Toyota Camry

One of Toyota’s highly-sought-after models, the all-new Toyota Camry (ninth-generation - XV80), launched in Malaysia.

The D-segment sedan comes in two powertrain options (Internal Combustion Engine - ICE, Hybrid Electric Vehicle - HEV), and underpins the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform.

Fully-imported (CBU - Thailand), available via UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) are two powertrain-specific variants (2.5V - MYR 221,800, 2.5HEV - MYR 248,800).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) include UMWT’s standard vehicle warranty (five years, unlimited-mileage), and a HEV warranty (eight years, unlimited-mileage). Optional is an extended HEV warranty (+2 years - MYR 3,500). 

Exterior hues (Platinum White Pearl Mica, Cement Grey Metallic, Attitude Black Mica, Emotional Red 2 - MYR 800, Precious Metal - MYR 800, Dark Blue Mica - MYR 800).

The all-new Camry has a cleanly-flowing and horizontally-tiered dashboard, linked to a low-rising centre console (armrest, wireless charger).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, door panels), it sees a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with contrast trims (Silver).

Filling-up the space are driver/central displays (instrument cluster, infotainment), and air-conditioning vents (layered-blade design).

Inclusively, the layout is well-designed and non-cluttered. Ergonomically-arranged with easy reachability (driver-oriented, user-friendly).

Installed is a setup of 12.3-Inch Colour TFT Multi-Information Display (MID) digital instrument cluster, with a Heads-Up Display (HUD). 

The system supports four themes (Casual, Smart, Tough, Sport) with three customisable layouts.

Comfortable, the interior sees leather (2.5V, 2.5HEV) upholstery in a single-tone (Black) colour scheme.

The front gets electronic-powered (driver/passenger - eight-way, lumbar, driver-memory, passenger shoulder-switch, ventilation) bolstered seats.

The rear gets an electronic-powered (recline, 60:40 split-fold - 2.5HEV) and manual-operated (60:40 split-fold - 2.5V) bolstered bench.

Included are armrests (front - centre console, rear - centre seat fold-out), control panel (rear armrest - 2.5HEV), a panoramic glass sunroof (tilt/slide, mesh deflector - 2.5HEV), and sunshades (electric - rear windscreen, manual - rear side windows).

The five-seater sedan offers generous cabin space, providing ample interior mobility for the occupants (front, rear). Longer dimension than its predecessor (+35 MM length).

Sufficient head-, shoulder-, and leg-room.

Practical storage areas. E.g., side door/seat back pockets, partitioned/caverned centre console spaces, and a glove box.

Mounted is a three-spoke-rounded steering wheel, wrapped in leather (Black) with contrast trims (Silver).

Features are multi-function (Audio, MID, Telephone, voice command, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control - DRCC, Lane Tracing Assist - LTA), column adjustments (electric - tilt, telescopic), paddle shifters, memory (2-position).

Drive is aided by a Parallel Axis Electric Power Steering (PA-EPS) system.

Provided are four cup holders (two - front, rear), and four bottle holders (one - side doors).

Multiple power outlets are equipped. E.g., five USB ports (three - front, two - rear), one 12 V socket (front), and a wireless charger (front).

Accessing its remote-operated (button - remote/key fob) tailgate, opens up to 428-Litres (rear seats up) of load capacity.

Tipping the scale at 1,565 KG (2.5V) and 1,645 KG (2.5HEV), the all-new Camry stands at 4,920 MM long, 1,840 MM wide, 1,445 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,825 MM.

Sportily-aerodynamic, it exudes a wide-elongated exterior, emphasised by sharply-formed and smoothly-cut contours.

The ‘Hammerhead’ front-end sees side-formed bonnet, angular quarter panels, and a sculpted bumper (full-faced upper-lower grille - horizontal bars, diamond mesh/air curtains - bumper corners).

Accentuations, body trims (Black - grille, air-curtains, side mirror arms/Chrome - side window surrounds), and Toyota/HEV emblems (Chrome - bumper/quarter panel).

Athletically-toned, it continues the wide-elongated profile, emphasised by horizontally-aligned and sharply-cut creases.

The rear-end sees a straight-cut roofline, a shark fin antenna (2.5HEV), angular quarter panels (bumper merging), an upright tailgate (moulded boot-lid), and a sculpted-bumper (diffuser).

Accentuations, body trims (Black - diffuser, shark fin antenna/Chrome - side window surrounds), and Toyota/HEV script/emblems (Chrome - tailgate).

Sharply-angular, the headlamps are framed slim and inward-tilted with pointed edges. Installed are Bi-LED units.

Features are automatic On/Off, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), Automatic High Beam (AHB), manual levelling, welcome lights, and sequential turn signals (LED).

Largely-angular, the tail lamps are wrapped-around with pointed edges. Installed are LED combination units.

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome lights, and sequential turn signals (LED). Paired to the layout is a set of fog lamps (LED - front, rear).

The side mirrors (Black-body-colour) are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust) with turn signals, blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Monitor - BSM), and memory (2-position, reverse-link).

Gripping the asphalt is a set of 18-Inch two-tone multi-spoke (Silver-Black) alloy rims, rubbered-up in 235/45 R18 Bridgestone Turanza T005A tyres.

The all-new Camry (2.5V, 2.5HEV) features the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). 

Grouped are Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) for All Speeds, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Automatic High Beam (AHB), and Road Sign Assist (RSA).

Others comprise of Lo Speed Audible Warning (2.5HEV), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Auto Brake (RCTAB), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS - front, rear), Safe Exit Assist (SEA), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), and Panoramic View Monitor (PVM - 360-degree).

Passive safety includes seven airbags (driver-passenger, driver-knee, front sides, curtains), seat belts (reminders, pretensioners, anchors), ISOFIX (two - outer-rear-seat), Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, parking sensors (four - front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), electrochromic rear-view mirror (interior), automatic door-lock (speed-sensing), Tyre Pressure Warning System (TPWS), Vehicle Telematics System (VTS), anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser), Digital Video Recorder (DVR - front-rear), and Toyota Premium Security/Solar Film.

Equipped (2.5HEV) are four selectable drive modes (ECO, NORMAL, SPORT, EV).

Installed is a 12.3-Inch touchscreen central display (infotainment). 

The system supports Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, live navigation, Intelligent Voice Command (Toyota’s ‘Voice Agent’ - ‘Hey Toyota’), USB and Bluetooth.

Entertainment is piped through a JBL Premium Audio (nine speakers, subwoofer, amplifier) setup.

The all-new Camry harbours variant-specific powertrains (ICE - 2.5V, HEV - 2.5HEV).

Variant 2.5V nestles Toyota’s Dynamic Force Engine (A25A-FKS), a 2.5-Litre in-line four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC naturally-aspirated petrol engine (201 HP/150 KW, 246 NM).

Variant 2.5HEV underpins the Toyota Hybrid System 5 (THS fifth-generation), featuring Toyota’s Atkinson Cycle Dynamic Force Engine (A25A-FXS), a 2.5-Litre in-line four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC naturally-aspirated petrol engine (185 HP/138 KW, 221 NM) and an electric motor (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor - PMSM - 134 HP/100 KW, 208 NM).

Total HEV system output reads at 230 HP (169 KW) and 429 NM.

Variant 2.5V mates a Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission. Variant 2.5HEV churns with an Electronically-Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT). 

Included are paddle shifters.

Power is sent to the front wheels (2.5V, 2.5HEV), via a Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) system.

Fuel tank capacity is at 60-Litres (2.5V) and 50-Litres (2.5HEV). Fuel consumption figures are 6.6 L/100 KM (2.5V) and 4.0 L/100 KM (2.5HEV).

Juicing-up the e-motor is a Lithium-Ion battery pack (1.0 KWH).

The all-new Camry features these conveniences.

E.g., Smart Entry/Start system (engine Start/Stop button, pre-set driver seat/steering column, side mirrors), illumination entry system, automatic headlamps (On/Off, welcome lights, Automatic High Beam - AHB), steering wheel (multi-function, electric column adjustments, paddle shifters, PA-EPS), electronic-powered (driver/passenger - eight-way, lumbar, driver-memory, passenger shoulder-switch, ventilation) bolstered seats (front), electronic-powered (recline, 60:40 split-fold - 2.5HEV) bolstered bench (rear), armrests (front - centre console, rear - centre seat fold-out), control panel (rear armrest - 2.5HEV), panoramic glass sunroof (tilt/slide, mesh deflector - 2.5HEV), sunshades (electric - rear windscreen, manual - rear side windows), parking sensors (four - front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), electrochromic rear-view mirror (interior), side mirrors (BSM, auto-fold, adjust, reverse-link, memory), automatic door-lock (speed-sensing), Tyre Pressure Warning System (TPWS), Vehicle Telematics System (VTS), anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser), Digital Video Recorder (DVR - front-rear), and Toyota Premium Security/Solar Film, wireless charger, dual-zone (2.5V) and triple-zone (2.5HEV) automatic climate control (rear-vents), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), luggage tray (boot), and portable tyre pump.

Installed are dual-zone (2.5V) and triple-zone (2.5HEV) automatic climate control (rear-vents) systems.

Underpinned is the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, featuring a setup of MacPherson strut (front) and double wishbone (rear).

Overall, it is firm and safe. The ride quality is solid, agile and responsive, with the seats well-bolstered and supportive, offering a comfortably-sporty driving dynamic.

The all-new Toyota Camry is built to offer the best of both worlds. Providing a sporty driving experience with a comfortably-equipped interior.

Exterior-wise, it is striking with harmoniously-sharp proportions, while its interior is premium-built with quality materials.

Performance-wise, its dual-natured (2.5HEV) drive along with a comprehensive suite of ADAS, ups its credibility even more.

Ultimately, the all-new Camry is satisfactory, especially with all the bells and whistles it comes with at the price offered.