CAR REVIEW: Toyota Camry

A decade and a half later – with things having gone full circle – it’s somewhat ironic that a downturn in diesel car sales has prompted the reintroduction of the Camry to showrooms on these shores.

With ever-heightening environmental awareness, Toyota is right on trend with a large saloon powered by a petrol 2.5-litre engine twinned with a fossil fuel-saving and ULEZ-friendly electric motor.

Indeed, its green credentials are so strong that there’s no charge for this car in low-emission zones, with its CO2 emissions rated at just 98g/km.

In essence, the Camry benefits from a lot of the same advantages as Toyota’s smaller Prius, but in a much larger body.

With the infrastructure for electric vehicle charging still a little patchy, it’s nice to know that range anxiety isn’t an issue as the Camry is a self-charging hybrid, with the battery automatically topping up as you drive.

While efficiency may be the main selling point, the Camry also offers a decent level of performance.

Alongside the Normal and Eco modes, there’s also a Sport button, which provides a more dynamic driving experience.

The CVT box is paired with an engine that can match the theoretical constant availability of power, so it works better than on lesser powered models.

When in sport mode, you can engage Toyota’s new Sequential Shiftmatic system, which allows you to flick the gear lever up or down to mimic manual-style six-speed sequential changes.

In truth, it doesn’t feel much like the real thing, but it does at least give you some degree of control over the revs, especially when changing down ahead of an anticipated stint of acceleration.

With a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds, it feels plenty powerful enough.

In terms of ride quality and handling, it’s perhaps more at home cruising than it is on twisty b-roads. While grip levels feel fairly reassuring, it’s overall length (4,885mm) means it doesn’t feel overly nimble through corners.

The suspension is quite soft, which makes the ride feel ultra smooth at lower and medium speeds as it takes the sting out of road imperfections. Good sound insulation means you’re well protected from exterior noise, with things being especially quiet around town when the engine often runs on battery power alone.

In terms of looks, the Camry has a sleek profile and a rather elegant appearance.

The car’s face is very distinctive, with the ribbed effect created by the intricate plastic work on the lower front making for an eye-catching sight.

Inside, the cabin feels relatively plush, with comfy seats and some soft touch materials lifting the interior’s feel - although there are still some harsher materials dotted around.

The infotainment system is nicely integrated into the sweeping dashboard. Large buttons alongside the smallish screen enable the driver to easily select the correct function while driving.

However, it should be noted that the resolution of the screen didn’t feel particularly high.

Overall though, it’s an ergonomically satisfying driving environment.

Room-wise, it’s huge, with bags of space for five adults, although the rear roofline slopes sharply and reduces headroom. The positioning of the car’s batteries beneath the rear seats means the gargantuan boot space had been maintained.

There’s also plenty of storage to be found around the cabin, with a couple of good-sized cup holders between the front seats, an armrest with storage space inside, and sizeable door pockets.

For your money, you’ll get a decent-looking saloon, with the ability to offer good economy, satisfyingly performance and a pleasant-feeling interior.

PRICE: £30,710

ENGINE: 2.5-litre petrol hybrid with electric motor

TRANSMISSION: Electric CVT

ECONOMY: 50.4-53.3mpg

PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 8.3 seconds and top speed of 112mph

EMISSIONS: 98G/km

INSURANCE GROUP: 31D

Will's Ratings

PERFORMANCE: ****

ECONOMY: *****

RIDE/HANDLING: ***

SPACE: *****

EQUIPMENT: ****

SECURITY: ****

VALUE: *****

OVERALL: *****