Lexus was out of their cars today so I got Hertz's last car... a 2010 Camry SE four cylinder. I was excited to get a chance to test this car out, being it was a close contender before I made my IS250 purchase.
Overall, I felt it's A LOT of car for the money. The build quality felt on par with my IS, or maybe a slight notch less. The cloth seats are very comfortable and the side bolstering seems more aggressive on this sport version. The daul tailpipes are new for 2010 on the 4-cylinder SE- a nice touch. Also new for 2010, rear LED lights and manual shifting with the automatic. Shifts were just as smooth as the Lexus, but when you are rolling in stop and go traffic an give it some gas after cruising, it lurches. I do not get this with my IS tranny. I also missed having the shift paddles. Steering wheel isn't as thick as the IS, but the buttons for audio are larger and easier to hit. Visibility was great but the sideview mirrors seemed like pedestrian blockers during lefthand turns. Cornering was disappointing. I guess I am used to the IS, but wasn't expecting the SE's tires to squeal so easily while making a right turn. Body roll seemed well controlled however.
The biggest surprise was the engine. Upgraded for 2010, it felt like it has as much power as the IS250. What brought it down though was the note. I've always read how pleasant Toyota four cylinders sound, but this one sounded like a typical four. I don't want to say like a tractor, but that is still the first word that pops into my head.
Anyway, just wanted to give a general thumbs up to the Camry SE. With prices hovering in the low to mid $20k's, it's a nice package for someone wanting some style but not break the bank in the process.

 

Nice mini review!! I think the Camry is a solid car and its clear why it sells so well.

 

The new 4 cylinder and 6 speed auto really boosted the Camry SE this year.

179HP and 171 lb ft of torque, while getting 22/32 mpgs is pretty slick.

 

a reliable but boring family hauler with pretense of 'sport'. plastic lower body trim add-ons ftl.

the camry is the car for people who hate cars. very reliable. very inconspicuous. use it, and forget about it.

 

Nice review, but what did you think of the dash and controls? IMO, Camrys have been going downhill in overall build quality since the late 1990's, though, admittedly, they have kept their smooth drivetrains, low noise level, and mirror-like paint job. But the interiors, especially the dash, have deteriorated from excellent materials to cheap, borderline plastic junk. The large, center-dash climate-control *****, for example (on manually-operated units), on the present-generation Camry not only look cheap, but also wobble as you rotate them and feel like they are about to fall off. And the silver-painted interior plastic looks and feels flimsy.

As to why the exhaust sounded a little louder than expected for a Toyota four, that is probably part of the SE's semi-sport nature. By nature, though not a sport-sedan in the usual sense of the word, the SE model is designed to sound and drive a little less appliance-like than other Camry models. The suspension and tires, while not super-firm or harsh, are also noticeably firmer than on other models. If you tried out the top-line XLE model, especially with the V6, you would have probably found it a little quieter.

 

Yes, it's a good runner for sure. It felt just about as peppy as my IS250. The engine note was the only deterrant. I also noticed there was much less engine braking when using manual mode. My car can nearly stop itself on a flat surface by solely using the shifter.

 

You bring up a great topic I should have hit on. I was paying close attention to this. I have to say, the dash was a very interesting mix of materials and styles. It was a big topic of discussion with my parents on the way to dinner. Personally, I liked it a lot. I did not feel it to be cheap, even though I am not a big fan of silver interior surfaces. But then again, I have never driven an older Camry to compare it too. It did have a lot of hard plastic surfaces, but everything felt tight, secure, and none of the dails or ***** wiggled or had play in them. The A/C dail was easy to use. The quibbles I had were the radio turner **** was way too far to the right and a long reach. The volume and power button was also far too high up on the dash and a long reach torward the windshield. I was leaning forward in my seat reaching these things. The gauges on the SE model totally reminded me of the 1986 GMC S-15 Jimmy I had. They are "stripes" of half circles and none too traditional at all. It's actually toyish or video game look, and that may appeal to some younger people. I didn't mind them in this car, but would have preferred the LE or XLE backlit gauges.
The instrument dimmer was integrated on a spinner stalk that juts out of the gauge area. It took me a minute to figure this out. Such a device has historically been to reset the trip odometer. I did however appreciate the ALL Auto up and Down for power windows. This feature should have been standard on the 2007 model. Also, the angle of the power window switches are perfectly angled and position for easy operation. On my IS, they are angled DOWNWARD, away from the driver! Totally backward!

 

Not necessarily. Not everyone who loves cars has the budget allowing them to get anything better, and in its price bracket the camry fares very well.

 

I agree. For the average Joe, this car serves well. If I were actually sensible with my budget and not a car nut, this would be what I'd be driving. It drives solid, looks modern, and is reliable.

 

You must have had a poorly assembled one I guess? My parents have owned 3 of the current gen Camry's (the first one was totalled) and I have not experienced any wobbly climate control ***** in any of them. I find it easy to use and it turns with a nice solid, yet silent click. I do agree that they have upped the hard plastic content big time which is unacceptable, but it holds up very well and is very resistant to scratches. Not big on silver trim on dash and cupholder cover, but it didnt feel flimsy to me. It looked flimsy, but I dont think it felt flimsy. The plastic doesnt flex when you push on it. And all the covers and doors have dampened springs and seem to open and close pretty solidly.

The previous gen IMO was by far the worst Camry interior quality wise IMO. Everything about it was bargain basement. That had flimsy thin plastic that felt like it would crack if you applied to much pressure. Plus it stained pretty easily as well.

The 1990's generations IMO were by far the best though.

 

I agree with you 100%, the current Camry is defenately a big improvement over the previous gen, but the 92 Camry was best.

 

To be honest, I havent seen any generation Camry modded as much as the current one either. The SE has reached into a new market of buyer who would not have considered a Camry previously. But it still is a car that caters to the masses.

 

Admittedly, the car I reviewed (and described) was a 2007 SE model....though the car is still in that same generation, has not been extensively redesigned since then. I did check some other 2007 Camrys on the lot to make sure, as you suggest, that is was not a fluke. Still, it is possible (and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on this one ) that Toyota made some improvments to the existing interior, including the solidness of the ****, without totally redesigning it. Acura, I noticed, made some noticeable improvements to the last-generation TL before it was redesigned and all-new for 2009.


I totally agree. The 3rd-generation 1992-96 model was superb, IMO the best Camry ever built. 's generally been downhill from there.

 

The Camry is the top selling sedan in the US, a sales position that the competition would love to occupy. Fortunately the attributes that really matter are still near the top, and the recent sales history speaks for itself.

Fizzboy, nice mini-review. Glad to see you could make the back-to-back comparison with your IS which is a decent benchmark with a thorough drive(s) in the loaner.

 

i belive the '10 had a small change in the dash, where as the previous years had the blue-ish tint on the plastic over the controls, the '10 has clear plastic