As far as luxury sedans are concerned, the Toyota Camry has carved its own niche in the Indian car market. This primarily stems from the fact that the Camry, which is in its ninth iteration globally, does not have a direct rival in India. Instead, its pricing brings it in proximity to the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Sharing its TNGA-K platform with the more expensive Lexus ES, the Camry is only available as a strong hybrid in all major markets globally. Backed by our comprehensive reviews, here are pointers to keep in mind before buying a Toyota Camry.
A comfy cabin that mated to a spacious boot
The Camry’s cabin offers great occupant comfort and practicality
One of the highlights of the Camry is its cabin, which manages to be comfortable and ergonomically sound. The two outer seats at the back are well-cushioned and supportive while also featuring an electric recline function – the standard backrest angle is good as is, though. A ‘boss function’ allows the left rear-seat passenger to move the front passenger seat for even more legroom. However, the caveat here is that the latter will have to raise their seat a bit to liberate usable footroom for the former. The broad and ventilated front seats are comfy, too.
The Camry’s rear-seat occupants get a central armrest that integrates switchgear to operate the car’s rear sunshades, three-zone automatic climate control system and entertainment system. Features like a 10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, powered reach & rake adjustment for the steering column, and double-glazed windows further boosts the comfort quotient. The Camry’s slim A-pillars help reduce blind spots and enhance outward visibility.
Boosting the Camry’s practicality is its large boot
The Toyota Camry’s boot is capable of swallowing up to 524 litres worth of cargo, while its tall and deep design boosts its overall usability. In case you want to carry something long, there’s through-loading thanks to the fold-down rear centre armrest. Toyota also provides a full-size alloy wheel as a spare underneath the boot floor, something that’s becoming increasingly rare in this segment.
An efficient powertrain that’s accompanied with a comfy suspension
Toyota’s fifth-gen hybrid system makes the Camry a frugal mile-muncher
A crucial highlight of the Camry is its hybrid powertrain. The total system output of 230hp comes by combining a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and a 1.0kWh lithium-ion battery; there’s also an integrated starter motor. The petrol engine performs well on the thermal efficiency front while kicking in seamlessly when the battery runs low or when hard acceleration is required. The system also performs well when transitioning between combustion to electric-only modes (and vice-versa). While acceleration is not overtly aggressive, it remains brisk – this becomes evident with the engine and gearbox in ‘Sport’ mode.
The Camry’s hybrid powertrain has been calibrated with fuel economy in mind, and this shows. Toyota claims up to 25.49kpl on a combined cycle, our tests saw the luxury sedan achieving 16.62kpl in the city and 23.07kpl on the highway. For a car that measures 4.92 metres in length and weighs 1,645kg, those are impressive numbers.
The Camry’s suspension delivers a sorted blend of ride and handling
Toyota has designed the Camry’s suspension so as to handle potholes in a plush and composed manner. Despite its comfy ride and in our less-than-ideal real-world road conditions, this sedan will traverse speed humps without beaching itself or scraping its underbelly. While it leans towards overall comfort, the Camry offers a predictable steering and competent handling package.
ADAS that works well in Indian conditions
Toyota has calibrated the Camry’s ADAS for our market
The Camry comes with the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 safety suite, with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) being a highlight. These ADAS features come in the form of adaptive cruise control, pre-collision warning, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist (among other active safety features). More importantly, Toyota has calibrated these systems so as to have them work well in Indian conditions. For ease-of-use on the fly, there are physical activation & deactivation controls on the steering wheel.
Having said all that, let’s now look at some reasons that may deter you from buying the Toyota Camry.
Some missing features will become obvious
For a luxury sedan, the Camry is missing a few modern features
While there is wireless Apple CarPlay, the Toyota Camry does not get wireless Android Auto. Similarly, the seat ventilation function is not offered for rear-seat occupants – this is an obvious miss even if one takes into account the inclusion of a rear climate control zone. Furthermore, the Camry does not get a powered bootlid, which its German rivals get.
Not ideal for carrying three passengers in the back
The Camry’s rear bench is specifically meant to cater to two occupants
Even though the Toyota Camry can seat three passengers abreast at the back, it is best suited to carrying two. This is because the centre seat’s backrest is firmer due to the fold-out armrest and the presence of a large central hump on the floor, which restricts foot space for the centre occupant. Moreover, carrying a third occupant in the rear will make the centre armrest (with its integrated controls) redundant.
The Toyota Camry has a starting price of Rs 47.48 lakh. When compared to the cheapest 3 Series and C-Class, which cost Rs 62 lakh and Rs 60 lakh respectively, the Camry comes across as a more affordable alternative. Finally, there is also the Japanese nameplate’s widely acclaimed reliability quotient to consider.
Uday Singh
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