New Toyota Camry First Drive Review

The Toyota Camry has been in the Indian market since the early 2000s and this time around, the new-gen comes back stronger with the signature traits of the brand, while packing a whole lot more, be it the features, tech, or the design. Now in its ninth generation, the Camry will not only rival the Skoda Superb but also entry-level luxury sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class limousine and the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. Does the Camry trump all the aforementioned cars? We find out.

The 2024 Camry carries over the ideology of a clean and subtle design, albeit with design elements that are bound to catch your attention. The fascia is all-new, and the C-shaped LED DRLs sitting alongside the LED projector headlamps look rather sleek. Then, there is the air dam, on which either side of the design takes inspiration from its Lexus siblings. The C-shaped design is carried over to the taillights too, thus making it unmistakably a Camry, whenever you see one on the road. The new diamond-cut alloy wheels look sharp and add a sporty appeal to the otherwise elegant design. Speaking of elegance, the Camry comes in a single fully loaded variant called Elegant, and customers can go for the Sprint Edition at the dealership level.

The interior of the new Toyota Camry has received an overhaul too, and Toyota claims that the theme has been upgraded as well with a new shade of beige to contrast the black. There are soft-touch materials on the dashboard, doors, and a few parts of the seat, but we felt that this should have amassed a larger part of the interior considering the segment. The top of the dashboard gets grainy plastic, which feels out of place for an ask of Rs. 48 lakh (ex-showroom).

The touchscreen and driver’s display have been upgraded from nine- and seven-inch units, respectively to 12.3 inches each. The touchscreen is slick and quick in terms of response, while the instrument console now has a fresh and contemporary design, making both feel up-to-date in terms of technology and cosmetics, respectively. The centre console gets a modern design, and the buttons for the ventilated seats make their way below the touchscreen, on either side of the AC controls. Gone is the faux wood finish to make way for a glossy black finish, while the armrest is now finished in black as well.

The second row is where customers in this segment would usually reside and they would be content with the amount of space that the Camry has to offer. The legroom is aplenty, even after setting the front seat to one’s preferences, and there is a fair amount of headroom for the average Indian. The shoulder room might be borderline tight, but with two people at the rear and the armrest down to control various functions, you’d have more than enough space to sit in comfort or relax while watching a movie. The rear armrest allows you to control the media functions, rear row climate control, rear windshield blind, and electric backrest adjustment. It also has two cup holders that can easily handle a 500ml bottle. It lacks any facility for storage though, which we feel could have upped the utility quotient in this case maybe with a wireless charger.

The feature set has a lot to boast about, some of which include a 360-degree camera, heads-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, EPB, drive modes, three-zone climate control, ADAS suite, TPMS, nine-speaker music system, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, memory function for the driver seat, and ventilated front seats. That said, it does miss out on a few niceties like a panoramic sunroof, wireless Android Auto, and electrically adjustable rear sun blinds. While the Camry does offer as many as five USB Type-C charging ports, the lack of even a single USB Type-A port can be an inconvenience for a few, as we unfortunately encountered.

The Camry is powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine paired with a hybrid motor sending power to the wheels via an e-CVT gearbox. The petrol mill generates 184bhp and 221Nm, while the electric motor develops 134bhp and 208Nm. The latter, which allows an EV-only mode, helps the sedan to return a claimed mileage of 25.49kmpl.

The Camry is butter-smooth in its power delivery right from the word go. It has enough grunt for unplanned overtakes, although this is the only time you’ll hear the petrol engine in all its glory. For all other times, the NVH was well controlled and the refinement is very typical of petrol-powered Toyota cars. The progression of speed is linear, and based on the accelerator input, the car will switch to EV mode in order to save fuel while on the go. Targeted at customers who want comfort, the suspension is set up marginally on the softer side, although the Camry holds its weight well around turns too. The steering is light for city usage, and it weighs up as one builds speeds out on the highway. With 2.5 turns lock to lock, manoeuvring the car is rather simple too.

In our short stint with the car, we did happen to test a few ADAS features such as the lane departure control, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beam, all of which performed to the standard norms and to our expectations as well.

The new Toyota Camry, as we mentioned earlier, is available in a single fully loaded variant with a price tag of Rs. 48 lakh (ex-showroom). This gets you the Elegant version, while an additional premium at the dealer level can get the sportier Sprint Edition for the youngster inside you. It entails a few upgrades, including a blacked-out roof, wheels, and ORVMs, and a body kit. The interior benefits from ambient lighting, dual screens for second-row occupants, and door warning lights.

Yes, the Camry does have a few chinks in its armour such as minor feature omissions and misses when it comes to practicality, including USB Type-C charging ports, panoramic sunroof, and the lack of electric sun blinds. But at the same time, it more than makes up for it with the ample amount of space, frugal powertrain, and then some more, all backed by the bullet-proof reliability that the company has to offer.

Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi