CTC Review: 2007 Toyota Camry SE V6

By James Bergeron

Remember those commercials? “This isn’t your father’s Olds”, Toyota could rehash that old GM campaign for their all new for 2007 Camry. This certainly is not your father’s Camry, although he would enjoy driving it just as much if not more than the old one and so could the rest of the family.

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This new Camry features a much sleeker fascia and a sportier profile than the outgoing model which frankly looked like a turtle’s shell on wheels as the rear end drooped down past the rear wheels. When is the last time you have done a double take on the road for a Camry?
This new model had more than its share of double takes while I was behind the wheel. “Wow a Lexus” exclaimed a neighbour as they walked by, then I closed the trunk and a look of shock came upon them as I said “Nope, it’s a Camry!” That was the story of the week as I received comments on the car, it looks like a Lexus, or it looks like a BMW 7 Series from the side, this is

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mainly due to the aggressive front and rear lights as well as the very high belt line and small side windows, the front lip and rear spoiler in my tester also add appeal to this Camry.

I’ll have to be clear on which tester I had, a beautiful in black SE (sports edition) model, which includes a sportier suspension, sportier more supportive seats which are very comfortable on the long haul, front strut tower bar and the appearance package. I have not had the chance to drive a base model of the 2007, but this version certainly is sportier than the previous generation. This model is powered by a 3.5L V6 mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission with a sports shift mode, it pumps out 268hp and 248lb-ft of torque driven through the front wheels yet is rated at a thrifty 7.0L / 100km highway and 10.7L /100km city. As well as the now standard 7 airbags and ABS braking systems, Toyota provides traction control and stability control; good thing or the tires would easily be shredded off as the car heads towards a ditch under the torque steer. This

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is an issue with front wheel driven vehicles with over 250 horsepower, under normal driving torque steer is tamed perfectly well, I did not notice any, even on short heavy throttle everything is as expected. But get on the go pedal full throttle and the front end will feel darty as the tires scream for grip and pull you away furiously with an as tested 0 – 100km/h time of just 6.4 seconds, which was once reserved only for sports cars.

Despite its incredible acceleration one must remember this is still a large sedan, handling certainly is not as sharp as a small sports sedan although not as floppy in corners as one would expect of such a large vehicle. I would compare the handling of the Camry to another vehicle I recently tested the Ford Fusion, although the Fusion felt a little lighter on its feet with a little less body roll in the corners the Camry is no boat.

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Step inside the Camry and at first glance the art deco polished pewter accents on the door panels really strike you as a classy touch. Move on to the center console and you are greeted with large easy to see and use rotary dials for the HVAC system, and large buttons for the 6 speaker MP3 / WMA capable stereo system. I like the large easy to read print and easy to use buttons, some may be turned off by the sheer size of these controls and the printed text, as it is rather large, even those with failing eyes should have no troubles reading them.

As you slide into the drivers seat you have a clear view of an instrument cluster that is well laid out with a large speedmeter that cycles from 0 – 260km/h and accompanied by an equally oversized tachometer that swings up to a redline of 6500rpm.

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The switchgear in the Camry feels very solid and has a nice tactile response, they feel substantial and have a satisfying smoothness about them. The steering is tilt and telescopic, with an 6 way adjustable powered drivers seat with power lumbar support, getting comfortable was easier in this vehicle than any others of my testers. Leg room is very generous, and the telescopic steering extends far enough to allow for an extended driving position for leg comfort while still having a casual reach for the steering wheel. With my drivers seat adjusted for comfort cruising the back seats are still generously spacious, leg room is ample and those with size 10’s and smaller are able to slide their feet under the front seats for even more space. Headroom did not seem to be a concern in either the front or rear passenger compartment. While in the rear, one will notice the SE model does not have a folding rear seat, only a rather small ski pass-through is provided, the lack of fold seats allow for added support to increases chassis stiffness for more dynamic handling. If this is a concern to you the Camry rear seat

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configuration breaks down as follows: LE Models feature 60:40 Split-Fold Rear Seats. SE and Hybrid Models sport a Fold-Down Mid-Seat Armrest with Trunk-Through. The XLE boasts 40:20:40 Split and Recline Rear Seats. All models feature a large
15 cubic feet of cargo capacity except the hybrid which is reduced to 10.6 cubic feet due to the batteries.

Not all is roses and buttercups though, there are some small niggles that are obvious cost cutting measures on what is otherwise a class leading sedan. Some of the switch gear does not light up with the interior lighting, such as the window switches on the drivers door. Some screws on the steering column are left unfinished where one would expect a small plastic cover to hide screw tips, and my pet peeve especially living along the salt belt is no trunk handle. I really dislike having to touch the dirty surface of my vehicle to close the trunk lid!

Toyota has certainly stepped up and has shown they are serious about this segment once again; they have set the bar high and have provided a target for their competition. Don’t expect to see a refreshed Accord for another year or more and with Hyundai just recently refreshing their Sonata, Toyota has set the bar high once again.

*Rating out of 5: