TOYOTA Australia has used the mid-life replace of its Camry mid-sized sedan to axe the V6 petrol engine and capitalise on the overwhelming reputation of the hybrid variants by becoming the inexperienced powertrain to 80 per cent of the facelifted vary.
Slashing the vary from 9 variants to 5, Toyota says the choice to “focus” on the hybrid powertrain comes off the again of hybrids accounting for greater than 70 per cent of all Camry gross sales final yr.
Against this, a Toyota Australia spokesperson confirmed to GoAuto that in 2020, the V6 variants made up lower than 5 per cent of complete Camry gross sales, therefore its axing from the native line-up.
“Toyota Australia can affirm that from February 2021 manufacturing, Camry sedan will solely be out there in four-cylinder petrol and hybrid powertrains solely,” they stated.
“There are not any present plans to reintroduce a V6, until demand for such a variant had been to vary additionally.”
Toyota Australia gross sales and advertising vice-president Sean Hanley in the meantime stated clients had “come to understand the numerous advantages to their backside line, practicality and their environmental footprint” provided by the hybrid powertrain.
“Once we launched the primary Camry Hybrid 10 years in the past, it was solely the second hybrid mannequin after Prius,” he stated.
“In the present day, we provide the hybrid powertrain in seven mannequin traces and with over 70 per cent of present Camry patrons choosing the hybrid model, it’s our greatest vendor.
“Now with this facelifted mannequin, we’re additional bettering the proposition with a extra trendy aesthetic inside and outside and extra superior security and luxury expertise.”
As far as styling and the inside goes, the facelift primarily centres round a extra aggressive-looking grille and entrance bumper mixture whereas the dashboard has been reorganised within the identify of ergonomics and aesthetics, together with a brand new floating 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen – Ascents make do with a 7.0-inch unit.
There have been some modifications made beneath the bonnet too with the bottom Ascent 2.5 petrol scoring a brand new 2.5-litre ‘Dynamic Power’ four-cylinder engine creating a a lot handier 152kW (+19kW) – a torque determine can be revealed at launch.
Drive within the base mannequin remains to be despatched to the entrance wheels through the identical eight-speed computerized transmission as earlier than with mixed gas economic system pegged at 6.8 litres per 100km.
A couple of undisclosed refinements have additionally been make to the hybrid mill which have resulted in peak energy dropping to 155kW (-5kW) whereas gas economic system has remained regular at between 4.2-4.7L/100km.
Security has additionally been stepped up throughout the board with a number of key new additions to the Toyota Security Sense suite together with Toyota Related Companies, street signal help, emergency steering help and intersection flip help.
The brand new options be a part of the established assortment of pre-collision security methods with pedestrian and day bike owner detection, energetic cruise management, lane hint help and auto excessive beam amongst others.
There’s a value to paid for the additional gear and grunt nonetheless with costs up throughout the board by between $1700-$4200 relying on the variant.
Unsurprisingly, the Camry has been the dominant drive throughout the sub-$60,000 medium automobile section to this point this yr ending February, accounting for 70.2 per cent of all section gross sales (1816 models), greater than seven instances that of the Skoda Octavia in second (242/9.4%).
2021 Toyota Camry pricing*
| Ascent 2.5 (a) | $30,990 |
| Ascent 2.5 hybrid (a) | $33,490 |
| Ascent Sport 2.5 hybrid (a) | $36,290 |
| SX 2.5 hybrid (a) | $39,190 |
| SL 2.5 hybrid (a) | $46,990 |
*Excludes on-road prices
