FIRST DRIVES
24 APRIL 2 019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 31
FIRST DRIVES
After the Corolla, another familiar name returns to the UK – as a hybrid
Price £29,995
Engine 4 cyls, 2487cc, petrol,
plus electric motor
Power 215bhp at 5700rpm
Torque 163lb ft at 3600-5200rpm
(engine), 149lb ft (motor)
Gearbox CVT
Kerb weight 1595-1635kg
0-62mph 8.3sec
Top speed 120mph
Economy 53.3mpg
CO 2 , tax band 101g/km, 24%
RIVALS Ford Mondeo hybrid,
Volkswagen Passat GTE
TOYOTA CAMRY EXCEL
D
unkin’ Donuts, late-night chat
show s , Tw i n k ie s , Sk e c he r s ,
Seinfeld and the Toyota
Camry – all concepts that,
while proving widely popular in the
go o d ol’ US of A , h av e n’t t r a n sfe r r e dparticularly well to the UK. And the
C a m r y i s a s t r on g c a s e i n p oi nt.
A me r ic a n bu y e r s h av e a l w ay s
loved the idea of large, comfortable,
petrol-powered saloons (Toyota sells
mor e t h a n 4 0 0, 0 0 0 C a m r y s a y e a r
in the US alone). But the British have
typically favoured smaller, more
n i mble d ie s e l c a r s f r om ‘ pr e m iu m’
brands. It’s the reason the Camry
was canned back in 2004; while the
European big saloon market went
mad for diesel, Toyota didn’t offer one
and sales predictably slumped.
But no w, i n a n i r on ic t u r n of e v e nt s ,
the Camry will soon return to British
dealers due to – yup, you guessed it –
a downswing in diesel sales.
Available exclusively with a hybrid
powertrain comprising a 2.5-litre
four-cylinder engine and an electric
motor, the new Camry is bang
on-trend and is perfectly placed to
compete with other ‘self-charging’
(cars that top up their batteries
automatically when you decelerate)
r i v a l s s uc h a s t he Ford Monde o
hybrid, as well as plug-in hybrids
s uc h a s t he Vol k s w a ge n Pa s s at GT E.
Toyota claims the Camry has been
‘tuned for Europe’, which could be
interpreted to suggest that UK-bound
cars benefit from sharper handling
than their American counterparts.In reality, the Camry feels like a
car designed to cruise rather than
excite. The steering has a nice heft
and responds in a smooth and
l i ne a r m a n ne r but , onc e t u r ne d i nt o
a corner, the soft suspension and
corresponding body roll reminds you
t h at t h i s i s no 3 S e r ie s r i v a l.
But the benefit of soft suspension
is increased pliancy, and it’s here
where the Camry impresses. The
s t a nd a rd s u s p e n sion de a l s w e l l w it h
undulations without ever feeling
f loat y or out of c ont r ol. O u r r a n ge -
topper, on large 18in wheels, was
agreeable, smoothing out patchy
s e c t ion s of r oa d w it h l it t le mor e t h a n
a shudder through your seat.
Indeed, the whole car is
impressively refined – both wind
and road noise are well suppressed
and the engine is virtually inaudible
at constant motorway speeds. That
said, the engine is paired, as is
something of a Toyota tradition, to a
continuously variable transmission
(CVT) gearbox, which lends a
tendency for it to rev frantically
when you demand full acceleration.
And, with less low-down torque
t h a n d ie s e l r i v a l s c a n s u m mon , s uc h
soaring revs are common when
overtaking on country roads or
merging onto motorways.Inside, the Camry feels more
solid than a Mondeo or Vauxhall
Insignia Grand Sport, but lacks the
sophistication of its closest German
competitors. Yes, there are soft-touch
materials, but almost none of them
are located in areas that you would
regularly come into contact with.
The small 7.0in infotainment screen
a l s o d i s app oi nt s , w it h slow r e s p on s e
times, poor graphics and a lack of
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
compatibility.
That said, the Camry does have a
party trick up its sleeve: space. Unless
you’re Shaquille O’Neal, you should
h av e ple nt y of r o om t o s pr e a d out
both in the front and rear. A clever
rear suspension design, along with
the positioning of batteries beneath
the rear seats, minimises intrusion
into the boot, too. Luggage capacity is
impressive, and more than you’ll find
in a Mondeo hybrid or Passat GTE.
But should you buy one? Well,
the Camry is accomplished. It’s
comfortable, quiet at a cruise and
relatively spacious. It’s also well
equipped and should prove cheap
to run. But the hybrid that makes
the Camry so economical lacks the
f lexibility of a diesel, and, although
the interior feels well made, itsinfotainment system frustrates and
the surprising use of cheap materials
is disappointing. Therefore, we
reckon the Camry – a bit like
Hershey’s chocolate – will remain
something of a plain but perfectly
acceptable American preoccupation.
NEIL WINN
TOYOTA CAMRY
Big, clever and should last a lifetime,
but there’s no doubt it lacks the
outright polish of its European rivals
AAABC
Ride is smooth and interior is solid, but small infotainment screen disappoints
TESTED 15.4.19, SPLIT, CROATIA ON SALE JULY
TESTER’S NOTE
The clever, retractable
wireless charging pad
located in front of the
gear selector actually
takes up most of the
cubbyhole located
underneath it – not so
clever. NW