2012 Toyota Camry

Published: 12/05/2011 

What's New for 2012

The 2012 Toyota Camry is fully redesigned.

Introduction

The 2012 Toyota Camry has been improved in almost every detail, but you might still have difficulty pinning down the ways in which the new car differs from the old. On the whole, this is the same package, only it's been massaged in a way to bring it up to the standards of usability and safety set by the competition, and then retuned and restyled to be a little more expressive. But as before, durability, reliability and quality are still the key attributes meant to set the 2012 Toyota Camry apart from its rivals.

You'll notice that the new Camry offers improved versions of last year's engines: a 178-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a 268-hp 3.5-liter V6. Both engines feature a six-speed automatic transmission to deliver better fuel economy. The four-cylinder returns an EPA-estimated 35 highway mpg, while the V6 achieves 30 mpg on the highway. There's also a Camry Hybrid, covered in a separate review.

Within the cabin, the seats have been repositioned to afford more rear legroom, while the body structure features more high-strength steel to enhance safety even as it reduces weight. Suspension improvements have been made to enliven the Camry's handling dynamics, and there are even shift paddles on the steering wheel for the slightly sporty Camry SE.

Thanks to all this, the Camry has moved away a bit from its persona as a plush isolation booth for freeway travel, yet it still seems a step behind its more expressive rivals in this incredibly competitive segment of family sedans. The Honda Accord and Mazda 6 continue to set the standard, while the Hyundai Sonata offers more style with comparable refinement, and the Volkswagen Passat now seems more usable in the American style but without losing its European-tuned dynamics.

2012 Toyota Camry Video Review

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2012 Toyota Camry is offered in L, LE, SE and XLE trim levels. The L features 16-inch steel wheels, power-folding mirrors, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, split-folding rear seats, Bluetooth and a six-speaker CD sound system with auxiliary input and USB jacks.

The Camry LE adds auto headlamps, remote keyless entry, steering-wheel-mounted audio and Bluetooth controls, Bluetooth streaming audio and a 6.1-inch touchscreen for audio, phone and car information.

The SE includes a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, heated exterior mirrors, unique interior and exterior styling treatments, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, sport seats and the Display Audio system. SE V6 models get 18-inch wheels, the upgraded Display Audio system that adds navigation, HD radio, satellite radio, voice recognition and Entune smartphone and Web integration.

The luxurious XLE reverts to the LE's softer suspension settings, and adds heated exterior mirrors, foglamps, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver seat, a four-way power passenger seat and the Display Audio system with navigation and Entune. XLE V6 models get a rearview camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery and heated driver and front passenger seats. A premium 10-speaker JBL audio system integrated with a 7-inch touchscreen hard-drive-based navigation system is also optional on XLE V6 models.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2012 Toyota Camry is offered with a choice of two engines. Base Camrys are powered by a respectably powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 178 hp and 170 pound-feet of torque. Upgrading gets you a silky smooth 3.5-liter V6 generating 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. Both engines drive the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder returns an EPA-estimated 25 city/35 highway/28 combined mpg, while the V6 -- with nearly 100 more hp -- achieves 21/30/25.

In Edmunds performance testing, a four-cylinder LE Camry accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, which is comparable to other four-cylinder sedans in this class.

Safety

The 2012 Toyota Camry comes with a battery of standard safety features, including antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control, front- and rear-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and knee airbags for both driver and passenger, the latter new for 2012. A blind-spot monitoring system is also available.

In Edmunds braking tests, a four-cylinder Camry LE come to a stop from 60 mph in a class-average 120 feet.

Interior Design and Special Features

Inside, the Camry's cabin feels slightly roomier. Thinner front pillars increase visibility and narrower door panels open up elbow room. Door panel controls also move higher, allowing knees to breathe better. Among other amenities, top Camry trim levels get an eight-way power driver seat, while all Camry models now offer a 60/40-split fold-down rear seat. But the most notable improvement has been in interior materials. The previous wave of featureless plastic has been replaced with textures, trim and subtle decorative stitching.

The Camry's new upgraded audio system also includes Entune, a suite of smartphone-connected services that include features like the Bing search engine, Pandora streaming radio, real-time traffic, sports and stock information, and the ability to reserve movie tickets or a table at a restaurant on the go. (Entune is optional with the Display Audio package).

Driving Impressions

In terms of power, both four-cylinder and V6 engines are pretty similar to last year's model. The Camry's new electric-assisted steering (once limited to the hybrid) feels pretty decent in the V6 versions. But four-cylinder versions, which use an electric-assist steering system from a different supplier, feel vague and somewhat lifeless. On the bright side, this new Camry feels more alert, with refined rear suspension tuning. The SE in particular, with its larger tires and sport-tuned suspension, feels more athletic than before. At the same time, the car has unfortunately lost some of its quiet refinement in the bargain.