November 01 09:00 2017 by Alexey Dmitriev
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In Russia it is bought by mediocre businessmen and not very high-ranking officials, and in the USA it is bought by... everyone who has not bought a pickup truck! What is the secret of the model’s success and how will the release of the new generation under the V70 index affect it, and most importantly, will it appear in Russia?
Having first arrived in the USA 5 years ago, I would have been surprised how differently the Toyota Camry is positioned in the American market. For mere pennies, namely for 20 thousand dollars, which at that time was just over 600 thousand rubles, you could buy a “basic” Camry, which had only an automatic transmission, air conditioning and an electric driver’s seat among the options. The light gray velor interior was so boring and simple that passengers found it more pleasant to drive with their eyes closed. Typical vehicle.
In Russia everything is completely different. The model is positioned as a car for those whose lives are already “almost” successful. The “message” that the Camry owner sends to others sounds like: “Look what I have achieved. Tomorrow will be even cooler!” The music and climate control panel in the rear armrest hints at the impossible - the Camry can serve as a “personal car” with a driver!
But, damn it... How?! How can an essentially identical car sell equally well in such different market niches? How does Camry manage to stay at the top of Olympus for so long, and this despite the fact that the model’s character is more than calm.
Love Formula
The recipe for creating such a car is simple, like all ingenious things, but in the case of the Camry, not many manufacturers have the necessary ingredients at their disposal. The first is more car for the same money, the second is legendary reliability and the third is the prestige of the brand even in the economy segment. Toyota has an exclusive patent for “legendary reliability” and prestige, despite the mass brand - after all, the Land Cruiser itself is produced under the same logo.
Originally created for the American consumer, the Camry was never a driver's car and was rather famous for its smooth ride. Sometimes even excessive. American examples in the V40 body, which came to Russia through “gray” channels, could be recognized by their stooped “posture” and imposing swaying on every bump. Fortunately, Camry, officially sold in Russia, was still tuned to the tastes of the European client.
Since then, Camry received Russian registration, so by the end of the 2000s, most of the cars on the market were either made in Russia or imported from Japan. The model was firmly entrenched at the top of the “business” segment that even market fluctuations or permanent crises could not prevent it. In fact, an unspoken rule has formed: “if you don’t know what to take, take a Camry.” The St. Petersburg “registration” only consolidated the success, allowing one to participate in government tenders and end up in garages for special and not very special purposes.
The versions were slightly different in different markets. So, the car in the V40 body was almost identical, but the 50th series in Russia and the USA received noticeable differences. Just two years ago, a Camry in the V60 body appeared on the American market, which never came to Russia, but before we knew it, the 70th series was already in line, based on the new TNGA platform, potentially capable of turning a boring business into a business. -sedana driver's car. This already smacks of revolution...
New Toyota Camry 2021: test drive, owner reviews, disadvantages
New Toyota Camry 2021: test drive, owner reviews, disadvantages.
Impressions: I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan of the Camry, despite the fact that it has held the leadership in the segment for many years. The strengths have always been known - decent smoothness, a comfortable back row, a large trunk, reliability and incredible liquidity on the secondary market. But the drawback was the same - from generation to generation the Camry remained a car for passengers. And the concept of a “driver’s car” was alien to her. And the design was downright boring. But with the current generation everything has changed.
New Toyota Camry 2021: test drive, owner reviews, disadvantages
The menacing grin of the large air intake in the front bumper, the complex edges on the sidewalls, the slanted look... It may not claim to be a masterpiece in terms of design delights, but the car is no longer boring - that’s a fact. Built on the new TNGA platform, the Camry has grown in all directions, with the exception of height. The wheelbase has stretched the most - almost 50 mm. This usually has a positive effect on space for rear passengers. But in the previous generation there were no problems with the comfort of rear passengers, so the increase remained unnoticeable.
New Toyota Camry 2021: test drive, owner reviews, disadvantages
But in the driver’s seat, changes are immediately visible. The ergonomics of the workplace are good. And the range of seat height adjustment is enough for those who like a low seating position, which, by the way, the predecessor could not boast of. The only caveat is that the side support bolsters are widely spaced, and their “hug” may not be enough for everyone. However, a small revolution took place in the front part of the cabin - the ill-fated electronic watches, which had wandered from generation to generation, disappeared. The same fate befell the outdated rectangular keys that previously populated the center console.
But the most important revolution occurred in the character of the chassis. As soon as I entered a winding section of the road, I couldn’t believe my... hands. The steering wheel is filled with a clear effort, the reactions are accurate and timely. No excessive rolls or sway. The Camry traces the arc delicately and captivates the driver with a large margin of stability. I started smiling while driving a Toyota!
The range of engines remained the same - two gasoline “fours” with a displacement of two and two and a half liters, as well as a V6 with a displacement of three and a half liters. The first two engines are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the older one works with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This is exactly the tandem I got. And there are zero complaints about his work. The “six” has enough traction throughout the entire speed range, and the new automatic causes controversy over the need for a sport mode. The box works quickly and in normal mode.
Prospects: There is no doubt that Camry will retain its sales leadership. Having retained her strong features, she acquired new ones - she had a character that had not existed before. And it is possible that the new generation will find a new target audience.
Source
I turned around to look
When I first saw the new Toyota Camry from afar in traffic, I couldn’t understand for a long time: was this the design or the consequences of an accident? The dark “gills” of the sports body kit, falling down near the edges of the rear lights, look like one big gap, but up close everything fell into place.
The very next day I called a manager I knew with a request to give me a new Camry for a test drive, in order to find out whether it is as original inside as it is outside, and most importantly, how it drives.
Buyers have two design options available: “traditional” basic (versions L, LE and XLE) with a wide false radiator grille or “evil” (SE and XSE) with an aggressive appearance and a sporty body kit.
I got a Camry in the “sports” body kit of the SE version with a 2.5 engine, an automatic transmission, a combined interior, a keyless entry system, a blind spot monitoring system and a large multimedia screen. In a word - potentially the most popular version.
The new Camry has increased slightly in length (4859 mm) and width (1839 mm), but the wheelbase has become noticeably longer by as much as 49 mm (up to 2824 mm). Despite this, the distance between the rows and the trunk volume have decreased.
Once inside the showroom, you understand that marketers have set themselves the goal of expanding the Camry audience to include younger buyers without losing old ones. Wanting to make the interior more modern, designers took inspiration from the sister Prius.
The interior in the photographs looks modern and expensive. In life, no miracle happened. The quality of materials decreases in inverse proportion to height. If the upper part of the dashboard is made of high-quality soft plastic, then as it descends it becomes hard, becoming cheap and hard around the central tunnel and the gearbox selector.
By the way, about the selector. On previous generations, the handle was made in the form of an antediluvian poker, which, in addition, could be unscrewed. Now this annoying drawback has been eliminated, but the handle is still easy to use and there is no desire to hold on to it while moving. Gone are the “calculator watches” with their signature luminescent glow. They pissed everyone off so much, but now they're gone and we'll miss them.
Camry has always been hostage to the family hierarchy. The Camry can be as good as it wants, but it won't be good enough to drive Lexus buyers away. This, as it was said in one famous film about the adventures of men, explains a lot.
Pros and cons of the new Toyota Camry XV70 from 2021
The Japanese say that the ninth generation Toyota Camry is a completely new car that costs from 1.4 million rubles. Which uses technologies that were not available to Camry owners in the XV50 body.
If you take a closer look, there isn't much new.
The body of the Toyota Camry XV70 is very similar to the seventh generation model, the same headlights and lines, but a more aggressive appearance. If such a model had replaced the XV40 in 2012, it would have had no equal, but in 2021 you won’t surprise anyone with such a design. Moreover, the rear part looks a lot like the Kia Rio 3.
The Camry 9 engine is the same 6AR-FSE, 2AR-FE, which I have been producing for 10 years, and comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission ASIN, although in America they produce exactly the same model with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Our 8-automatic transmission comes only with a 3.5-liter V6 2GR-FKS engine in the maximum configuration. The engines are simple naturally aspirated, servicemen don’t even know how to change the turbocharger, since it simply doesn’t exist, unlike their classmates. Well, maybe this is for the better.
What's new in Toyota Camry with XV70 body
The rear suspension is Independent, on double wishbones, let the car drivers now know what it means to replace the silent blocks of the rear wishbones.
LED headlights are standard; halogen and xenon are not even offered. Don’t even look at the cost of one headlight so as not to upset yourself.
Hello tuners , they finally heard you - the spacer is also installed as standard.
Phones can be recharged remotely on a special platform near the gear selector
Options that are available in richer trim levels
Smart Entry Heated steering wheel Heated rear seats Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Braking and Pedestrian Sensing (PCS) Cruise Control with Follow-Up Assist Lane Change Alert Automatic switching high beam to low beam System for recognizing and informing the driver about road signs.
Cons of the new Toyota Camry
The engines are the same, but the car has become a little heavier, so acceleration to hundreds has become even faster with a 2-liter engine in 11 seconds, with a 2.5-liter engine in about 10.
Ground clearance - ground clearance decreased by 5 cm and is 15.5 cm
The trunk has become even smaller, 493 liters, on the 8th generation Camry it was 506 liters, and the trunk lining is made of a material closer to cars in the lower price range.
The central tunnel has been made even higher, although there are no models with all-wheel drive
The Toyota Camry interior looks quite modern, but quickly loses its appearance. The lacquer surfaces of the front panel resemble fingerprinting. Fingerprints remain everywhere and glare strongly in the sun. Even the external door handle raises questions. The quality of the plastic comes from the Toyota Corolla, which rattles and scratches quickly. The front passenger's knees rest against the curve of the panel. The glove box in a car for 2 million rubles is a simple tray without lighting.
The steering rack ratio was radically reduced - the steering wheel became much sharper and more agile. Such sharp handling is supported by the chassis, which copes with such lateral accelerations. Steering responses are very precise, unambiguous and understandable. But if before it was a locomotive that could drive along a road of any degree of damage absolutely straight and did not strain the driver. Now the car shifts with any unevenness and requires steering, and with a sharp steering wheel you need to be careful. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to drive such a car on our roads and drive it with one hand.
The suspension of the new Camry is tuned for smoother roads; if previously the slogan was a car for the whole country, when the road ends, the Camry begins, then the new generation transfers every unevenness to the cabin.
Toyota Camry 2021 specifications with a 2.5 liter engine
Engine type In-line, 4-cylinder Additional. engine information DOHC, Dual VVT-i CO2 emissions, g/km 183 - 204 Cylinder diameter, mm 88.5 - 90 Number of valves per cylinder 4 Front tires 235/45 R18 Rear tires 235/45 R18 Power 181 hp Consumption 8.3 l Fuel type Gasoline AI-92 Transmission Automatic drive Front-wheel drive (FF) Number of seats 5 seats Ground clearance 155 mm Trunk volume 493 l
Tags XV70, cons, new, pros, Camry
Angel or demon?
Introduced in 2015, the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform is not just a tribute to fashion, but rather an economic feasibility. Most manufacturers strive for flexible unification, regardless of class, but not everyone can afford such savings.
Camry has only now tried on elements of the new architecture. As a result, the appearance of a rear double-wishbone suspension instead of the previous McPherson struts, a lower center of gravity and ground clearance reduced from 155 to 145 millimeters, which should make the car more manageable. The organization of the interior also adds to the sportiness - the front seats are set lower by 25 mm, the rear ones by 30 mm.
American roads are not the best testing ground for testing the driving qualities of cars. As one army joke says, everything here is “straight, perpendicular and painted,” so I couldn’t find any long turns or mountain serpentines. However, even in the conditions of city streets and high-speed highways, it became clear that the new platform benefited the sedan.
It's still a long way from European elasticity, but the Camry can no longer be called imposing. The sedan holds a straight line perfectly, handles bumps tightly, while maintaining a reasonable level of comfort.
I was very surprised by the new naturally aspirated engine A25A-FKS. The volume has not changed compared to its predecessor (2.5 liters), but a combined fuel injection system has appeared (into the intake manifold and directly into the cylinders) and the compression ratio has been increased (from 10.4:1 to 13:1).
If the old 2AR-FE engine produced 180 hp. and 230 Nm, then the output of the new engine is 206 hp. and 249 Nm, although maximum performance is achieved at 6600 rpm. For the top version of the XSE, the power was “pumped up” to 209 hp. and 252 Nm.
The engine is so good that there is a risk of a drop in demand for the top-end 3.5-liter V6, which now produces 301 hp. (instead of the previous 272 hp) especially in countries with “biting” transport taxes, like Russia. The new 2.5-liter unit is noticeably faster and more responsive than its predecessor, and the new eight-speed automatic transmission perfectly complements the picture.
However, the V6-powered Camry was and remains an excellent option for those who want a lot of power for relatively little money. It is with this engine that the buyer will receive the most aggressive exterior, including a dark X-shaped front grille, a rear spoiler, LED headlights and smoky-tinted lights, a panoramic roof, 19-inch wheels and a “quad-barrel” exhaust.
Toyota Camry has become so accustomed to the image of a bespectacled intellectual that in the new version it seems ashamed of its advantages. Having taken a clear step forward, she firmly holds on to the conservative buyer, not wanting to scare him with her aggressive exterior and sporty character. Preferring not to take risks, marketers made two versions for two different categories of clients. But something else is fundamentally important - the Camry now has a twist. Now she will be chosen not only with her head, but also with her heart. And most importantly, judging by rumors, the new generation will still get to Russia.
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