windows, electric mirrors, power steering, cruise control, automatic headlights, six-disc in-dash CD-player with six speakers and MP3 compatibility, six-way electric driver and front passenger seat, central locking, USB audio compatibility and Bluetooth connectivity.
Safety features include: Dual front SRS airbags, front side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control (TC), engine immobiliser and ABS brakes.
Priced from $29,990 for the Altise, the Ateva tested retails for an impressive $32,490.
While the power and torque outputs remain identical, Toyota has managed to reduce fuel consumption by 1.0-L/100km to 8.8-L/100km. The reduction also sees carbon emissions dive from 235g/km to 208g/km.
At the helm, it drives just like a Camry is meant to drive. The steering is light and precise with brake feel firm and responsive. Cornering isn’t exciting with plenty of body roll and tyre squeal. Luckily, the Camry’s target demographic won’t be taking corners like Schumacher.
The Camry’s suspension is excellent. It soaks up all bumps thrown at it and rides well on both highways and B-grade country roads.
While the engine note is nothing to write home about, the engine responds with gusto when the driver jumps on the loud pedal. Even with a full complement of passengers on board, the engine is capable of propelling the Camry with no sense of lag.
A five-speed automatic transmission transfers torque from the 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine. Producing 117kW and 218Nm of torque, the engine rarely puts a foot wrong. The ADR fuel consumption of 8.8-L/100km was achieved according to the trip computer. When we refilled, we calculated closer to 9.5-L/100km, indicating a slightly optimistic trip computer. This is to be expected though, considering the car had all of 500km on the clock when we collected it.
Although some will still find the Toyota Camry to be whitegoods on wheels and boring, there’s simply very little to fault. It won’t handle like a Mondeo or a Mazda6, but on the same token it doesn’t cost anywhere near as much and is loaded to the hilt with features.
The revised Toyota Camry hits the sweet spot for punters who couldn’t give a rat’s earlobe about performance, handling or image.
It’s the perfect balance between form and function.
Ratings:
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Road Test the Rivals:
Specifications:
- Engine: 2362cc DOHC four-cylinder (16 valve)
- Power: 117kW @ 5700rpm
- Torque: 218Nm @ 4000rpm
- Induction: Multi-point
- Transmission: Five speed automatic
- Driven Wheels: Front
- Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
- Top Speed: N/A
- 0-100km/h: N/A
- CO2 Emissions: 208g/km
- Fuel Consumption: 8.8L/100km
- Fuel Consumption: 9.5L/100km
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 70L
- Fuel Type: 91 RON Unleaded
- ANCAP Rating: Four-stars
- Airbags: Six
- Safety: ESC with Traction Control
- Spare Wheel: Full size
- Tow Capacity: 1200kg (Braked)
- Warranty: Three years/100,000km
- Weight: 1530kg (Tare)
- Wheels: Alloy 16-inch
Print it: 
Bavarian Missile note, even if you access this site through another server to so to get another IP, all servers are required to LOG IPs and are required to supply it when requested by police!!
In other words, you will be busted!!
boring!!
Its curious that Toyota persists with the conservative equals sales mindset with the Corolla and Camry when many of their other models that have a bit of design flair, innovation such as the Yaris (when it was first released), new Prius and the earlier model Rav4’s (before they made them bigger and a replacement for the Camry wagon) have all proven to sell well.
They seem to think that making them a bit funkier and sharper to drive will push the older buyers away, but as long as the ride is fairly comfortable, the controls are easy to read and they’re easy enough to get in and out of, I reckon the 45-60’s would still buy/rent ‘em.
People in that age bracket in my opinion would drive them regardless of what they look like, if they are more sporting – as long as they are reliable, safe.
The Echo was a trendsetter when first released, the original egg shaped Tarago was a pretty advanced thing in its time (car like handling, safety) and have sold well. The Corolla and Camry don’t offer anything that Mazda3, Mazda6 can’t-except lower NVH.
Yes Thomas69 reckon there would be a big priority on this for the police to followup. Probably put a hold on all their other investigations to determine who is impersonating Thomas69 on a Car blog.LOL
How old did u say u were?
No need to investigate, i’ll just give them the name!!!
Talk about quoting anecdotal evidence for reliability. Toyota have been very sucessful in promoting the greater reliability of their vehicles myth. Buyers hang onto it as justification for an otherwise dull and uninspired purchase and so it has evolved into a given with most people.May have had some truth to it 30 years ago but should now be irrelevant as even the Chinese and Indians can make “reliable vehicles”.
If u follow this to it’s logical conclusion vehicles such as taxis that see 800,000klms should all be Camrys instead of Falcons.
In other words: Toyota have ensured the new Camry is an even better, and better value, appliance on wheels. Good luck to them. There is (and should be) a big market for that. No problems with that.
It’s true that Toyota’s “superior reliability” thing is a bit of a myth according to the surveys (although Lexus’ is deserved compared to BMW/Mercedes), but that’s what time does. Holden benefits from the same thing with the Commodore, which sells out of all proportion. BMW and Mercedes benefit from it to the tune of massive markups over similar or better vehicles (and surveys suggest there is not a particular reliability edge there, either). People are quick to mock advertising and marketing spending, and don’t like to admit how much their spending choices are based on reputation and marketing rather than a cold hard unbiased look at the facts, but that’s just how things are. And hey, I fall for it just as much as anyone, because I didn’t even bother looking at Hyundais when I bought a new car earlier this year, even if intellectually I should have done.
All the surveys I have seen still put the Toyota well above Fords and GM/Holdens!!
All the surveys I have seen put Toyota reliability sliding badly. Trading on past reputations, I wouldnt touch a Toyota these days.