2012 Toyota Camry: The Same, But Better

In the automotive world, there are a few nameplates that have a certain je ne c'est quoi, or cachet, attached. Utter the name Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar, or Maserati in the presence of a serious autophile or motorsports enthusiast, and you'll probably be met with a distinctly Dr. Evil-esque grin that is your signal that they'd like to spend the next three hours of your life discussing sidedraft vs downdraft carburetors and the like. However, mention the name "Camry" in the presence of the general public, and a middle aged couple wearing matching outfits might regale you for just as long about how little their own Camry has intruded upon their life. Indeed, the Toyota Camry certainly has made a name for itself.

A much needed image improvement... Brought to you by Acura?

Beleaguered and beset upon by everything from horrifically huge global recalls to a worldwide recession to tsunamis to nuclear disasters, it's no secret that the public perception of Toyota could use a little polishing. Having worked their way into countless Canadian driveways with reliable and entertaining cars like the Corolla, Celica, and removable-roofed 4Runner, the last crop of Toyota passenger cars has ignominiously traded the entertaining aspects of their formers for a milquetoast, oatmealy and a staunchly inoffensive approach to motoring that left the Camry feeling more like a mobile sensory deprivation chamber than an automobile.

But, heavily revised for the 2012 model year, the new Camry hopes to rectify that right off the bat by appealing to its potential owners eyeballs. Wearing a fresh skin of slightly tighter sheetmetal, the 2012 Camry holds true to last year's dimensions, retaining a loss of mass right around the C-pillar and rear flanks, but does away with the bloated shapes that defined the last one. The bulging lights, both fore and aft, have been replaced by sharply creased and heavily styled units somewhat indicative of Nissan and Acura's latest styling language, and both front and rear fascias have been significantly restyled to give the car a more aggressive, and expressive, air. But perhaps the most impressive part of this new car's refresh is how well the new bodywork hides the car's overall size. Whilst the old Camry looked like it was much larger than it actually was, this new one's slimming body stampings seem to be the metallic equivalent of horizontal stripes.

However, before I credit Toyota with finally breaking new ground with the Camry's looks, there's something that simply must be said about this new bodystyle: it's not new. In fact, if you open up a couple more tabs in your browser and search Google for images of the 2012 Camry alongside images of the 2012 Acura TSX, you might find more than a few similarities. From the big, rectangular lower grille opening to the driving light surrounds to the headlights to the shoulder crease to narrow, V-shaped upper grille opening shrouded by an overhanging trim panel, the two seem to be cut from the same cloth. Even the rear 3/4 view offers up much of the same dimensions, with the Camry's taillights offering only slightly more visual drama. It's not necessarily a bad thing, these similarities; after all the TSX isn't exactly an ugly car. But, you can't help but wonder why Toyota wouldn't have opted to bring a little of their own luxury brand's DNA into the redesign, rather than that of their chief competitor's?

An Acura-inspired outside hides a Lexus-influenced interior

If the outside looks like it was brought to you by Acura, the inside that greets newcomers is anything but. In fact, if you were to ask, I'd say the interior's probably closer to that of a Lexus ES350 than it is to that of any previous Camry. In the as-tested XLE trim, big lustrous swathes of wood finish adorn the dashboard and centre console, with additional matching highlights appearing on the doors and shift knob. Dividing the well-paired light tan leather tone of the lower dash and seats from the equally well-finished faux black leather of the upper dash,  the wood pairs perfectly with the multi-layered styling of the dashboard and looks especially good on the shift knob and doors.

And of course, being a Camry, it's a ridiculous easy place to set about the task of driving. With a wide range of adjustment on both the seat and steering wheel, and thick, wide, plush seating arrangements throughout, it's about as comfortable as you could ever hope. And, of course, there's a real dirth of storage nooks at the driver's disposal, from the large centre console bin to the very Lexus-like little drawer to the left of the steering wheel. Additionally, no less than four quite commodious cupholders up front ensure that the Camry is well able to contain more liquids than the average human being.

In the back, the legroom is best defined as reasonable, but the bulky and rakish C-pillars to encroach a little on the outermost seats' headroom and really give the impression that you're very much in the very back of the car. Headroom is, as with the front seats, ample, and the flattish floor and well-designed interior door panels ensure that a three abreast situation is as pleasant as can be. However, as with most sedans, the centre seat's comfort level is undermined slightly by the seat back's shape and folding rear armrest.

Acura outside, Lexus inside, Toyota underway?

There's simply no getting around the fact that all the earmarks of a good Toyota Camry are also assurances that the resultant automobile will probably drive in an anything-but-scintillating manner. After all, the best way to ensure longevity is to shy away from stressing components, and in this regard the Camry certainly plays the role. Having tested the top tier XLE model fitted with the optional V6 and shod with snow tires, the closest I ever came to excitement was attempting to corral the Camry's quickly-delivered horsepower before they made their indelible mark upon Vancouver's rain-soaked streets. With plenty of torque, what seemed to be a very low first gear, and an eager torque converter, the high-void snow tires found themselves vastly out of their depth on wet roads, and getting the Camry to go uphill or off the line without spinning at least one tire up was oftentimes an exercise in restraint. Once up to speed though, the V6 gave respectable power and returned similarly respectable fuel economy, all without feeling terrible agrarian.

The Camry's handling and ride is, much like the engine, about what you'd expect. With quick steering that's moderately overboosted, the utter lack of communication that makes its way up the steering column doesn't inspire confidence, but this isn't exactly a problem that many buyers will find fault with. Instead, it's much more likely to garner praise for its isolating ride and well-damped suspension setup that works equally well at softening parking lot-delivered blows as it does undulations on the Trans Canada.

Somehow, still a Camry, through and through.

Although many of this new car's improvements do wonders to address would-be buyer's concerns that their next mid-size Toyota sedan will bore them nearly to death, the inescapable reality is that the Camry, by its very nature, will never ever be all that different than it is. Having built an empire on the backs of cars exactly like the dependable, down-to-earth, and utterly reasonable one before you, Toyota has nearly no reason to reinvent their ridiculous reliable wheel, no matter how much the automotive enthusiast community may beg, plead and malign. The fact is, is you're looking for a fun and fancy-free way to cart your 2.3 kids and 1 dog around, you'll probably end up looking elsewhere. And that's ok, because Toyota's already proven that there are more than enough car buyers hungry for low-maintenance, dependable automobiles; automobiles just like this.