MotorTrend names Camry 2007 Car of the Year
11-21-06, 10:14 PM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
MotorTrend names Camry 2007 Car of the Year
Motor Trend names Camry Car of the Year
Earns 2007 nod because of innovations, broad appeal, magazine says
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15833397/
Earns 2007 nod because of innovations, broad appeal, magazine says
DETROIT - The redesigned Toyota Camry, the hottest-selling car in America, is the winner of Motor Trend Magazine’s 2007 Car of the Year award.
The award, announced Wednesday, went to all Camry variations, including the hybrid, because the car is innovative yet has a broad appeal, magazine Editor-in-Chief Angus MacKenzie said in a statement.
“The Camry is the one car rival automakers all wish they could build. It offers something for nearly everyone — performance, efficiency and roominess — at a price point most Americans can afford,” MacKenzie said.
The Camry beat 26 other models that were totally new or redesigned in the year prior to Jan. 1, 2007, the magazine said.
Japanese automakers had 10 cars in the field, with six U.S. models, five from Korea, four from Germany, one from the United Kingdom and one from Sweden.
MacKenzie said the Camry won in a very strong field.
“There have never been more choices available to American car buyers. That is a fact of life in the 21st century,” he said.
Through October, Toyota sold 350,481 Camrys this year to lead all cars in U.S. sales. The No. 2 car in sales is Toyota’s Corolla at 330,995, according to Autodata Corp.
Staffers at the magazine evaluated the vehicles on their innovation in engineering, design, safety and technology; their performance and quality; and whether the vehicle delivers value to the consumer.
This is the first year the Camry has won the award.
Among competitors for Car of the Year were the Chrysler Sebring, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, Kia Rondo, Honda Fit, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Volvo C70 T5 and the Volkswagen Rabbit.
Last year’s winner was the Honda Civic. Last month, the magazine named the Mercedes-Benz GL450 its sport utility vehicle of the year.
The award, announced Wednesday, went to all Camry variations, including the hybrid, because the car is innovative yet has a broad appeal, magazine Editor-in-Chief Angus MacKenzie said in a statement.
“The Camry is the one car rival automakers all wish they could build. It offers something for nearly everyone — performance, efficiency and roominess — at a price point most Americans can afford,” MacKenzie said.
The Camry beat 26 other models that were totally new or redesigned in the year prior to Jan. 1, 2007, the magazine said.
Japanese automakers had 10 cars in the field, with six U.S. models, five from Korea, four from Germany, one from the United Kingdom and one from Sweden.
MacKenzie said the Camry won in a very strong field.
“There have never been more choices available to American car buyers. That is a fact of life in the 21st century,” he said.
Through October, Toyota sold 350,481 Camrys this year to lead all cars in U.S. sales. The No. 2 car in sales is Toyota’s Corolla at 330,995, according to Autodata Corp.
Staffers at the magazine evaluated the vehicles on their innovation in engineering, design, safety and technology; their performance and quality; and whether the vehicle delivers value to the consumer.
This is the first year the Camry has won the award.
Among competitors for Car of the Year were the Chrysler Sebring, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, Kia Rondo, Honda Fit, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Volvo C70 T5 and the Volkswagen Rabbit.
Last year’s winner was the Honda Civic. Last month, the magazine named the Mercedes-Benz GL450 its sport utility vehicle of the year.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15833397/
11-21-06, 11:38 PM
#3
Wow. I am stunned, as I thought they would have reserved for "Import of the year" category or something. But the Camrys are mostly built in the U.S. anyways.
Congratulations!!! I really think this time around, they made the Camry--already the segment leader, make that all-around Car leader, even better.
Congratulations!!! I really think this time around, they made the Camry--already the segment leader, make that all-around Car leader, even better.
11-22-06, 05:50 AM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Although I would have liked to see the LS460 take the honors.
The article mentions the Corolla being the #2 selling car in America.
This is amazing when you realize the Corolla's in it's last year in it's current
form and is like the oldest model in it's class.
11-22-06, 08:57 AM
#7
Driver
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chevrolet Aveo, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Entourage, Infiniti G35, Jaguar XK, Jeep Compass, Kia Optima, Kia Rondo, Kia Sedona, Lexus ES 350, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes Benz S-Class, Nissan Altima, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, Porsche Cayman, Saturn Aura, Saturn Sky Redline, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Camry, Toyota Yaris, Volvo C70 T5, Volkswagen EOS, and Volkswagen Rabbit
http://www.motortrend.com/features/a...7_toyota_camry
Trending Topics
11-22-06, 09:27 AM
#9
Lexus Champion
I've started to get a bad taste in my mouth about the new Camry - just far too many reports of quality and design issues.
No, it's not a POS. But it's starting to look like it's not compellingly better quality than the competition, either. I miss the days when I could look at a Toyota badge and just know/assume even though I was paying more than I would for a competing product, that I was buying provenly superior reliability with it.
With Toyota slipping these days in some areas I look skeptically toward the Camry as a car that's probably not as fun to drive as some of the competition, costs more to buy, and may or may not be more reliable in the long run...
No, it's not a POS. But it's starting to look like it's not compellingly better quality than the competition, either. I miss the days when I could look at a Toyota badge and just know/assume even though I was paying more than I would for a competing product, that I was buying provenly superior reliability with it.
With Toyota slipping these days in some areas I look skeptically toward the Camry as a car that's probably not as fun to drive as some of the competition, costs more to buy, and may or may not be more reliable in the long run...
11-22-06, 09:29 AM
#10
Lexus Champion
Join Date: May 2006
Location: FL
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chevrolet Aveo, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Entourage, Infiniti G35, Jaguar XK, Jeep Compass, Kia Optima, Kia Rondo, Kia Sedona, Lexus ES 350, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes Benz S-Class, Nissan Altima, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, Porsche Cayman, Saturn Aura, Saturn Sky Redline, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Camry, Toyota Yaris, Volvo C70 T5, Volkswagen EOS, and Volkswagen Rabbit
11-22-06, 09:34 AM
#11
Lexus Champion
Motor Trend's COTY is always based on the merits of innovation and impact on the market.
If a car sets a new standard in a major category and/or brings new useful ideas/features/technologies to its CLASS of vehicle, then that tends to give it high marks.
By them naming the Camry COTY they're probably saying they think it has raised the bar by a very significant amount in a very significant class. I'm not sure I agree with them completely but I don't necessarily disagree with them either...
11-22-06, 09:45 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
Join Date: May 2006
Location: FL
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess that I would need to research the Camry in more depth, but other than new sheetmetal and the big V6, I'm not sure what's so new or special about the car. My opinion, is that it's really odd-looking (in a not-so-good way), and probably still handles like a bowl of half-melted jello. I can't think of a more uninteresting driving experience.
11-22-06, 09:50 AM
#14
Super Moderator
It's good that they pick the Camry & that it got some recognition, but they have picked some not so special cars before, so I don't think it's a big deal either, same for those other awards & top 10 lists from other car magazines, they make their picks based on their own criteria & preferences (& bias) only, so what's the best for them may not be the best for everyone at all.
11-22-06, 09:52 AM
#15
Vey well deserved award. Good job again Toyota, but then, no surprise. The other day I had to park my 06 Ford Fusion in between two new Camrys at the HK Receiver warranty servicing location. For some reason I just hated to park next to such fine machinery in my garbage ,"import fighter". At least it started up and left without a jump-this time.
Last edited by Pearlpower; 11-22-06 at 09:57 AM.