Toyota's goal continues to be to build vehicles that offer comfort, convenience and a high degree of safety. This is precisely what the company has succeeded in doing. The rigid Camry body structure has given the safety engineers a good basis to begin their handy work.
Dual front driver and passenger air bags are standard on all Camrys, as are three-point seat belts for all passengers, even one in the center rear position. Front seat belt pretensioners cinch the belts tight upon sensing and impact and force-limiters reduce the belt's load on an occupant's torso helping reduce injury. Front side-impact airbags are available as an option on all Camrys. The side-impact airbags are designed to help reduce the likelihood of injuries to the driver or front passenger in the event of a severe side collision. Anti-lock brakes are standard on LE V6 and XLE models. They are a $610 option on CE and LE models. We'd prefer ABS was standard. Daytime running lights come on all cars equipped with ABS.
Like most Toyotas, the controls, switches and gauges are designed to be easy to use and read. In this case, one area needs some attention. The controls for the sound system are a bit small and difficult to manipulate while driving. The flowing dash is no-nonsense, yet pleasing to the eye. The interior design and trim are also pleasing, although edging on the ordinary.
The front bucket seats are supportive without being restrictive. The cloth upholstery feels built for extended use. In fact, the driver's seat was so comfortable throughout a number of long drives it made us question the expense of adding power adjustments and leather upholstery.
We spent many full days behind the wheel of the Camry. Traveling along the Pacific Coast from sunup to sundown can be tiring. However, at the end of each day it was extremely difficult for us to find fault with any aspect of the car.
Granted, the Camry isn't a sports car, yet the front MacPherson strut and the rear dual-link suspension handled the twisting coastal roads admirably. Standard gas charged shock absorbers and stabilizer bars both front and rear play a significant role in the Camry's quality of ride and handling ability. It seems soft around town, but feels firmer in corners. This car is smooth and quiet, though a small amount of road vibration comes through.
Power from the 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine was quite adequate while tackling grades along the coast. Though our test vehicle was equipped with the 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, we didn't miss the available manual 5-speed much at all. Greatly assisting in this appreciation of the automatic is a little button on the gearshift lever. With a mere push of a button the driver can lock out overdrive. This keeps the transmission from shifting above third gear, providing much better acceleration performance. This ability is a welcome addition when winding your way up and down mountain passes or along twisting coastal roads. We also found it helpful on many occasions heading down city streets for a quick trip to the market.