Drive a Camry back-to-back with the competition and it's obvious that few manufacturers understand what goes into a good family sedan as well as Toyota. The Camry is roomy, quiet, refined and capable in every way that counts in day-to-day driving. It's certainly not an exciting car like the Mazda 6, nor does it put all the desirable features together as well as the Accord. But for the most part, it satisfies — especially with the availability of a new 225-horsepower engine in the SE V6 model for 2004. It came as little surprise then that the Toyota quietly slipped into third place.

Even though the Toyota Camry isn't necessarily a car we'd buy for ourselves (it was, however, number two out of 10 on one editor's personal picks list), it's definitely one that we feel good about recommending to others. In addition, our SE V6 test car earned the second-highest score on editors' comprehensive 23-point evaluations, while posting solid numbers in all performance tests. It also had 10 of the 12 features we consider most important in a family sedan as either standard or optional. Other than its non-sporting personality, the Camry's only real weakness was price — when sensibly optioned, it cost more than every other sedan in the test, except the Passat.

Stepping inside the Camry, we were greeted by a simple dash ensemble with tried-and-true orange backlighting and large controls. It's not as distinctive as either the Accord's or the Passat's cabin, but it looks and feels equally high in quality. This being the SE model, Toyota has attempted to hip it up a bit with metallic accents. These didn't do much for us, but the small, thick-rimmed steering wheel that looks like it was pulled from a Celica was appreciated by all. Although we noted a few instances of discordant grain patterns, interior finishes are generally beyond reproach with soft-touch materials and sturdy, low-gloss plastics everywhere you look. Build quality was impeccable, as not one editor came across a misaligned panel inside or out.

The front seats are broad, flat and well cushioned. Although they're not the most supportive seats in this class, they're well suited for larger occupants. There's plenty of shoulder and hiproom, and a spacious driver footwell assures that long-legged drivers won't feel kinked up on road trips. We do wish that Toyota would consider adding a telescope adjustment feature for the steering wheel.

In terms of backseat comfort, the Camry unofficially leads the class along with the Accord and Altima (if you regularly transport tall passengers in back, all three cars are worth a try). Back cushion rake and bench height are just about ideal. The seat bottom is a tad short, but an abundance of soft padding makes the seat comfortable for most adults. What's more, our tallest editor said that he had ample headroom, legroom and foot room (under the front chairs).

The Toyota Camry also does a good job of protecting its passengers, provided you equip it with the optional front side-impact airbags and full-length head curtain airbags. In government crash tests, it earned a perfect five stars for the driver in the frontal impact category and four stars for the front passenger. In side-impact tests, a Camry without the optional airbags earned three stars for front-occupant protection and five stars for the rear. The Toyota received the top rating of "Good" in IIHS frontal offset crash testing.

It's hard to imagine a car with a simpler control layout than the Camry. Certainly, one could argue that a $27,000 car ought to have automatic climate control, but editors reveled in the no-look adjustment made possible by our test car's three manual dials. The stereo controls are similarly large and easy to adjust, which largely offsets the lack of secondary steering wheel controls. Other than that, it's just the usual high-quality, straightforward stalk set. One improvement we wouldn't mind seeing in the second-most expensive car in the test is one-touch up-and-down adjustment for at least the driver's window.

In terms of storage, the Camry is just about as good as the Accord — maybe better, depending on your preferences. Key receptacles include handy lined storage wells under the center stack and a large, lined, two-tier center console container. The cupholders in front will hold 1.5-liter water bottles, and in addition to the small center armrest cupholders in back, each rear door has slots perfectly sized for juice boxes. The Toyota leads the class in trunk space with its 16.7-cubic-foot hold. Sheathed metal hinges create a large opening without endangering fragile cargo, and a 60/40-split rear seat opens up additional space when necessary.

Start up the SE V6 model and you'll enjoy the services of a new 3.3-liter V6 good for 225 hp and 240 pound-feet of torque (V6-equipped LE and XLE sedans get a 210-hp, 3.0-liter engine). The engine can't match the off-the-line thrust of the Altima's 3.5 or the Galant's 3.8, but acceleration comes easily at any speed. Meanwhile, power delivery is extraordinarily smooth — in fact, there isn't a quieter, more refined engine in the family sedan segment. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard and, like the engine, it strives to operate in an unobtrusive manner. Editors found it a little slow to come up with downshifts at times, but for the average driver, it's just fine.

Ride quality is another of the Camry's positive attributes, as even the SE model (which has slightly firmer suspension settings than other Camry models) absorbs most of the ruts and grooves in its path, sparing passengers from the impacts. As such, this Toyota remains an excellent choice for long-distance commuters. Despite the SE nomenclature, the Camry still doesn't feel particularly sporty — there's plenty of body roll around corners and the steering offers minimal road feedback. Nevertheless, anyone so inclined to push the limits will find a reassuring level of grip and balance beneath the surface. Not a fun car, the Camry, but certainly a predictable one. Besides that, the brakes are some of the strongest you'll find on a family sedan. The car's short braking distances are complemented by a progressive pedal that's extremely easy to modulate.

There's no doubt that the Toyota Camry is one of the most capable family sedans on the market, and there's no going wrong if you decide to buy one. From our staff's point of view, though, the Toyota was a little too expensive for what you get (compared to the Accord) and a little too bland (even for a family sedan), and had to settle for the bronze medal in this test.

Second Opinions:

Senior Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig says:
The Toyota Camry may be the epitome of bland sedans, but if this is what it means to drive a boring family car, then sign me up. Not that I think the Camry is some hidden gem of a sports car or anything like that, but the way it handles itself in day-to-day driving makes me wish I had one sitting around for those rare times when I just want to get from Point A to Point B and nothing more. It's ridiculously quiet, more powerful than you would expect and always comfortable regardless of the road surface. In other words, it's perfectly suited to the kind of driving most people do most often.

Look around the cabin and everywhere you look there are high-quality materials from top to bottom. Everything is exactly where you would expect it and even the design looks more upscale than your average sedan. Toyota's attempt to jazz up the SE with metal accents in hopes of pumping up its sporty demeanor fails miserably, but it's not so offensive that it looks tacky. The seats are comfortable both front and rear, there's plenty of storage space and the trunk is huge. It's by no means perfect, but it's easy to see why so many drivers find it pretty damn close.

Road Test Coordinator Kelly Stennick says:
Sure, it's easy to appreciate a Toyota Camry. It's easy on the eyes, features undisputable quality and is spacious enough to accommodate a family of five and their everyday equipment. It doesn't evoke any serious longing to climb behind the wheel, but then, it doesn't wallow through daily driving tasks like a Chrysler Sebring.

But it also doesn't earn my vote in the family sedan group. I don't dig the Hyundai Sonata, but at least it's inexpensive. I also don't long for the styling of the Mitsubishi Galant, but I appreciate its handling characteristics and pseudo-sporty interior. When it comes to the Toyota Camry, I just can't get excited about anything. I'd heartily recommend it to my family, but I wouldn't buy one. I know all about its strong reliability history, but I still wouldn't want to drive one everyday.