New Toyota Camry: First Look

By Motoring Channel Staff - 27/July/2006

Melbourne, Australia — Toyota has unveiled it's new sixth-generation Camry in Australia priced from $28,000 at a time when a number of new locally built cars are blanketing the marketplace, including GM Holden's new VE Commodore and another Toyota, the V6 Aurion.

The Japanese car company is pitching the new Camry as an alternative to the large car offerings, such as Ford's Falcon and GM Holden's Commodore, citing its improved interior space and efficient 4-cylinder engine as the major drawcards.

Furthermore, Toyota has made a decision to offer the new Camry as a 4-cylinder car in Australia - no 6-cylinder models will be offered. This plan is believed to have been initiated to give its upcoming Aurion a better chance of survival in the cut-throat world of large Australian built 6-cylinder cars. The 4-cylinder engine that will power all Camrys in Australia will be the 2AZ-FE, which is a 2.4-litre DOHC engine based on the superseded model.

The newer engine makes an additional 5kW over the model it replaces, while fuel efficiency remains unchanged. The new Camry makes 117kW of power @ 5700rpm and 218Nm of torque @ 4000rpm, which falls well short of Honda's 2.4-litre engine that develops 140kW and 223Nm of torque.

Alterations to the engine include new camshaft profiles, fuel injectors, engine management software and exhaust system, while help the vehicle to achieve relevant fuel efficiency figures of 8.9L/100km for the manual model and 9.9L/100km for the automatic. The automatic model is expected to account for about nine out of 10 Carmy's sold, but offers fuel consumption figures only one litre better than the new VE Commodore's 3.6-litre V6, but Toyota's top brass believe this won't unduly affect sales.

The two gearboxes on offer for the new Toyota Camry include 5-speed manual and 5-speed automatic transmissions, the second of which takes advantage of an uphill/downhill shift control system that ensures the transmission holds a lower gear rather than 'hunting' on hills.

Standard features on all new Camry models are as follows:

• Dual SRS airbags

• ABS with Brake Assist (BA)

• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

• Air conditioning (with pollen filter)

• Telescopic and tilt steering adjustment

• Steering wheel-mounted audio controls

• Impact-sensing fuel cut-off

• Cruise control

• Power windows and mirrors

• Remote central locking

• Security alarm

• Power lumbar support adjustment (driver's seat)

• Auto headlamps

• CD stereo with MP3/WMA audio capability

Toyota understands that since the last evolution of the Camry hit the market a few years ago, the traditionally lucrative large car segment has taken a tumble and sales are down by more than a one fifth compared to this time last year. In addition the growing importance of the small and medium car segments, Toyota's competitors have really turned up the heat. You can read the reviews of vehicles like the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro to find out just how far Toyota's rivals have come since the turn of the millennium, and the big T is keen to fire back with a powerful salvo that clearly leads with the Carmy's forward looking design.

As Toyota Australia's chief of sales and marketing, David Buttner, pointed out, "Camry has taken a quantum leap in desirability. The level of styling for global markets and the quality of its appointments and fit-out make Camry a direct competitor to medium imports and a serious alternative to locally made large cars."

Far less pedestrian than previous models, the new Camry exterior takes a leaf from the new Yaris' book of style, and seems to be aimed at a much younger market with its more aggressive front end. But considering that the average age of Camry drivers is well beyond 50 years old, could this outgoing design deter traditional buyers? Toyota describes the new look as 'athletic and modern'.

Buttner mentioned that in the USA (the world's biggest automobile market) the Toyota Camry is the number one selling passenger vehicle, later adding that the new Carmy is "...now far more than a value-for-money entrant in the medium car market. It is a proud Australian-made export-quality vehicle – perhaps the new flagship of the Australian motor industry. It is the right car for the right time, built to world’s best standards."

The new look also brings with it above average aero efficiency, contributing to a coefficient of drag to just 0.28. Toyota is also pushing the new model as a 'prestige vehicle', saying it's most obvious rivals come in the form of the Honda Accord Euro and Subaru Liberty. It's bigger than its rivals, sitting on an all-new global underbody that Toyota insists provides improved ride and handling, safety and appearance. The new global platform takes over from the older Modular Platform that both the previous-generation Camry and the Avalon were based on.

Redesigned suspension systems front and rear - MacPherson struts and wide-based L-shaped lower arms at the front and dual link struts at the rear - are part and parcel of the new platform, and the wheels have been pushed out wider and longer, giving the vehicle a larger footprint and a lower centre of gravity, and the new Camry's overall body rigidity has been improved when compared to its precursor. The Sportivo models have been paid a lot of attention, benefitting from underbody stabilising braces at the rear and a V-shaped rear brace behind the rear seat and to ensure rear rigidity.

Sportivo models also get improved underbody aerodynamics, unique spring, damper and stabiliser bar settings, as well as larger diametre (17-inch) wheels and Michelin sports tyres. Interestingly, the Australian-inspired calibration has been so successful that it will be shared with Toyota in the USA, for its new Camry SE model.

As well as the new floorpan for the medium car, Toyota's new Camry also heralds a new online system for buyers to track the production and delivery of their vehicle, removing the need for multiple calls to the dealership. According to Toyota, the Customer Order Web Tracking system "allows all Toyota customers to get instant updates on the status of their order, whether the vehicle is imported or manufactured locally".

Robert Gooch, who is Toyota's Customer First divisional manager, said the system will be of great use to customers whose cars are likely to take a few weeks to deliver: "Online access through Customer Order Web Tracking will increase customer satisfaction because the transparency of the system means there are no doubts about the delivery date. Customers can see exactly where their vehicle is, from the time they place the order to the day their vehicle is ready for collection. We believe this initiative will be appreciated by many customers, for example when there is a waiting list for a popular vehicle or when a customer requires a combination of features that are not available on vehicles in stock. The information in Customer Order Web Tracking comes directly from Toyota, which means customers will no longer have to ring the dealer to get an update."

Mr Gooch said that a recent trial allowed Toyota to fine tune the online system: "We received strongly positive feedback with most customers logging onto the system about seven times to check on the status of their order. Customers felt more involved in the process with a substantial number saying the availability of the system influenced their decision to purchase a vehicle. One customer even said he felt like an expectant father!"

The range is made up of four new models, beginning with Altise, Ateva, then the well-known Sportivo models and capped off with the $40,000 Camry Grande. This last one is a new model designation and in addition to the standard features listed four paragraphs ago, it features VSC (vehicle stability control), traction control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags, satellite navigation, steering wheel mounted Bluetooth controls, rain sensing wipers, a moonroof, a power rear sunshade, woodgrain finish.

Pricing has risen by $350 in the entry level Altise models, and the Sportivo models have become more than $1,000 more expensive. Here are the prices:

• Altise manual: $28,000

• Altise auto: $29,500

• Ateva: $33,000

• Sportivo manual: $33,000

• Sportivo auto: $34,500

• Grande: $39,900

For $750, the entry level Altise model can be optioned with a safety pack that adds front side airbags and front/rear curtain airbags, and true to past form the Sportivo models get a range of sporty extras, such as an aero bodykit (front rear aprons, skirts, spoiler), sports headlights, front fog lamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust tip, power adjustable sports seats alloy pedals and a leather steering wheel. The Sportivo model also gets a stiffer suspension tune that should give it a more athletic handling character.

Toyota Australia's sales and marketing director, David Buttner, mentioned that while prices may have risen slightly, standard features have improved: "We’ve improved the specification across the range, significantly lifting the value at each step. We’ve more strategically aligned each grade with its direct competitors and to exploit the changing market.

"Any customer thinking about downsizing from a large 6-cylinder sedan will get amazing value, both in purchase price and whole-of-life cost," added Buttner, again making the large car comparison, which is a little confusing as Toyota itself will be launching a large 6-cylinder car late in the year.

"Altise – with its enhanced specification and exceptional value for money – is the perfect car for the young family or the older, more traditional Camry buyer," Mr Buttner said. "Ateva offers a sensational combination of comfort and value – and we’re ready to hit our competitors with this model in the user-chooser market. We expect Ateva to be the key beneficiary of the elevated brand positioning created by the new range. Ateva is the economic alternative to the traditional large sixes and it’s keenly specced against its key Japanese competitor," said Buttner, taking a swipe at the Subaru Liberty.

"Sportivo is aimed fairly and squarely at a younger, outdoors-oriented buyer who wants the sports suspension, aspirational appeal and real driveway envy. This car is living proof we can sell Camry on style and emotion. Since we introduced this variant, it has attracted dramatically different customers to the Camry brand," Buttner said.