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EXPERT RATING
8.0

Likes

  • Solid reputation
  • Plenty to choose from
  • Spacious

Dislikes

  • Stiff competition
  • Strong resale
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
2 May 2014
3 min read
0 Comments

NEW

The Camry might be one of the country's top selling cars, it's hugely popular in the business world, but it rarely gets more than a casual glance from the wider motoring community.

It's always been the fall-back car for those who don't really care too much about what they drive. Most know about Toyota's reputation for reliability, and appreciate the resale that comes with the brand, but few care about anything beyond those fundamentals of car ownership.

The release of the new eighth generation, Australian-built Camry thus passed by with little fuss being made of what was in many ways a much-improved car. Toyota revised its model line-up, giving more separation to the fleet models and the new sportier models that were aimed more at the private buyer.

The Altise was aimed at fleet buyers, while private buyers got to choose from three variants of the newly named Atara: S, SX and SL. The Camry has never been renowned for its looks, it has always sat comfortably at the conservative end of the styling scale, but the new model in 2011 was quite attractive with clean lines and a handsome profile.

Inside, the cabin was a much more pleasant place to be with more room and better comfort, and a more appealing dash layout. Beyond the cabin there was a good-sized boot.

Power came from a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 131 kW and 231 Nm, enough to endow the mid-sized sedan with impressive zip. It was sufficient to keep up in the cut and thrust of city traffic, and still cruise comfortably on the open road.

It was also more economical than the old model, with Toyota claiming the fuel consumption was reduced by a full litre per 100 km. Backing up to the engine was a paddle-shifted six-speed automatic transmission, with the final drive being sent to the front wheels.

On the road the new Camry was quiet, handled nicely and rode with admirable smoothness. With a full arsenal of safety gear, including seven airbags, ESP, traction control, rear cameras and blind-spot alerts there was no question about it getting all the ticks of approval ANCAP could hand out.

NOW

Most Camry owners praise their cars. They particularly like the roomy cabin, the big boot and the fuel economy. Those few who criticise it usually complain about the performance of the engine, although there are fewer complaints about the 2.5-litre engine than there were about the smaller engine in the previous model.

There has been one recall of the Camry. That was in 2012 when Toyota reported there was a possibility that the fuel hose connecting the main fuel supply line to the engine could have become wrinkled during manufacture. If so, it could result in a hole in the fuel hose that could cause a fuel leak.

When checking a car prior to purchase check the service record to make sure all is well in the maintenance department. One thing you don't have to worry about with the Camry is a timing belt change; they have a chain that doesn't require changing.

SMITHY SAYS

Eighth time round Toyota's quiet achiever became a much more desirable car.

Toyota Camry 2011-2013
Price new: $30,490 to $39,990
Engine: 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, 133-135 kW/231-235 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic, FWD
Economy: 7.7 L/100 km
Body: 4-door sedan
Variants: Altise, Atara A, Atara SX, Atara SL
Safety: 5-star ANCAP

Toyota Camry 2011: Altise

Engine Type Inline 4, 2.5L
Fuel Type Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 7.8L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $9,240 - $12,980
Safety Rating

Pricing Guides

$14,165
Based on 162 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$6,900
HIGHEST PRICE
$22,990
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
With a passion for cars dating back to his childhood and having a qualification in mechanical engineering, Graham couldn’t believe his good fortune when he was offered a job in the Engineering Department at General Motors-Holden’s in the late-1960s when the Kingswood was king and Toyota was an upstart newcomer. It was a dream come true. Over the next 20 years Graham worked in a range of test and development roles within GMH’s Experimental Engineering Department, at the Lang Lang Proving Ground, and the Engine Development Group where he predominantly worked on the six-cylinder and V8 engines. If working for Holden wasn’t exciting enough he also spent two years studying General Motors Institute in America, with work stints with the Chassis Engineering section at Pontiac, and later took up the post of Holden’s liaison engineer at Opel in Germany. But the lure of working in the media saw him become a fulltime motorsport reporter and photographer in the late-1980s following the Grand Prix trail around the world and covering major world motor racing events from bases first in Germany and then London. After returning home to Australia in the late-1980s Graham worked on numerous motoring magazines and newspapers writing about new and used cars, and issues concerning car owners. These days, Graham is CarsGuide's longest standing contributor.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$6,900
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data.
For more information on
2013 Toyota Camry
See Pricing & Specs

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