2012 Toyota Camry XLE

By Edward R. Noble

Toyota brought the first Camry to America in 1983.  It was an instant hit with those who were near collecting their first social security check. It has remained a favorite of those seasoned citizens ever since. Why not, it’s a great near full sized sedan with plenty of quiet comfort for the trek down to Florida each winter.

Toyota is playing it safe with the introduction of the "all-new" 2012 Camry . They have sold about 9.7 million Camrys in the past three decades, and most of them are still in service. For all of the recent troubles befalling Toyota they still have some of the best and most reliable cars ever built.  The Camry will fill the vacancies left by old American names like Mercury, Plymouth, Oldsmobile and Pontiac to name a few.

For the 2012 models there are plenty of equipment choices offered in the Camry lineup. Starting with a very base "L" model at about $21,900 and moving up to; LE, SE, XLE, SE-V6 XLE-V6 the high-end Hybrid that has the 2.5-liter, 156 -horsepower, four-cylinder engine and permanent magnet AC synchronous motor. With that Hybrid model you can expect 43/39 mpg. Also, about a 650 mile range.  And, its done with a 17 gallon gas tank too.

Like all Hybrids they are at their best in urban settings where the electric motors are able to do a bigger share of the work while the gas engine waits to assist or take over at mid to higher speeds. For that you will pony-up at least another $6,000 over the base "L" model. If you live in town and expect to keep the Camry long past the last payment, it becomes a very good value. Toyota has even lowered the price of up to nearly $1,000 of the new Camry, and added more features.

The Hybrid will be available sometime in the year.

The 3.5-liter V-6 with a healthy 268 horsepower will deliver 25 mpg around town and an appealing 35 mpg on the road to Florida. Personally, I'll take the regular V-6 with a lot less potential maintenance.

While there was a great deal of extolling the "all-new" 2012 Camry it remains on the former platform. That means little to anyone interested in this category sedan. If it works why change it. The Toyota excitement is concentrated in the new styling.

However, I couldn't tell much difference in the 2012 Camry from last years model. The grille is the most notable change at first glance. Toyota like almost all of the sedans from Japanese-based companies look alike. Smooth with soft lines and nothing to offend anyone seems to be the mantra.

But, lets be fair is the Camry  "foreign"?  After-all 80 percent of the parts are made here in 14 plants.  Plus, they employ many thousands of American workers. Some Buicks and Fords are not even made here. Are they actually "foreign" cars with American names?

Lets get to the driving, and before you are out of the driveway you will notice the near silence inside the Camry. Its possible to have a normal conversation even on nasty roads. The 205/65x16 inch tires soak up those expansion strips and pot holes. Fat tires make for a nice ride. After a 600 mile run you will feel better than doing it in an Audi or BMW. They may offer more "excitement" but you will pay with a sore back and a busy ride. Where are you going to use it?

 

The interior of the new Camry is about as dull as the past models. But, everything is fairly easy to use without spending an evening reading the owners manual. An "Entune" option will connect you to the outside world of internet music or even local movie listings and hands-free Bluetooth phone service. That feature will add just over $1,000 to the tag. Toyota expects to sell about 10 percent of these hi-tech entertainment systems. They can be useful fun and a great help, but you will need to spend some time learning how to utilize all of the features like the navigation system. You can even check for weather updates on the way to Florida.

The trunk is a little bigger at 15.4 cubic feet. This is just a 109-inch wheelbase sedan but it offers the roominess of a larger car.

A couple of years ago a friend asked me to select the right sedan for him and his wife. I put them into a Camry with all of the trimmings. They have thanked me so many times since then I have had to ask them to forego it.