2002 Toyota Camry Reviews

In an age when Holden and Ford dominated the market and big six-cylinder cars reigned supreme, Toyota found it hard to break through.

The Camry has long struggled to gain any real traction with Australian families, most of whom dismissed it as bland and boring.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2015 Toyota Camry & Aurion as a used buy.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 1999-2014 Toyota Camry and Aurion.

The Toyota’s Camry and Aurion are built in Melbourne and have many changes from the original Japanese design to suit them to our local driving conditions and Australian drivers’ tastes.

No matter how schmick the car looks, though, at this sort of money there are probably one or two expensive time bombs lurking within it.

Toyota is generally regarded as setting the industry benchmark for build quality, reliability and durability, and it's the Camry that is often held up as the car that best illustrates Toyota's high standards.  Beyond those admirable qualities, though, there isn't a lot to write home about with the Camry.Like all Toyotas it gets the job of providing reliable and efficient transport done with little or no fuss, but it falls well short of the benchmark when it comes to excitement.  But most buyers who stump up the cash for a Camry couldn't care less about the thrill of motoring; they're perfectly happy with a car that doesn't cost the earth to own and rarely if ever lets them down.  Above all else the Camry is a safe and sound motoring choice.MODEL WATCHThe Camry is a much-maligned name. Over the years it has come to be the very definition of boring, at least in motoring terms.  No passionate car person would be seen dead driving a Camry, but to heaps of people the Camry is the best car in the world.  They're the people who value reliability, durability and low cost of ownership above all else. They couldn't care less that petrolheads sneer at their motoring choice.Toyota has worked hard to inject some character into the Camry of late, to make it more appealing to those who value their motoring experience, but its efforts have really come to naught. The Camry has been regarded as boring for too long, and nothing will change the perception.The Series 30 Camry that was launched in 2002 was a much more attractive car. Its lines were much tauter, its shape more aggressive, it was a far more appealing car than any of its predecessors.  Buyers could choose between a 2.4-litre four and a 3.0-litre V6.The double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine was packed with up-to-the-minute technology like Toyota's VVTi variable valve-timing system that gave it decent flexibility from low speeds right through to high revs.  At its peak it would deliver 112 kW at 5800 revs and 218 Nm at 4000 revs.The V6 was also a double overhead camshaft engine and produced 141 kW at 5200 revs along with 279 Nm at 4000 revs.  Most Camrys were sold with a four-speed auto, but it was also available with a five-speed manual gearbox.Underneath, the Camry was conventional. It had struts at the front and rear, but work by Toyota's local engineering team ensured it was well tuned to our roads. As a result its ride and handling were widely praised.Its power steering was well weighted and precise, and the combination of ventilated front and solid rear disc brakes, backed up by ABS, was solid.  One thing the Camry has always been noted for is its roominess, and the Series 30 was no exception. It was designed as a family car and fits a family of five nicely.There is a plethora of models in the Camry range, starting from the Altise and working up through the Ateva, sporty Sportivo, Azura and finally to the luxury Grande with all the bells and whistles.IN THE SHOPThe Camry does it tough so be careful when choosing a car.  If they've been a family car they've been put to the test in the supermarket parking lot and the school run.Alternatively they've been a company car and driven by people who couldn't care less about their cars.  Check for a service record and make sure the engine oil has been regularly changed. Nothing kills an engine like a lack of fresh oil.The four-cylinder engine has a cam timing chain so there are no worries about replacing it, until it rattles. The V6 does have a belt that requires changing at around 150,000 km.IN A CRASHA capable chassis, powerful brakes with ABS make for a strong level of active crash protection.  A solid structure, dual front airbags, plus side airbags add a solid layer of secondary protection.  ANCAP gave the Camry four stars in its crash testing.AT THE PUMPWith a full-sized body the four-cylinder engine has to work hard, hence the fuel economy suffers. Expect 10-11 L/100 km round town, and single figures out on the highway.  The V6 will consume a little more; expect 10.5-11.5 L/100 km around town, and seven to nine L/100 km on the open road.OWNERS' SAYEric Deakin bought his 2005 Camry Ateva V6 seven months ago having done 97,000 km, and reckons it's the best car he has owned in more than 60 years of motoring. He says it is a well built, well appointed and very roomy car, which has excellent performance. So far he has found no faults at all with it and would happily recommend it to anyone.Rex Manuel bought his 2003 Camry Ateva four-cylinder second hand in 2005. He is happy with the Camry's roominess and its generous boot, but misses the performance of the Ford Fairmont he owned previously.LOOK FORReliabilityHigh build qualityRoomy interiorSmooth drivabilityGood resaleTHE BOTTOM LINEWell engineered and well built, with renowned reliability and good resale, the dull-as-dishwater Camry is a good choice for family transport.RATING72/100COMING UPDo you own a Ford Focus? If so tell us what you think of it by sending your comments to Graham Smith at Cars Guide or e-mail to: grah.smith@bigpond.com.

The Camry has often been the subject of derision and scorn, rarely has it been an object of desire. It has come to be the car we know deep down we should own, but could never bring ourselves to buy.Toyota has built an enviable reputation, and market leadership, on the back of the reliability and durability of its cars, but those things alone are not enough to entice buyers into dealerships. For anyone with petrol running through his or her veins it also takes a healthy measure of emotion, something Toyota generally lacks.The Camry has reliability and durability in bucket loads, but there’s not a lot about it that gets the juices flowing. It’s the safe bet, one you probably won’t regret, but it’s not the car you want to talk about when standing around the barbie.The wide-bodied Camry was a popular car in the 1990s, but did little to endear the badge to buyers looking for a car they could brag about. It was a frumpy four-door, one you parked out of sight rather than in your driveway. It seems that Toyota got the message as the 20th century steamed to an end and began to take more interest in styling.Perhaps there was a realization that they had to appeal to a broader range of buyers if they were to conquer the world as they hoped to do. Whatever the reason, today’s Camrys are much more attractive, with bold flowing lines and nicely balanced proportions.The Series 30 Camry was launched in 2002 and brought with it a tighter look with well-defined lines and an aggressive front end that included wildly sweeping headlights. It was a bold statement from the company that tended to lurk out of sight in the shadows when it came to automotive styling.The Camry’s power choices were a new locally-produced 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft four that was packed with plenty of technology, like Toyota’s VVTi variable valve timing system that gave it smooth pulling power right through the rev range. When stretched to the limit it would produce 112 kW at 5600 revs and 218 Nm at 4000 revs. The alternative was a 3.0-litre double overhead camshaft V6 that produced 141 kW at 5200 revs and 279 Nm at 4000 revs.While most Camrys would have left showrooms with the four-speed auto in the tunnel, it was also possible to have a five-speed manual gearbox.Underneath, the suspension wasn’t earth shatteringly new, with struts front and rear, but worked very well. Local tuning by Toyota’s engineers ensured it handled our roads well; with admirable ride comfort and reassuring handling even over rough surfaces.Likewise, the power steering was well weighted and accurate, and the brakes, a combination of ventilated front discs and solid rears, with ABS oversighting the action, were positive and powerful.There’s plenty of room inside the Camry for a family of five, it’s well equipped and comfortable.The Camry does duty in the toughest arenas, the non-caring world of the fleet car and the school and supermarket runs of mum and the kids, so look for collateral damage from the bump and run of daily life. Bumps and scrapes on body extremities are commonplace, it’s part of the Camry’s natural environment. Nothing looks worse than body scaring and it’s costly to repair. They also tell a tale of how well the car has been treated. If it’s scarred on the outside there’s a good chance it’s scarred on the inside.Check for a service record and make sure the engine oil has been regularly changed. There’s nothing nicer for an engine than fresh oil, sludge build-up is the engine’s natural enemy. The four-cylinder Camry engine has a timing chain so there’s no servicing required until it starts to rattle, but that won’t happen until way into the upper reaches of the odometer. The V6 does have a belt that requires changing at around 150,000 km.Build quality is high, all parts fit together well and stay together over the life of the car, so you don’t tend to find things fall apart or off the Camry in service.The capable chassis with precise steering and powerful brakes presented a convincing primary safety argument for the Camry, and with dual front airbags, plus side airbags there was plenty of protection when the metal started crumpling.Size hampers the Camry when it comes to pump performance. The four-cylinder cars will do 10-11 L/100 km around town and a little better on the highway, while the V6 models will consume on average 1.5 litres more.Ron Flint bought his 2005 Camry in 2007. He had hired a Camry while on holiday and was so impressed with its performance, economy, easy handling and features that he bought one when he got back home. The Camry had done 5000 km when he bought it to replace his 200,000 km Falcon, which had blown a head gasket.Eric Deakin bought his 2005 Camry Ateva V6 seven months ago having done 97,000 km, and reckons it’s the best car he has owned in more than 60 years of motoring. He says it is a well-built, well-appointed and very roomy car, which has excellent performance. So far he has found no faults at all with it and would happily recommend it to anyone.Rex Manuel bought his 2003 Camry Ateva four-cylinder second hand in 2005. He is happy with the Camry’s roominess and its generous boot, but misses the performance of the Ford Fairmont he owned previously.• Sharp looks.• Reliable mechanical package• Good performance• Smooth drivability• Good resale valueWell-engineered, well-built, the Camry is robust and reliable, great transport for families.

It is an excellent machine, and would be an international hero if it wore an Audi or BMW badge, but will never run better than third in any Down Under popularity poll.It sits in the considerable shadow of Holden's Commodore and Ford's Falcon, even though it would be a much better choice for most ordinary drivers.The Camry does everything well, nothing badly, and is well priced and equipped. But it still doesn't have the impact, or the Sunday barbecue bragging rights, of a shiny new Commodore or Falcon.Ironically, "our" Camry is doing better overseas.It's the top seller in Saudi Arabia – where it lines up against a Chevrolet-badged Commodore – and foreign sales to 33 countries are outstripping demand at home.Toyota Australia set out to build a better Camry for 2002 and it has done a terrific job – particularly as the final bill, which included an updated four-cylinder-engine factory, was "only" $350 million.We say "only" because Ford has spent $500 million in its attempt to put the Falcon back on track and Mercedes-Benz routinely spends $2 billion on each of its new models.The biggest failing is the car's all-round competence. The new Camry is too good and too nice.Even the styling, bold and aggressive by Toyota's standards – if you don't count the Celica – is somewhat middle-of-the-road in 2002. It will be pretty bold for the 50-somethings, but Toyota Australia wants to get the average age of Camry owners closer to 45.The body basics are identical to the American Camry, but there are plenty of changes for Australia.The headlamps are bigger, brighter and better. The seats were designed locally and sit a little higher to make it easier to get in and out, and even the sound system was tuned for Australian tastes and conditions.Development of the Camry took close to four years – covering 60,000km of on-road testing and many more kilometres at Toyota's Anglesea test track – and dozens of local specialists were involved. The seat designer even fitted the Camry's sports buckets to his rally car and went thrashing around the the mountains to see if they had enough grip and comfort.The changes run all the way through to the model line-up. The push towards younger Camry owners means there is a special set of Sportivo cars with tighter suspension, body kits and some other tweaking, and the old CS, CSi-style badging has been dropped.The Camry line-up now runs from Altise to Ateva and Azura, with either 2.4-litre four-cylinder or V6 engines. Prices start at $26,990 for the basic Altise manual four up to $48,990 for the Azura V6 automatic.But don't go looking for a wagon. Toyota believes people are turning away from station wagons and has dropped the Camry choice, filling its spot with the Avensis people mover.We could go on at length about the Camry, but having covered everything about the car over the past few weeks we were super-keen to put it through its driving paces.On the roadFirst impressions? The new Camry looks good. And it is very, very quiet.It also rides smoothly but with very good body control, and the four-cylinder engine is pretty eager.For $26,990 and on-road costs – though our Altise test car also had an automatic gearbox and satellite navigation, taking the base price to $32,290 – it is a good buy and will do the job for many families.It has a slightly sporty feel, is roomy and very well built, and has enough features to satisfy comparison shoppers.Toyota believes the Camry will draw people back to the mid-sized car class, and it could be right.It also helps that Mazda has just launched its attractive and sporty Mazda6 and Holden will lob in an all-new Vectra early in 2003 – moves that will boost competition and also draw more attraction to cars which deserve a bigger following.But we wanted the answer to The Big Question – and the big boast – by Toyota's chiefs.They promised the new Camry would be more than just a four-wheeled appliance."No more fridges," promised Toyota's top Aussie John Conomos, referring to the Camry's reputation as whitegoods on wheels.He is right. It's more than a fridge. But the Camry is still missing the character that will break through into Commodore and Falcon country.It takes a few flaws, or a grumbly V8 exhaust, to provide the personality that many Australians want in their new car. The Camry doesn't have flaws. And it doesn't come with a V8.But, back to the action.The updated and upgraded 2.4-litre four now has 112kW of power and 218Nm of torque, which means it gets along pretty briskly. Toyota also claims a benchmark fuel-economy improvement of 10 per cent, and lower emissions.Our automatic test car made smooth shifts and was pretty sprightly from the lights, although it needed a fair prod on the accelerator to engage the kick-down for overtaking. It was very smooth and we have no reason to dispute the economy claims, though we ran short of time for our own fuel consumption test.The Camry is very responsive in corners, with good steering feel and great feedback. It does just what you want, without any fuss or bother.It turns crisply, sits flat, and the back just follows the front in the tightest turns. That's the sign of a car that's well-designed and well-developed. It's not as challenging as a Falcon or Commodore, and the base car isn't nearly as much fun as the Mazda6, but it does the job and does it well.The Camry is very comfortable and the new dash is clean and efficient. We like the new "half-moon" instruments, and the controls are pretty much standard Toyota.The base car doesn't get a lid for the cupholders, which are deep and useful, but the rest of the stuff – including the CD sound, electric windows and mirrors – is exactly what you need.The aircon, which is now standard, is typically brilliant and we'd recommend the satellite navigation if you do a lot of travelling in unfamiliar territory. One of our team thought the seats were set too high, but that was the only grumble. The sports seats in the Sportivo are great.We tried the Camry in a variety of conditions – from inner-Melbourne bitumen to quick country gravel – and enjoyed its fuss-free driving.It is a very, very good car that has no flaws. Even the people who say it lacks personality have to admit it does the job, and it looks a lot better than any of the four earlier models that have carried the Camry badge.We're predicting big things for the Camry. Toyota has done a great development job and the model line-up – 11 in all – is well specified and attractively priced.The only "if only" is its place in Australia, and how it lines up against opposition, which includes the Falcon, Commodore, Magna, Mazda6 and Vectra.Looking at the bottom line, it's a five-star Camry but slips back to a four-star car when you rate it against such an impressive range of rivals.

The updated and upgraded 2.4-litre four now has 112kW of power and 218Nm of torque, which means it moves pretty briskly and the Sportivo cars can really get along.Toyota also claims a benchmark fuel economy improvement of 9 per cent and lower emissions. The Camry is very responsive in corners, with good steering feel and great feedback. It does what you want, without any fuss or bother.It turns crisply, sits flat, and the back just follows the front in the tightest turns, the sign of a car which has been well designed and well developed.The car is very comfortable and the dashboard is clean and efficient. The new "half-moon" instruments add an interesting touch to the cabin.The base car doesn't offer twin cupholders in the centre console, but the rest of the stuff, including the CD sound, electric windows and mirrors, is exactly what you need.The air-con, which is now standard, is typically brilliant and the extra-cost satellite navigation will be popular with people who travel into unfamiliar country. It's also comforting to have twin airbags, with anti-skid brakes and side bags also on the safety menu.After driving the Camry in a variety of conditions, from lumpy inner-city bitumen to quick country gravel and at Toyota's testing course at Anglesea, it's tough to find any faults. The newcomer is a five-star Camry and that will be more than enough for plenty of buyers.