Drive Arabia 2007 Toyota Camry Review

[monaroCountry1]

2007 Toyota Camry

om: http://www.drivearabia.com/toyota/toyotacamryglx07.html

by Mashfique H. Chowdhury

-There isn't really much to write about the all-new Toyota Camry

-The seats themselves are very basic, with simple one-size-fits-all bolstering and durable cloth upholstery in our mid-range trim level.

- Cabin materials comprise of durable plastics, but most of them are hard, so the interior ambience is decidedly more Yaris than Lexus. Cloth door inserts offer some padding, but the rest of the interior is stark

-The CD/MP3 stereo deck is the first of its kind we've seen, with the entire panel lighting up at night. It is cheesy-fun to look at, but ultimately, it cannot be swapped out for aftermarket units due to its non-standard shape.

- The speakers are basic, but enough to belt out radio tunes and traffic updates clearly.

-Everything is within reach, but certain buttons are not lit at night, making it difficult to find them in the dark.

- The new Camry is now available with only a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine in the Middle East region. This is probably due to little demand for the V6 locally. The smooth 158 hp inline-four is only lightly upgraded from the previous engine, so it offers similar performance. Hammer the throttle and the car moves adequately, but with very little urgency, even if it manages little tyre chirps on launch. It crawls its way to 100 kph in over 10 seconds.

-Quick overtaking requires gunning it, and the revving engine clatters its heart out until your foot is off the pedal and in cruise mode again.

- The optional five-speed automatic, as in our tester, is buttery-smooth most of the time, but it is very easy to confuse it with haphazard throttle inputs, which makes it hunt gears sometimes.

-Fuel economy during mixed driving yielded 12.3 litres per 100 km, which is barely a litre less than our V6-powered Lexus ES 350 tester surprisingly.

- The suspension is very supple, so the ride is mostly smooth even at 160 kph, but broken pavement and potholes make the car feel floaty and bouncy.

-Cornering fast with this car is not for the faint-hearted. Go into a long curve at 100 kph, and the Camry loads up with healthy doses of body roll and mild understeer. Jump into a sharp curve at 60 kph, and the tyres start squealing under heavy understeer. The steering is almost as soft as the suspension, great for parking, but offering no feedback whatsoever in any sort of driving.

- This front-wheel-drive car has no stability control gadgetry. What it does have is four-wheel ABS-assisted disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution. It looks great on paper, but the brake pedal is weightless and requires stomping to make the car slow down from moderate speeds even below 100 kph.

- The mushy brakes mean it takes guesswork to figure out how long the car will take to stop.

- The soft suspension also means that moderate braking over a mildly bumpy surface makes the ABS go off, accompanied by mild pulses of tyre squeal.

-It gets pricey with options, and Toyota offers an expensive sports version that probably isn't a whole lot sportier, but it is still largely the car that the Camry nameplate is popular for.

[SS Enforcer]

You really don't like the camry do you Monaro country1 ?

Well neither do I :moon: :moon:

[VT LS1]

12.3 l/100, geeze those 4's are cheap to run.....
Wow, drop 150 rwkw and save NO fuel.

[Nobby]

Might as well buy a V8 for 12.3/100 fuel economy, geez.

[SchrgdVSV6]

You really don't like the camry do you Monaro country1 ?

Well neither do I :moon: :moon:

Apparently Motor Trend doesnt like them either....

http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2006/112_news061122_car_of_the_year_2007_toyota_camry

:hide:

[Holden Man]

Well done Monarocountry1, I don't know how you find all these reviews but always enjoy reading them. keep it up.

You can be our "Toyota myth buster" !!


Now where's our friend clixanup ?!

[Covert]

Gee, who would have guessed, monaroCountry1 found a negative review on a Toyota. Now where's the rest of the anti-Toyota sackriders?? :rolleyes:

[Jac001]

the last paragraph read

"As we mentioned before, the new Toyota Camry is going to sell no matter what we say, given its reliability, build quality, resale value and spacious interior, which is exactly what its target market wants. It gets pricey with options, and Toyota offers an expensive sports version that probably isn't a whole lot sportier, but it is still largely the car that the Camry nameplate is popular for. In short, it remains faithful and committed to being a comfortable family car. Anyone who liked the previous Camry is going to love this new one. "


Anyone know if the Aurion will be exported over there as the V6 option? I find it difficult to beleive that a place were petrol is soo cheap that there would be more demand for a 4 cyclinder over a v6:doh:

[Holden Man]

Anyone know if the Aurion will be exported over there as the V6 option? I find it difficult to beleive that a place were petrol is soo cheap that there would be more demand for a 4 cyclinder over a v6:doh:

I'm pretty sure you can get both 4cyl & 6cyl camries overseas. The Aurion nameplate is a marketing ploy by toyota to make it seem like they have a new big v6 car which is different to camry, that may attract falcon and commodore buyers who don't want a "camry".


From toyota US site >
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2007/camry/specs_v6.html

[Jac001]

I'm pretty sure you can get both 4cyl & 6cyl camries overseas. .

From the article is says you can only get a 4 pot camry thats all....

-[b] The new Camry is now available with only a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine in the Middle East region. This is probably due to little demand for the V6 locally.

[ralcool]

And we obviously don't want the hybrid version offered in the US either?!

What-The?

Sean

[BadMac]

Source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recal...worldwide.html


Massive Toyota Recall Affects Nearly One Million
Includes 283,000 Prius Hybrids


Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling nearly 1 million vehicles around the world to replace faulty parts that could cause drivers to lose control of the steering wheel.

Included in the recall are 170,000 Prius models in the U.S. and 113,000 of the hybrids in Japan.

The recall affects vehicles across 10 models, including the popular Prius. The intermediate shafts and sliding yokes in the recalled cars lack the necessary strength and could distort or crack under strong pressure, causing drivers to lose control of the steering wheel, according to Toyota.

Toyota is recalling roughly 170,000 Prius models in the U.S. because the steering shaft assembly could become loose or crack.

Toyota said there have been no reported crashes or injuries connected to the problem in the United States. Owners are expected to be notified of the recall in mid-June.

In Japan, the recall involves a total of 565,756 vehicles manufactured under the Wish, Isis, Prius, Corolla, Corolla Runx, Corolla Fielder, Corolla Spacio, Allex and Ractis brands between September 2002 and November 2005, according to the recall notice.

The number in Japan included more than 300,000 Wish cars and more than 113,000 Prius cars.

The recall involves about 240,000 vehicles in Europe, including the Prius, Corolla and Avensis. An additional 10,000 vehicles were being recalled in other parts of the world, including China and New Zealand.

[SS Enforcer]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/07/toyota_recalls.html


http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls04/2006/toyota_worldwide.html

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/12/nhtsa_sienna.html


Thats over 2 million affected toyotas just in thsoe 3 recalls and they still had more recalls listed !!!



cheers

[monaroCountry1]

Apparently Motor Trend doesnt like them either....

http://www.motortrend.com/features/a...7_toyota_camry

Have a look at America's linup. The Camry actually deserved its win. Some cars were far better than the camry i.e Lexus, MB and BMW (basically all the other euros) however these cars were not price competitive. Affordable cars were mostly garbage FWD with little power, excitement and in some cases quality.

If the commodore was there then im sure that the Crapry wouldnt have won. Local publications bag ford and holden. It seems that internationa; i.e. europe and ME love our products and rate it far higher than the boring camry.

Well another day and another toyota ploy to fool its customers.



Auto news
New Tundra will get old model year

December 17, 2006

Link: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061217/BUSINESS01/612170617/1014

New rules that will lower window-sticker fuel economy numbers on vehicles are already affecting carmakers' behavior, but perhaps not in the way regulators intended.

The new figures are intended to reflect real-world fuel economy more closely than today's fuel-economy ratings. Shoppers use the figures to compare vehicles' operating costs. Listed fuel economy rates are expected to fall 7% to 15% under the new standard.

To take advantage of higher miles per gallon results under the old testing procedures, Toyota Motor Corp.'s big new Tundra full-size pickup will be called a 2007 model when it debuts, despite the fact that none will reach dealerships until mid-February at the earliest.

Most new cars and trucks that go on sale after Jan. 1 will be called 2008 models, but Toyota decided it would rather have its new truck look a little old rather than explain the lower fuel economy numbers when it competed with pickups like the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 that were tested under the old standard.

[SchrgdVSV6]

The Camry actually deserved its win.Whats this? Acknowledgement of an achievement?


If the commodore was there then im sure that the Crapry wouldnt have won.
Ahh there's the catch! :lmao:
If you see the Commodore selling in the US, then its most likely being manufactured there or in China/Korea... and we all know what happens to build quality in those situations. Just ask Toyota.


Well another day and another toyota ploy to fool its customers.
Considering you are always quoting overseas models, lets have a look at whats happening locally, since thats what really matters...



Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/poor-record-faulty-airbag-causes-holden-recall/2006/03/14/1142098465279.html

THE Holden Commodore has been recalled for the 20th time in nine years, making it by far the most recalled locally made vehicle of the past decade.


Actually, since the VE was introduced, its now 22 recalls in 10yrs.

My Commodore was also recalled and falls into the statistics, but that didnt persuade me to get rid of it. It actually made me glad to keep it, cosidering they were willing to keep "regression testing" a model which wasnt their latest. Its good some manufacturers will go back 4 or 5yrs to correct issues with their cars, and 99% of the time the fix is relatively quick and painless.

[monaroCountry1]

Considering you are always quoting overseas models, lets have a look at whats happening locally, since thats what really matters...

Ahhh yes but Toyota doesnt recall, they sweep problems under the rug and or issue a technical bulletin. These are shameful practices!!!!!!!!!

The Camry Australia gets are usually been on sale overseas for a year. In that time Toyota would have recalled the camry many times.

[clixanup]

Ahhh yes but Toyota doesnt recall, they sweep problems under the rug and or issue a technical bulletin.
Your argument is flawed. There are at least 4 Toyota recalls mentioned in this very thread. :doh:

The Camry Australia gets are usually been on sale overseas for a year.
Why is that a bad thing?

Incidentally, the Camrys/Aurions we "get" are actually built here, using Australian labour and materials.

[jamesd]

Interesting quote from another forum


I was very lucky a month ago to speak with a gentleman who is upper management for Toyota parts and service. First off, he drives a Nissan Titan. Why? Because he told me American made Toyota's have so many recalls, he cannot trust the product of the company he works for. Then he let me know something else, and told me in a very clandestine way: Toyota makes sure that the media does not find out about the safety recalls, the really critical ones that may result in injury. He also implied but did not say outright that Toyota may be filling the coffers of the American media, if you know what I mean.

[ti0350]

That's funny you mentioned that, I heard the same thing from a relo I have in the states..

[monaroCountry1]

That's funny you mentioned that, I heard the same thing from a relo I have in the states..

I think you mean the very controversial Toyota Tundra (which is being marketed as a large pick up truck).


NISSAN TITAN

http://www.edmunds.com/media/seo/500/2006.nissan.titan.jpg

TOYOTA TUNDRA

http://www.tuffcountry.com/Images/toyota_tundra.jpg



http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/11/autos/bad_recall/index.htm

Toyota's totally bizarre recall
Why would Toyota issue a recall designed to make vehicles less safe?
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
July 12 2006: 3:22 PM EDT


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- This fall, Toyota will voluntarily recall nearly 160,000 Toyota Tundra pickups so that they can be made less safe for children riding in the front seat.

No, that's not a mistake - at least not on our part. The recall, announced Monday, is meant to make Tundras comply with a set of safety regulations. The rules say that vehicles built after 2002 must have a child-seat anchor system known as LATCH in the front seat if they also have a front-seat airbag shut-off switch.

The Tundras in question were built with an airbag shut-off switch but not the LATCH system. The solution? Spend lots of money and inconvenience customers...to remove the airbag shut-off switch.

The move not only doesn't enhance the safety of these vehicles, it actually makes the vehicles unsafe for small children riding in the front seat.
Those shut-off switches exist because airbags can injure and even kill small children even in otherwise minor crashes.

Meanwhile, even without a LATCH system (which stands for lower anchorages and tethers for children), parents can still install safety seats using seatbelts.
Toyota originally discovered the compliance issue and, in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in July 2005, the company asked regulators to let them to ignore it as "inconsequential to safety."

NHTSA denied that petition. So Toyota asked NHTSA to reconsider, arguing that the solution would be worse than the problem. "[We] believe that the agency should understand that the likely remedy is to remove the airbag cut-off switches," Toyota lawyers wrote to NHTSA in October of 2005.

Toyota has no other choice, Chris Tinto, Toyota's vice president for regulatory affairs, told CNNMoney.com. Placing the LATCH system in the trucks' front seats would have been far too expensive. "We still think it's better with the cut-off switches in," said Tinto said. But rules are rules, so it's out with the switches. What's more, to comply with the rule, Toyota is currently building new Tundra trucks without the switches, Tinto said.

Of course, regardless of LATCH systems or airbag cut-off switches, children are always safest in a back seat if at all possible. The Tundra trucks being recalled do have back seats, albeit small ones. But people sometimes put small children in the front seats of cars and trucks for various reasons. For example, according to NHTSA, the Tundra's back seats are too small to fit rear-facing seats, the kind that infants ride in.

In its final decision. published on June 28, 2006, NHTSA pointed out that the method a manufacturer might choose to remedy a compliance issue is not a determining factor when deciding that it must be fixed, so Toyota's warning made no difference.

Any issue NHTSA might have with Toyota's solution to the problem will have to wait for another round of memos. "We are closely reviewing Toyota's remedy," said Rae Tyson, a spokesman for NHTSA.

[emg]

monarocountry is banking on holden dominating the world.... some day

:diddy:

[Mikhael]

ANOTHER BORING REVIEW OF A BORING AS BAT SHITT TOYOTA !!!! :sleep:

[Belzey]

If it is anything like the previous model it will be absolute crapola. I had one as a hire car last week and OMG plastic, gutless, boring POS and that was some limited edition thing so I would hate to drive the base model..

[Souljah]

That Tundra looks like complete arse

[Nobby]

That Tundra looks like complete arse
Yep, like all American pickups.