2007 Toyota Camry

Brian Early

Many people buy a Toyota Camry looking more for trouble-free reliability and good build quality than a pulse-raising driving experience — in other words, it's the vanilla ice cream of cars.

In response to that last accusation — levelled at the previous-generation Camry after its 2002 introduction — Jim Press, then Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.'s chief executive (now president), replied:

"Do you know what the best-selling flavour of ice cream is? Vanilla."

Truth be told, with this latest generation — the sixth going back to 1983 — Toyota would like the Camry to be seen as a model chosen for its style and dynamics, as well as all that it was before.

It's not there yet.

The sport-oriented SE model — the sole variant to offer a manual transmission — is more focused than before and moves the dynamics peg up a notch.

But the model making up the lion's share of Camry sales is the base-level LE, with the four-cylinder/five-speed automatic combination. It's the variant that I tested.

While slightly more aggressive, this latest Camry's styling hardly qualifies as extroverted, which makes sense given its typical buyer. There are just clean, tight lines, assembled with an outstanding finish.

One neighbour complimented the richness and quality of my Kentucky-built tester's dark Magnetic Grey Metallic paint.

The 2007 Camry's nose is taller and more prominent than that of it predecessor, and the hoodline now dips down into the grille cavity, giving the car the appearance of having a slightly bulbous proboscis.

The front end was the only styling characteristic that elicited any specific bystander reactions.

Unfortunately, few of them were positive.

Hard to say whether the chrome grille insert worn by up-level XLE models (or the blacked-out mesh in the SE's) would have fared better than the monotone appearance of my LE's nose.

The interior's styling prominently features audio and climate controls that resemble frosted glass.

They look fantastic in daylight, but along with the large, white-backlit LCD audio display, provide a substantial glowing distraction at night.

Dimming them dims the instrument cluster, too, so you're stuck with them. Experience suggests you do soon become accustomed to such things.

Only the driver's power window switch lights up; you and your passengers will have to fumble for the others.

The faux-metal finish on the centre console seems susceptible to damage, as my low-mileage tester already showed scars and scratches.

The pseudo-aluminum trim and my tester's Ash fabric made for a very, very grey interior. (XLEs are livened up with wood grain; SEs have contrasting charcoal interiors.)

The rest of the interior is much better executed. Storage abounds, with a healthy-sized centre console bin and several smaller compartments sprinkled throughout the cabin.

The instrument cluster features large, legible gauges, and the front seats are both grippy and comfortable.

Rear seat room is generous, and all but SEs have a 60/40 split folding seatback to expand their 425-litre trunk.

Standard Camry fare includes a decent MP3/WMA compatible CD player with redundant steering wheel controls and an auxiliary input jack, hidden — along with a thoughtful 12V power point — inside a lidded compartment in the centre stack.

The basic LE also includes tilt/telescope steering, power locks and windows, four-wheel discs with ABS, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist for extra force in panic stops and seven airbags (front, front seat side, side curtain, and driver's knee).

You even get a full-sized spare, a rarity these days.

My LE tester included the $2,710 C Package. It adds alloy wheels (in the Camry's new 16-inch base size), splashguards, rearview mirror compass, HomeLink, power driver's seat adjustments, moonroof and more.

The temperate styling just about sums up how the Camry drives; as you'd expect, the LE model has not suddenly morphed into a pure driver's car in a single generation.

Though clearly prioritizing comfort, the handling's not a complete disaster if you try to hustle it along.

Body motions are large but not nautical in nature, and the electrically assisted steering is light but does offer some small amount of feedback. Overall, it's cushy yet composed.

Everyone can appreciate the front-drive's tight 11-metre turning circle.

It's easy to see why Toyota sells so many four-cylinder Camrys. The all-aluminum 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE four provides commendable thrust; my first impression was "Why would anyone buy the six?"

Blessed with variable valve timing and mated to its five-speed automatic, this 158 hp mill is more than adequate, even offering relaxed sub-2500 r.p.m. highway cruising.

Don't count on even approaching Natural Resources Canada's mileage figures if you're going to push the big four, however.

I saw an SUV-like 17.8 L/100 km from a combination of unusually heavy stop-and-go driving and my lead foot, though I believe that consumption rate to be anomalous, as I eked 10.4 L/100 km out of a V6 Avalon last April.

Seems like a good reason to consider the four-cylinder Hybrid version if stop-and-go plays a big role in your typical driving scenario, though.

Nevertheless, I'll direct the power-hungry and overtaking-obsessed to the available 268 hp 3.5-litre 2GR-FE V6, which the Camry shares with Toyota's top-rung Avalon.

All V6 Camrys use a six-speed automatic.

Camry has been at the top of the U.S. sales charts for eight of the past nine years and is a perennial hit in Canada.

Toyota would have been foolish to mess much with the formula, especially when faced with such strong competition from the Accord, Altima, Mazda6 and Sonata — and let's not forget Ford's new Fusion and Chevy's Impala.

So it's not surprising Camry's core values remain unmolested: refinement, safety, comfort and, if history is an indicator, reliability and resale value.

That means that in LE form anyway, it's still the same familiar vanilla ice cream, only now it's been sweetened with a subtle splash of caramel sauce.

wheels@thestar.ca;

bandb.early@sympatico.ca

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