2018 Toyota Camry: Bringing back the spyder glory with a touch of Lexus
It’s no stretch whatsoever to imagine that
the team creating the 2018 Toyota Camry, just revealed at the 2017 Detroit auto
show and bound for dealerships this summer, had to confront some severe
performance anxiety. They faced the freedom afforded by the fresh Toyota New
Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, signs that Americans are continuing to
abandon mid-size sedans, and the reality that the current, inoffensively-yours
Camry has actually been selling well despite industry trends.
The team, fortunately, was never just going
to settle for subtle nips and tucks; CEO Akio Toyoda has demanded more
adventurous, stirring designs across the board as part of his aim to purge the
boring cars from Toyota Motor Corporation’s lineup.
“It's no secret that I like to involve myself
in the design process,” said Toyoda, who made the show presentation of the new
Camry himself. “My team might call it something else.”
And so arrives this Camry gone wild, with an
only somewhat more toned-down version of the seemingly sci-fi-inspired look
that makes the styling of the current Prius so polarizing, and some of the
sculpting that invites a double-take of the upcoming C-HR crossover. The 2018
Camry is within an inch of the 2017 model in length and width, but Toyota
hasn’t yielded to the crossover crowd by making the new Camry taller or more
upright. It has actually gone the other way; the hood is 1.6 inches lower, and
the roofline is lower by 1.2 inches. That let the automaker drop the hip point
for occupants an inch in front and 1.2 inches in back. The front seats have
been resculpted, while the cowl, beltline, and dash have been lowered, adding
to a more open feel inside the cabin.
The Camry’s new dashboard does away with the
former segmented T shape in favor of a more sweeping design, drawing
inspiration from home furnishings while aiming for a more sculptural interior
combined with warmer detailing. Mixed hues and tones on the interior move away
from the former monotone themes.
Beyond appearances, Toyota calls the TNGA
platform that underpins this Camry “a structural reform movement for the entire
company that will result in cars that are more dynamic, athletic, and fun to
drive.” It also claims that, with the new building blocks, “drivers will notice
the dramatic improvements within the first few seconds of driving.” Given that
previous generations of the Camry evolved so subtly, that’s a bold
pronouncement. But, based on the level of improvement we’ve seen in the latest,
fourth-generation Prius—the only model with that platform to make it to
production so far—we’ll take it seriously.
To complement the new structure, it boasts a
lower center of gravity. Toyota takes the Camry into new chassis-tuning
territory by ditching the struts in the rear for a multilink suspension setup,
while a four-point engine-mounting system should help keep the cabin experience
smoother and quieter.
Perhaps the greatest surprise in all of this,
to gearheads, is that Toyota still hasn’t killed the V-6. Toyota has subbed in
the latest direct-injection 3.5-liter version for its flagship Camrys. The base
2.5-liter Dynamic Force inline-four has a higher compression ratio, a variable
cooling system, multi-hole direct injectors, and electric variable valve
timing, and Toyota says it will have higher power and torque ratings, although
it has not yet specified those figures. It also claims better fuel efficiency
than with the outgoing engine of the same displacement—and phenomenal 40
percent thermal efficiency. A new eight-speed automatic transmission, with
faster and more decisive shifts, should make the V-6 and four-cylinder versions
more enjoyable.
Camry hybrid models will also get a version
of the new four-cylinder, and they should have improved powertrain drivability
with their continuously variable transmissions electronically managed to
simulate a six-speed automatic, with paddle shifters included in the SE model.
It’s possible there may be multiple battery setups as well, as with the Prius.
Toyota claims improved ergonomics, along with
next-generation displays—in the form of three interlinked screens. On some
models, that will include a 10.0-inch color head-up display, a 7.0-inch
multi-information display, and an 8.0-inch display for audio, navigation, and
climate control that is flush with the center console and has a smartphone-like
interface. That comes via the new Entune 3.0 system, which offers 4G LTE–based
in-vehicle Wi-Fi for up to five mobile devices, plus new remote-connect
features and an app suite across all trim levels. An improved nine-speaker JBL
premium audio system tuned for the Camry’s cabin materials now includes a
10.1-inch subwoofer and Clari-Fi technology for compressed music—which is
pretty much any music you might be listening to nowadays.
The Toyota Safety Sense system includes
pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with
steering assist, and automatic high-beams, plus adaptive cruise control and a
backup camera. It will be standard on all 2018 Camrys; blind-spot monitoring
and cross-traffic alert are available on some models.
The 2018 Camry comes in four trim levels: LE,
XLE, SE, and XSE. The SE and XSE get a set of Sport appearance upgrades that go
beyond trims and finishes, with Toyota designers targeting differences that
could be spotted from 200 yards away. Rocker panels are more sculpted, front
and rear bumper designs are different (with a diffuser down below and a
trunklid lip up above), and the face has a more exaggerated, aggressive look with
the same catamaran-style lower bumper accents that Toyota has used elsewhere,
to mixed results. They’ll also get a mesh grille and smoke-tinted rear
combination lamps, with 19-inch black machined-finish aluminum wheels reserved
for the Camry XSE.
Remaking Toyota’s bland best-seller to be
more expressive is risky—and might not even save this mid-size sedan from the
big market shift that’s underway. But the sales success of the Nissan Maxima,
one of the more daring sedans of the past year, might well calm those jitters.
We’re looking forward to driving the new Camry because we’ve long thought the
top-selling sedan in America should be less boring.
Or, as Toyoda said during the presentation,
“Why should SUVs get all the glory?”
Source: caranddriver
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