For the 2018
model year, Toyota
I’m happy to
report that, not only did Toyota
Camry critics
have long conceded that it’s a reliable, feature-loaded mainstream driver, but
in the same breath they have dismissed it as a vanilla-looking car with
performance characteristics that fall far short of getting the pulse racing.
Not so now.
My recent week
in the 2018 Toyota Camry XSE provided a feast for the eyes and the heartbeat.
My ride was
equipped with the 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 301 horsepower, and I was stunned at
its robust performance from a standing start and amid fast-moving traffic. Acceleration was so brisk that the same
exclamation kept bouncing around in my brain: “I can’t believe this is a
Camry.”
The performance
rush is backed up with a dynamic restyling that makes the Camry look
aggressive, but not gaudy.
If tepid looks and performance have been holding back prospective Camry buyers in past years, they no longer have any excuses.
By the way,
fuel mileage on my V6 was pretty darn good at 22 miles per gallon in the city
and 32 mpg on the highway.
Everything
else I experienced was vintage Camry: comfortable seating, thoughtfully laid
out controls and a generous list of safety, comfort and convenience features.
This being the
XSE version, yes, the bottom line price of $38,230 on my ride was a bit hefty. But my experience tells me that Camry buyers
tend to keep their purchases for the long haul.
The long-term math, for them, works out well.
Bottom line:
For 2018, an exceptional passenger car gets even better.
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