Long-term wrap-up: 2012 Toyota Camry meets 2010 Toyota Camry

Long-term wrap-up: 2012 Toyota Camry meets 2010 Toyota Camry


We’ve driven a lot of 2012 Toyota Camry variants over the past six months. Ever since its launch in the UAE, the local dealer Al Futtaim Motors has given us a lot of seat-time in this car, to the point where we’re actually driving one over this summer as a long-termer. That long-termer is gone now, but we’re now so acquainted with the new model that we can tell you exactly what has changed in this new model compared to the old one.

The Toyota Camry got a lengthened wheelbase when the model was last redesigned in 2007, so the 2012 version already has a lot of space to work with. And yet, Toyota’s engineers and marketeers have been proudly proclaiming that the “all-new” model has even more space inside. We checked out their claims ourselves.

And they were indeed not kidding. The front passenger-side seat has at least a few fingers worth of extra knee-room.

In the rear, they’ve also managed to carve out the front seatbacks to add more than 50mm of extra knee-room, by our casual measurements. Also, there is more noticeable headroom in the back, by about 20mm, apparently achieved by making the headliner thinner near the head area. Heck, it has more headroom than even the larger new Lexus ES 350.

Surprisingly, even the boot is a wee bit bigger, because the new Camry’s butt is boxier than the swoopier old one, so there is a bit more upward room.

And that’s really the new Camry’s new unique selling point. Sure, there’s better handling, better gadgets and better power, but all people really want from a Camry is space. And while we had one for two months, it was our people-carrier of choice, even though we already own two other midsize sedans. But of course, the new Camry costs a whole lot more than either.

Read all 2012 Toyota Camry long-term reports.

What do you think?

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Comments

  1. Author

    Thanks to Mohammed Mahedi Hasan for the use of his 2010 Toyota Camry.

  2. Mash,

    I think there are other key things that should be considered

    1) running costs: AFM have really jacked up thier service costs unreasonbly, if one compares to what arabian motors charge to service for a nissan altima it is hillarious…

    2) the new altima that is due to come out very soon, and is very close to camry. The Altima’s cabins materials, space, fuel econmy, seats, design, handling and looks all superior to the camry. True the camry is a better car than before but the thing is altima looks to have really caught up.

    The only down side of the altima i see the CVT which gives it a very drone like engine performance and it is not AC is as strong as toyotas… but adequate for UAE’s hot summer… but none of these short commings are actually deal breakers.

    I my self is in the market for a new family saloon between altima, accord and camry… and there was a time i wouldnt even considered the altima.

    My opinion the camry isnt a done deal … and i thing most buyers have taken notice.

  3. I miss my camry 🙁

  4. Mash
    i dont have the camry numbers on my head but i will some examples of my corolla 1.6 XLI 2010 i had for 2 years and sold it at 27,000km costs as rough guide

    5000 km = AED 350 (approx)

    10,000 km = AED 600 (Approx)

    15,000 km AED 350-70 (Approx)

    20,000 km AED 800 (approx)

    25,000 km AED 350 (approx)

    now the above numbers are roughly my buddy paid for this Infinity G35 YE 2007 model for service costs!!! … so 1.6 lTR car costed as much as a 3.5LTR performance saloon with arabian motors???…. it really was insane!.

  5. I own a GLX Camry 2012, I went 6000 KM, I can tell you:
    What I don’t like :
    – AC smells like sh****
    – cracking sound on the front pillar driver side, or from the glass upper side not being secured, I don’t know.
    – buzzing sound from steering wheel
    – very low front buffer, almost lower than parking stopper, so mine is all scratched
    – rear mirror hard to secure
    What I like :
    – Bluetooth streaming + iphone works like charm
    – AC is strong but kills car torque basically
    – Got to try ABS once. 5 stars
    – Stability on road unmatched
    – Confort relatively good for the price.
    – Very good job on cabin sound isolation

  6. as Clarkson said: Whenever I’m suffering from insomnia, I just look at a picture of a Toyota Camry and I’m straight off

  7. i lyk the new altima
    drive the new camry
    drive the new altima
    u wl know ur self

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