2008 Toyota Camry

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Summary

Neither a rocket scientist nor a car critic is needed to figure out why the Toyota Camry has been America's best-selling car nine of the past 10 years. This mid-size sedan does just about everything well, and it's supported by Toyota's well-earned reputation for quality, reliability and value retention.

Full Review 2008

One year after a wheels-up redesign, the 2008 Toyota Camry changes not at all. The Camry benefited from a complete overhaul for 2007, starting with a new, airy interior and continuing with more powerful engines, more transmission choices and increased fuel efficiency. Yet the hallmark of this sixth-generation Camry is Toyota's effort to shake the stodgy, plain reputation the car had developed in some circles. The Camry's aerodynamic styling shows more vitality than we've come to expect from a car many have labeled, and not necessarily in unkind fashion, as Japan's Buick.

Owners depend on the Camry, and they're seldom disappointed. In SE trim, with the manual transmission, it approaches fun.

Models range from the surprisingly well-equipped Camry CE to the near-luxury Camry XLE, with nearly all the bells and whistles. Toyota's four-cylinder engine is not the strongest, but it's more than adequate with the manual transmission. The Camry Hybrid features a combination electric motor/gasoline engine powertrain and a super-efficient continuously variable transmission, or CVT. The 2008 Toyota Camry remains the benchmark by which its competitors are judged.

Trims and Styling 2008 

The 2008 Toyota Camry is a four-door, five-passenger sedan offered in five trim levels, including the gas-electric Camry Hybrid.

Camry CE ($18,570) features a 158-hp four-cylinder engine. It's equipped with cloth upholstery, air conditioning and pollen filter, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, manual tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, a multi-function information display with outside temperature, a 160-watt stereo with six speakers, single CD player and auxiliary jack for MP3 devices, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat and 16-inch steel wheels.

The CE comes standard with a manual transmission; a five-speed automatic transmission is optional ($1,000).

The Camry LE ($20,025) and LE V6 ($23,640) add an eight-way power driver's seat and remote keyless entry.

All Camry V6 models get a 268-horspower 3.5-liter engine and a six-speed automatic with manual shift feature.

The sporty Camry SE ($21,240) and SE V6 ($24,915) add a firmer, lowered suspension, flashy styling cues, unique interior trim, fog lights and P215/55R17 tires on 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

The high-zoot Camry XLE ($25,000) features glossy wood-grain interior trim and comes standard with the automatic. The XLE models add dual-zone auto climate control with an electronic ion filter, a JBL audio upgrade with 440 watts, 6CD changer, Bluetooth wireless telephone interface, power passenger seat, power sunroof, split 40/20/40 reclining rear seat, rear reading lamps, manual rear window sunshade, 16-inch alloy wheels. An automatic comes standard on the XLE.

The Camry Hybrid ($25,200) has a 147-hp version of the four-cylinder engine, mated with a 40-horsepower electric motor and continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission. The Hybrid is equipped comparably to the XLE four-cylinder, and adds Toyota's Smart Key pushbutton-start feature.

Options include premium JBL audio ($1,000) for the LE and SE; it can be packaged with a voice-activated navigation system in the SE ($2,200) or XLE ($1,200). Stand-alone options include power tilt/slide sunroof ($940), leather-trimmed interior ($1,040), heated front seats ($440), auto-dimming rearview mirror ($150), heated outside mirrors ($30), 16-inch alloy wheels ($410).

Safety Features 2008

Safety features on all Camrys include a full complement of airbags: dual-stage front impact airbags, a driver's knee airbag, upper body-protecting side-impact airbags for front passengers, and head-protecting side air curtains for the front and rear seats. All models come with anti-lock brakes (ABS), which aid steering control during a panic stop. The ABS features 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. Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control are optional ($650) on the CE, LE, SE and XLE, and we strongly recommend getting it.

This latest Toyota Camry is as bold a statement as Toyota makes with its top-selling, bread-and-butter vehicles. A year after the current Camry was turned loosed on American roads, the 2008 model's visual impact has diminished only a little. 

The flashy new styling (first introduced on the 2007 models) starts at the Camry's nose. The wheel openings are circular, which on a car with a lower profile might suggest sporty intentions. The sportier Camry SE is the easiest model to distinguish, and perhaps the boldest of all. A black honeycomb-style grille sneers forward from smoked-tint headlamps, while a full body kit flares the lower edge of the car outward, emphasizing the sport model's lower ride height. Six-spoke, 17-inch aluminum wheels fill those circular wheel wells nicely.

There's also aerodynamic massaging that isn't obvious to the eye, particularly on the sport-tuned SE and the other specialty Camry, the Hybrid. Engineers focused on making the underbody as flat as possible to smooth airflow under the car and reduce noise. With the Camry Hybrid, the aerodynamic focus was on efficiency.

Interior Style and Features

Inside, the Camry offers a welcome counterpoint to its exterior styling. The treatment is not quite up to, say, Lexus-level luxury, but, especially in the top-of-the-line XLE, this Camry raises the bar on interior polish for mid-price, mid-size sedans.

The cabin is trimmed with a brushed metallic finish in the CE, LE, SE, and Hybrid. Camry loses to all four in front-seat legroom. The seats are comfortable front and rear, though the seat bottoms are short on thigh support for taller occupants. Rear-seat passengers in the XLE enjoy a luxury rarely seen in this class: reclining seatbacks.

The sloping hood delivers good sightlines from the driver's seat. The thick C-pillar, or that part of the body supporting the roof behind the rear doors, looks less imposing to the driver than from outside the car. Low-profile rear-seat head restraints leave the view in the rearview mirror mostly unblocked. Almost everything inside the Camry speaks refined function. The window switches are clustered nicely on the driver's door armrest, just below the mirror switch and door lock, so they sit right where the hand rests when the driver sets forearm on the door. A large glove box spans the lower dash between the center stack and passenger door.

First Drive 2008

A long, attentive drive in the Toyota Camry might be described as a convincing experience. By that, we mean the driver won't need further convincing as to why the Camry is the perennial best-selling car in the United States. No particular aspect of the Camry's performance is outstanding. We drove LE, SE, XLE, and Hybrid models. The LE with four-cylinder and automatic was competent, but well short of inspiring. It's a common phenomenon with front-wheel drive, but we expect it more with lighter, relatively high-powered cars. The LE leans in corners. The LE V6 will feel very familiar to longtime Camry owners: just a little smoother, tighter and more powerful than older models.

The SE, on the other hand, is a fresh and welcome departure from Camry's heretofore conservative legacy. Finally, there's a Camry that's fun and entertaining to drive. The manual transmission in four-cylinder models shifts cleanly, if not with sports-car crispness. We really liked it in the Camry SE. Clutch engagement is smooth and easily managed. The brake and gas pedals are close enough to allow heel-and-toe shifting, which enthusiast drivers enjoy, though the process is not accomplished with sports-car ease. It's a car in which the driver might want to actually use the sequential manual shift feature on Toyota's new six-speed automatic. If there's any vestige of Buick-ism to be found in this Camry, it's in the high-trim XLE. The line-topping Camry is more soft and floaty than firm and planted.

2008 Conclusions

The Toyota Camry sedan is still fresh from a complete redesign for 2007. It does nearly everything well, and nothing badly, and it makes comfortable, pleasant, reliable transportation for up to five. There's a model for nearly every taste and budget. All are reasonably economical to operate, and the Camry Hybrid is one of the most fuel-efficient mid-size vehicles available. "Camry has set the bar even higher in regards to features, performance, reputation and price." says Carz Unlimited The styling and interior may surprise shoppers expecting another Japanese-brand Buick. Car and Driver calls it "the crown prince of mainstream."And with Toyota's reputation for reliability, the Camry is not likely to surprise you with unexpected expenses in a few years. As the no-brainer choice for a rock-steady, all-purpose sedan, the Camry is hard to beat and easy to understand.