In a current automobile marketplace revealing a most robust palette of crossover vehicles, sports cars, trucks and super sedans, the Toyota Camry projects the excitement of unbuttered bread. Despite this fact, the Camry has routinely been the one of the best-selling vehicles in North America. Viewed as constant proof that the rather ‘Plain Jane’ mid-sized car is striking the right chord with consumers, 2012 Toyota Camry merely tweaks the working formula.
Dimension for the 2012 Camry is unchanged but a new exterior appearance is designed to give the impression of a lower stance. The front-end styling is modified on the new sedan giving a slightly more rigid, sportier look. NASCAR Sprint Cup fans of the past week’s Irwin Tools Night Race would have received a preview of this refreshed styling in action on top stock cars.
Inside the four-door sedan, the 2012 Toyota Camry is greatly impacted by the availability of the auto company’s latest Entune multimedia technology. Providing a great amount of media flexibility, Entune gives users the choice of infotainment options including music service Pandora. From entertainment to safety, the media center screen will also double as a projection for the back-up camera when the 2012 Toyota Camry is set in reverse. Regardless to whether the drivers and passenger are enjoying the services of Entune or simply partaking in a comfortable, quiet cruise, the 2012 Camry’s sound dampening will provide better sound shielding against vibration and road noise.
Part of the new 2012 Toyota Camry’s revisions includes some tweaks to the powertrains. Gone for the 2012 model year is the lower output version of the 2.5 liter inline-4 power unit. Generating the 178 horsepower, the 2012 Toyota Camry’s entry-level 4-cylinder powerplant supports dual variable valve timing and gasoline direct injection. The performance-oriented 2012 Toyota Camry sedan continues to be the 268 horsepower, 3.5 liter V-6 engine.
Though output from the 2012 model year range of Toyota engines remains identical to the 2011 model, improvements in engine and drivetrains allows the new Camry to be more fuel-efficient. Equipped with the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder powerplant, the 2012 Toyota Camry achieves 28 miles per gallon in average fuel economy. Compared to the 2011 model car, the 2012 Camry gains an extra two miles of travelling for every gallon of gasoline. Employing a higher final gear ratio than the previous model, the 3.5 liter V-6 equipped Camry sedan features an additional 1-mile increase per gallon of gasoline for city and highway driving. In average driving, the 2012 Toyota Camry with the optional six-cylinder engine can coast 25 miles per gallon. A six-speed automatic transmission will be the only gearbox found mated to both Toyota Camry engines in 2012.
A new Toyota Camry Hybrid also becomes a fixture for the 2012 model year changes. Sharing the revised exterior and interior look, subtle details including badging are used to distinguish the gasoline/electric powertrain model. Technically, the 2012 Camry Hybrid receives the most dedication from Toyota engineers. A more efficient vehicle than its predecessor, the new Toyota Camry Hybrid is a much smarter system. For short distances no longer than 1.6 miles, a new EV Drive mode that allows travel at under 25 miles per hour on electric power only. Offering significant travel distance, the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid fuel economy extends to 41 miles per gallon through average driving. A massive 8 mile per gallon improvement over its 2011 counterpart, better aerodynamics, lighter components and a better Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive are credited for the Camry Hybrid’s increase.
While the Indianapolis 500 has maintained only United States brands could assume pace car duties, NASCAR’s biggest race, the Daytona 500, will extend the pace car honour for the very first time to Japanese badged vehicle when the 2012 Camry escorts 43 race cars around for the major season kick-off. While the brand may not be derived from American soil, it is worth noting the 2012 Toyota Camry is a product of the auto company’s Georgetown, Kentucky assembly plant.
A very mild restyling coupled with some mild technical improvements, it remains to be seen if the 2012 Toyota Camry will release the same backlash as the new Honda Civic. Incurring an introduction that left some expecting more from Honda’s leading compact car, the 2012 Civic most public insult was the lose of its recommended status from Consumer Report. However, just like the highly beloved Honda Civic, the Toyota Camry has a history of making minor changes that greatly affect the American automobile market.
Information and photo source: NASCAR, Toyota Motor Corporation
