dseag2

I can't imagine buying a Camry when are so many more attractive choices out there. Accord, Mazda6, Fusion, even Malibu. They all have character and presence. When I see a Camry I always think "I like that silver/blue paint, then looks like a Corolla".

Fizzboy7

What ^ said. Not in dire straights, but they have done much better with the Camry not too long ago. There's no reason why they can't apply the same magic to it and raise it to the top again. Ho-hum for the masses is really not something one can rely on for a top position. Competition has gotten too good.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

well, you're not the target customer.

when i see camry i see drivers who want to 'fit in' and not 'stand out', drive something safe and reliable and seen as a 'sensible' choice.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

chuckled at this part...

Toys4RJill

I have to agree with the other member who posted. You are not the target market, Toyota does a very good job at catering to people who want "Vanilla" and to have something that is reliable and easy to maintain. Something that will last ten years and won't leave you stranded.

I don't what it is, but when I see the Mazda 6, I don't see a family car. I also perceive a car that does not look as roomy and large as the other (even though it is). I see a car with a roof line that appears lower than the others.

As for the Malibu, not a chance. Most people will take boring, reliable Toyota vs a unreliable, well-optioned Chevy

mmarshall

The main issue with the Malibu's is that it is, in fact, not a rental-grade vehicle any more (hasn't been for several years)....but many minds are still stuck in GM's bad old past. We saw the same thing for several years with Hyundai and Kia.......delayed public acceptance after big improvements were made.

Believe me, Jill....the Mazda6 is BIG. You don't really see how large it really is until you get close to one and stand next to it. It's marketed as a medium-size sedan, but, IMO, is really a full-size sedan by today's standards.

Fizzboy7

I wish that were the case, but it is not here in SoCal. The majority of new Impalas and Malibus are still rentals. These cars have not convinced savvy buyers yet, and I do not believe it's because of people's old memory of past cars. From my observations, both have been released with styling that does not advance the car forward. Within one or two short years, they are already outdated. There has to be more modern advancement with these bodies and interiors to keep up with the better selling marks out there.

Toys4RJill

The Mazda 6 is not a full size. It's the exact same size as a Camry with a little smaller interior room by one square foot. Wheelbase is benchmarked from the Camry. Just look at the dimension from Car and Driver.

mmarshall

Rentals, yes, but not rental-grade....especially the Impala. Drive one and you will see what I mean.

I'll partially agree on the Malibu (though it is still an excellent design underneath the skin) But it's hard to argue that the present impala styling is not a huge advance over the previous-generation, as, of course, almost everything else under the skin as well.

Anyhow, I don't want to get too far off topic. We were on the Toyota Camry and its parts-content.

mmarshall

Comparing the specs on the web-sites, the Mazda6 is roughly an inch longer and wider than a Camry, which, I'll agree, is not much on paper, but its general styling and sheet-metal execution gives it the appearance of a significantly bigger car. Perhaps I should have re-worded my earlier post to refer to the appearance of a larger car (which I still stand by)....OK, I'll agree to that.

BrownPride

I think the updated styling looks great. My brother just leased a new Camry SE and it's an attractive car. I wanted him to get a Jetta sport or Mazda 6 b/c those are more stylish inside and out, but the Camry was the more logical choice (better value, better resale value, more reliable, etc.). I do however think the Camry trails behind the likes of the Accord, Sonata, and some others in this class.

BrownPride

Did you live in Michigan by any chance? That sick mentality permeates there, although it's far less prominent than it used to be. But then again, some old dude just told me last week that the problem in this country is that "people are unpatriotic and buy foreign cars." Didn't even want to talk to the clown, got into my foreign car right in front of him and drove away.

chikoo

And Mazda uses the space very wisely. I was able fit a trampoline box in my trunk whereas my friend could not even fit a small table from ikea. He has to call me to help him out with my mazda6

Sulu

The Camry is ugly until it becomes the last-generation model, at which point it becomes good (or at least better) looking. I have lost count of how many times I have read: "This new Camry is ugly. The last-gen model was good looking".

Seriously, the problem is not that the Camry is not good looking (after all, looks are subjective and I have lost count of how many times that I have said that I am not fond of the current-gen Accord's styling).

The problem is this: Familiarity breeds contempt. The problem is that the Camry is so good that it is extremely popular and so every other car on the road seems to be a Toyota Camry; what is worse is that because of its reliability, it seems that every taxicab on our streets is a Camry. Seeing so many, they become too familiar and they become nothing special.

In contrast, there are so very few Mazda 6s on the road that each one seems special.

mmarshall

While the Mazda6 is not lemon-grade in reliability by any means (it is, in general, a decently reliable car).....its reliability is not the equal of the Camry or Accord. And taxi drivers, in general, probably don't care much about the Mazda's sportier, more driver-oriented chassis......in general, they are driving their cars to make money, not carve canyons on two-lane roads.