All New Redesign Makes the Best Better Toyota Camry 2007

Summary

For 2007 the Toyota Camry gets a complete overhaul. It has aerodynamic styling and has been upgraded from top to bottom, hubcap to steering wheel. The Camry hybrid offering adds an attractive 37-43 MPG which will certainly appease the green crowd. For 9 out of the last 10 years the Camry has been America's best selling car, don't you think its time to check one out?

Full Review 2007

The Toyota Camry is redesigned for 2007.  The new Camry features aerodynamic styling that shows more class than ever before.  It has been re-worked and upgraded from the tires to the roof, from the front bumper to the back, from the dashboard to the trunk.  The cabin now feels airy and the engine is more powerful.  Furthermore, the new models are more fuel efficient.  The Camry offers a wide range of models, including a new Camry Hybrid, which is estimated to get from 37 to 43 mpg.  All Camry models are five-passenger, four-door sedans.  The Toyota Camry is a vehicle which defines the midsize four-door sedan and sets the standard. For eight of the past nine years, the Camry has been the best selling car in America.

Camry Trim Levels

The 2007 Toyota Camry comes in four trim levels plus the new Hybrid model.  The entry-level Camry is the CE, but it comes standard with air conditioning with pollen filter, cruise control, tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, six-way adjustable driver's seat, the usual array of power accessories, a multi-function driver information display, a 160-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with six speakers and P215/60R16 tires on steel wheels.  The CE comes standard with the five-speed automatic.

The LE adds an eight-way power driver's seat, remote keyless entry and, when the V6 is ordered, chrome tips on the dual exhaust. Options include a JBL sound system with a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, eight speakers and Bluetooth capability; power tilt/slide moonroof; alloy wheels; and electro-chromatic rearview mirror with compass.

The sporty SE comes with a firmer and beefier suspension, unique interior and exterior trim, and P215/55R17 tires on aluminum alloy wheels. The SE's option list includes leather interior trim with heated front seats, a power moonroof with rear seat reading lamps, programmable remote opener system, a DVD-based navigation system with touch screen integrated into a JBL sound system with a four-disc, in-dash CD changer and all-season tires.

The XLE includes dual-zone climate control, engine immobilizer with alarm, Bluetooth-capable stereo with steering wheel-mounted controls, eight-way power driver's seat and four-way power front passenger's seat, heated outside mirrors, power moonroof, rear seat reading lamps, 40/20/40 split and reclining rear seat, manual rear window sunshade, cargo net, fog lamps and 16-inch alloy wheels. Leather interior trim is standard with the V6 and optional with the four-cylinder. Also optional are the programmable remote opener system, heated front seats (only with leather), the navigation system and, exclusive to the XLE with the V6, the Smart entry system with keyless entry and push-button start.

The Hybrid comes with the most complete list of features. Other than the power moonroof, the navigation system, the leather interior and the heated front seats (available with the leather trim), the Hybrid comes fully loaded. It's fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels. The moonroof, navigation system, leather seats and heated front seats are optional.

2007 Powertrain

All four trim levels, CE, LE, SE, and XLE come standard with the 158-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. A 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 is available.  The base, four-cylinder engine is the same size at 2.4 liters, but Toyota says it is significantly improved. It generates 158 horsepower and 161 pounds-feet of torque. With it, a five-speed-manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic is optional. The optional 3.5-liter V-6 is an upsized version of the current Camry's 3.3-liter. It produces 268 hp and 248 pounds-feet of torque. Paired with a new six-speed-automatic transmission, it's claimed to provide a 40 percent increase in acceleration over the 2006 Camry V6.

Driving the Camry

The 2007 Camry has improved suspension.  Now it has firmer springs, shock absorbers, stabilizer bars and bushings to improve handling and limit body roll. The four-cylinder engine is a bit buzzy, and there's noticeable body lean in corners.  Wind and road noise were are present but not overwhelming.  Fit and finish were Toyota grade, which means very well done, with zero buzzes, squeaks and/or rattles, and tight tolerances between panels and parts.

Inside the Toyota Camry

Interior changes for the 2007 Camry model include more backseat legroom. In the top, XLE, trim level, the backrests recline 8 degrees farther.  The Camry SE's seats don't fold due to a V-shaped brace intended to stiffen the car's structure, improving handling. The Camry Hybrid has a small, off-center pass-thru. The CE and LE trims have split, folding backseats. Controls for audio and air conditioning are easy to control, and are clearly labeled.  The cabin is trimmed in a brushed metallic finish in the CE, LE, SE and Hybrid. Real-looking wood grain is used inside the XLE, including surrounds for the inside door latches. Toyota has added a telescoping function to the Camry's tilt steering wheel. The fabric upholstery combines breathable, waffle-texture insets with smooth bolsters and backing.  Seat bottoms are markedly short on thigh support, and the mouse fur-grade headliner could be better.  The new standard upholstery fabric is treated by the Fraichir process, which Toyota describes as "coated with a naturally occurring component called Sericin, which is extracted from silkworm cocoons and refined. This substance is used because it contains a natural moisturizing component. Kind of a strange choice for seat protection.

2007 Design

The exterior redesign for the 2007 Camry is substantial. The wheelbase has gained about two inches.  The car's nose is blunter and sportier, and it trades the 2006 model's organic shapes for more sculpted, angular forms. The front end is fresh, with sharp points, curving cut-lines and entertaining surface planes.  The tail recalls the Avalon full-size sedan, and the fenders have shoulders that give the trunk lid a hump, a style introduced on recent BMWs but stolen and executed better by other manufacturers.  Standard wheels now measure 16 rather than 15 inches, and the Camry SE has 17-inch aluminum wheels and summer performance tires.  It also has an exclusive black honeycomb grille, ground effects and tinted headlight lenses.  The SE trim level gets its own sport-trimmed interior in darker colors, amber gauges and a three-spoke steering wheel. 

Safety

There are plenty of safety features that come standard on the Camry.  All trim levels have four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution. Airbags include dual-stage frontal bags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, side curtain-type airbags and a driver's knee airbag, the latter intended to keep the occupant from sliding down and forward in a collision. The seats are designed to mitigate whiplash injuries. Traction control and an electronic stability system are a single option available on any trim level. A tire pressure monitoring system, Brake Assist, which applies the brakes more quickly and consistently when it senses the onset of a panic stop, and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), which balances brake application front and rear for optimal stopping distance, all come standard.

Conclusions

The Toyota Camry sedan is greatly improved for the 2007 model year.  From the new, airy interior, to more powerful engines, to better fuel-efficiency, the Camry is an excellent value. Cars.com praises the Camry for "More-interesting styling, improved fuel economy and standard ABS" "The new Camry comes across as substantial rather than adequate, purposeful as opposed to practical. With every company of note producing a solid contender, the sixth-generation Toyota Camry couldn't just be quicker, roomier and more refined than its predecessor; it also had to bring something more to the party. ? Camry does just that, delivering all the expected improvements, plus bolder styling, an all-new hybrid model and a refreshing dash of genuine, sports-sedan performance." adds Road and Track The EPA-estimated fuel economy rating for the Camry is 24/34 mpg (city/highway) for the four-cylinder manual, 24/33 for the four-cylinder automatic, 22/31 for the V-6 and 40/37 for the hybrid.