It's a cyborg catfish, but one you can take home to meet the parents
Toyota has pledged to make its vehicles more engaging, with the bestselling Camry
the latest to be called in for an overhaul. While the result is indeed a
better Camry for 2015, the car proves that altering the essence of this
refrigerator on radials is no simple task.
The Camry’s latest freshening is substantial. All the bodywork is new
save the roof, and the curves flow more organically than before. Most
models carry a simple five-bar chrome grille, but a gaping, black-mesh
snout distinguishes the sportier SE and new-for-2015 XSE trims. It’s a
cyborg catfish, but one you can take home to meet the parents.
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Additional spot welds add rigidity to the structure, while thicker
carpet padding and door inserts help tamp down road noise in the cabin.
All variants get minor chassis changes, while the XSE—like our V-6 test
car—gets extra starch, with firmer shocks and springs, harder bushings,
and a sharper tune for the electric power steering. It remains
family-car compliant, but the foundation feels more solid and isolated,
with better body control and ride quality.
The Camry’s helm, however, is still DOA, offering little on-center feel
or increased effort in corners. XSE models wear standard 18-inch wheels
shod with Michelin Primacy all-seasons, which numb the experience by
prioritizing low-rolling resistance over outright adhesion. Both their
lateral grip on the skidpad (0.81 g) and their stopping performance
from 70 mph (178 feet) are unexceptional.
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Despite the XSE's angry-looking face, the Camry is as docile as it ever was.
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The powertrains carry over, including a standard 178-hp 2.5-liter four
and an optional 3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower. Both mills are backed
by six-speed automatics and stir your soul about as much as the
backyard air conditioner. Yet the grunty V-6 continues as the one
entertaining aspect of the Camry’s drive; zero to 60 mph happens in 5.8
seconds and the quarter-mile passes in 14.3 at 100 mph. That’s properly
quick. Our observed fuel economy of 24 mpg was reasonable and similar to
previous tests.
Other tweaks for 2015 bring higher-quality interior materials, including
the XSE’s faux-suede bits and tangy-red stitching on the dash and
seats. There’s also a new 4.2-inch TFT display in the gauge cluster of
most trims and a revised center stack that features a wireless charging
pad for compatible smartphones.
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Base prices increase slightly across the model range, beginning at
$23,795 for a Camry LE with the 2.5. Our XSE V-6 test car started at
$32,195, including new LED headlights, leather seating, and Toyota’s
Entune audio and navigation system. That figure swelled to a substantial
$35,768 with an upgraded JBL stereo ($805), the $750 Technology package
(radar cruise control, auto high beams, pre-collision and
lane-departure alerts), and other extras.