The perfunctory, slow, family-matters Camry has finally broken its own, decades-old mold. What was once the sensible grocery-getter is no longer – in its place is a Toyota four-door that finally puts some pep to the pavement: The 2018 Camry. By looks alone, it’s fast standing still. And yes, it feels weird for us to even report on this eight-generations-old wagon of boredom in such a manner. But, well, there it is:
It’s a looker, to be sure. Toyota took no shame in plugging some very heavy Lexus inspiration into the new Camry, and it works well, without appearing like too much of a knock-off toy. The swept front fascia sports some acute geometry and an aggressive, diamond-mesh grille with some louver-esque side accent vents – though we strongly doubt they provide any measure of cooling for brakes. It is still a Camry, after all.
Or, is it? The V6 returns to the 2018 Camry and it puts out some very respectable numbers for any value-based sedan. At 3.5 liters the new Camry makes 301 horsepower and 267 lb.-ft. of torque, up 33 horses and 19 torques, respectively. An eight-speed automatic provides much improved economy to boot, while the Hybrid version of the Camry still sports its kind-of-a-CVT weirdo trans unit. New owners who stick with the good ole’ four cylinder Camry can expect a bump of 5 MPGs in the combined EPA rating, while V6 owners see a 2-MPG gain. The big economy headline rests with the Hybrid – it pulls in 53 MPGs highway and 51 MPGs city, finally breaking that 50 figure.
The 2018 Camry does a good job of putting all that newly found power to the pavement. While previous generations were comfortable but by no means sporty, this new iteration delivers. A lower body, 2” wheelbase stretch, and new control arms and rear suspension upgrades make the Camry feel tight and responsive without any boating or wave-making when things get dramatic.
The 2018 Camry’s rear end sports some very Germanic styling cues, with quad exhaust tips poking out from a rear fascia that boasts subtle aero fins. The rear bumper and lights get a refresh, adopting some more Lexus-like styling with, well, we hate to say it, but some very BMWish curves. The rear taillights get sleeker, longer, and they host a faux exhaust vent that adds to the sporty looks. A cutesy, spoiler-adorned decklid panel completes the look without appearing like it’s trying too hard.
Inside the cockpit, things look downright luxurious. An integrated, full-color LCD touch screen hosts all the features one could ever ask for, and some very well appointed, not-too-much, not-too-little wood grain accents keep things feeling decadent without appealing to the gaudy dashboards of 90’s luxury saloons. Plenty of storage is provided for drivers and passengers, and the very cool gauge cluster LCD screen furthers that sport inspiration Toyota was going for. Audiophiles can enjoy the rather impressive 800-watt, nine-speaker JBL sound system that’s crisp and boomy without sounding hollow. Pandora, Spotify, and XM/Sirius are all available for pumping out your favorite jams.
Overall, we’re quite (pleasantly) surprised by the new 2018 Camry. It quietly entered the scene, but it packs enough performance, handling, styling, and luxury appointments that make it a newcomer in a market that Toyota previously sought to avoid.
