No, it’s not the new 2018 Camry, but I think the 2017 model makes a good case for itself on the used car market. The Camry is always referred to as the dull, boring option in the midsize sedan segment, however with the 2015 model year refresh, Toyota rebranded the Camry as “fun” to drive. Every exterior body panel had been redesigned except for the roof, and Toyota focused on reducing wind and road noise. The structure had also been slightly updated to improve rigidity, along with a retuned suspension for better handling and revised electric steering to give the Camry a more sporty feel. Naturally, I was curious to drive the post-refresh 7th generation Camry to see if the updates truly did improve the driving experience.
One aspect that Toyota really wanted to improve in the Camry was the steering feel. After driving this car around for a little while, I was able to confirm that the steering does feel better compared to the previous versions of the Camry. I can’t speak for the LE or the XSE trims, but the steering in the SE is surprisingly heavy, and it gives you a decent on-center feel. The steering feels linear and well matched to what the front tires are doing, and it responds smoothly and fluidly. There is still some vagueness that you would typically associate with a Camry, but the feedback and response you get from the steering when rounding corners feels accurate and decently connected. The precision is definitely improved, and while the steering doesn’t feel sporty, it feels predictable and gives you a good sense of where the vehicle is going to end up. The added weight to the steering definitely helps the Camry feel more secure in most driving situations. The Camry seems to point straight at an arrow when you’re cruising around, and the vehicle maintains good body control.
I do have a few gripes with the steering, though. While the steering is a little bit heavier, it feels artificially weighted. Added weight doesn’t always mean sportier performance, and I think that is definitely evident here. You can still tell that the steering is still just a little bit slow to respond at initial turn in, and there really isn’t much of anything in terms of road feel. I do like the weighted feeling out on the highway, but you can still tell that you’re driving a Camry.
The Camry is powered by a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder as the base engine, making 178 horsepower and 170 lb. ft. of torque. I think the 4 cylinder works well in the Camry. It feels peppy enough to keep up with traffic, and I honestly did not find myself in a situation where I felt that I needed more power. It’s not fast, but it does have a nice linear power band and it gives you a decent level of torque off the line. The power feels adequate and evenly distributed. Even on the highway, I didn’t run into any issues with merging or passing. It’s not the best sounding 4 cylinder, but this engine is quiet and it does its job well. The 3.5 liter V6 is always there for people who want more power, but the 4 cylinder will perform just fine for most people.
The 6-speed automatic, as you would expect from Toyota, is very smooth. It keeps the engine where you want it to be most of the time. It also feels slightly more eager to downshift compared to other Toyota products I’ve driven, with fairly smooth and snappy downshifts that don’t require you to go hard on the accelerator. You still need to bury your foot into it a little to get some passing power, but it’s not anything that I found unusual given the class of vehicle the Camry competes in. Most other cars in this segment are about the same in that regard. Even when you’re just feathering the gas in stop and go traffic, the transmission does a really good job at selecting the correct gears and getting you up to speed smoothly and efficiently. It doesn’t hunt for gears, it doesn’t jerk you around or slam into gear, and it doesn’t really try to put you in overdrive as soon as possible for fuel economy. It’s just a smooth, honest, 6-speed automatic. In some ways, I prefer this 6-speed over the 8-speed used in the 2018 Camry, because this transmission just feels more predictable and the shift logic seems to be better matched to your throttle inputs. I found the newer 8-speed to be somewhat clunky and stubborn at times, whereas this 6-speed is just smooth and feels easier to control.
As I mentioned above, the Camry maintains good body control in most driving situations. I think that this car handles better than the Nissan Altima, but it’s not quite as refined as a Fusion nor is it as playful as an Accord or Mazda 6. That said, I did not get the sense that the Camry was floaty or lumbering. It actually feels pretty stable for the class. You can go around corners about as fast as you would in a Fusion or an Accord (of the same era of course, I can’t speak for the new Accord) and come out of it just fine. There is some body lean, but it’s tailored back at a respectable level. You always feel in control of the vehicle, and the Camry will track around corners with a certain buttoned down nature that you didn’t quite get from the previous models. Overall, I found that the Camry was pretty solid in the handling department.
One thing I noted about the Camry is that the chassis does feel heavier compared to some other midsize sedan entries. You feel some extra weight around turns, and you don’t really get that light and airy feel that you might find in some of the sportier options. The factory tires will squeal on you every now and then as well. However, I do think the Camry still does a decent job at zipping around despite that. Everything feels controlled, and the Camry is just very simple and easy to maneuver. It might not be as flat or tuned in as the new 2018 Camry, but the handling of this generation impressed me. Everybody gives the Camry so much flak for how it handles, but I personally didn’t find anything wrong with it when I drove it.
I also really like the feel of this car out on the highway. The Camry feels built for the interstate. You can pretty much just cruise at any speed you want and the Camry retains nice levels of solidity and composure. The steering points straight, and lane change maneuvers feel really solid and accurate. It’s surprisingly easy to zip around on the freeway in this car. I think the highway performance is definitely better than the Altima, and even a little better compared to the 9th generation Honda Accord at times. When you compare highway performance in the 7th generation Camry to the 9th generation Accord, I think the Camry wins hands down. For one, the Accord’s steering doesn’t really feel as planted at highway speeds compared to the Camry’s steering, the Accord’s CVT doesn’t feel as intuitive as the Camry’s 6-speed automatic when seeking some passing power, and the Accord’s highway ride and interior road noise are not as refined as the Camry’s ride and noise levels. As I mentioned above, I can’t speak for the 10th generation Accord, but the 9th generation Accord definitely had some weaknesses in areas that the 7th generation Camry excelled at.
In terms of general response from the Camry, it’s about what you would expect from a Toyota product. The accelerator responds fairly quickly, albeit feeling a little stiff and having a slight dead-zone at the beginning of the pedal. The brakes have a smooth, stiff bite to them, and it’s easy to modulate the amount of stopping power and distance you need. The ride quality is silky smooth and the car glides down rough road surfaces without a problem. It’s still a Camry, so the ride and handling don’t really feel expensive or substantial, but it’s still the smooth riding commuter car that it has always been. That said, the 2018 Camry definitely has a more composed ride, and the chassis in the new Camry generally feels more stable and relaxed.
The outward visibility in the Camry is probably the best I’ve ever seen out of a modern car as well. I would say that visibility is easily best in class. The rear window is gigantic, and upon looking in your rearview mirror you just see a sheet of glass and the road directly behind you. There’s nothing in terms of high belt lines, steeply raked windows, or obstructive headrests that get in your way. Side mirrors are large, and the front hood slopes down completely out of sight giving you a nice clear view of the road in front of you.
Overall, the Camry is a good car. I don’t think it drives as premium as an Accord, Mazda 6, or a Ford Fusion, but it’s still a good family sedan to cruise around in. It doesn’t feel floaty like the previous generations, and overall I think most people shopping in this category would like this car if they drove one. The driving experience doesn’t really have anything interesting or unique that stands out, but the 2017 Camry is a very predictable car that reads your inputs well and does what you want it to do. The transmission feels more eager and responsive compared to previous models, the handling is a bit stiffer and more rigid without sacrificing ride quality, the steering is more precise, and overall there’s really not much to complain about in the driving experience. I do think the chassis could feel lighter, and the interior is definitely on the colder and more bland side of things, but if you want a smooth, reliable, efficient commuter car with decent handling all at a good value, I would put the 7th generation Camry on your list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZunOwXx92Vw