2021 Toyota Camry XLE V6 Review: Nailing The Basics

Design | Consolation | Know-how | Efficiency | Security | Gas Financial system | Pricing | FAQ

The Toyota Camry has loved a wholesome run as America’s best-selling midsize automotive during the last 19 years. Nevertheless, opponents just like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia K5 have actually stepped as much as the plate, pushing what customers come to anticipate by way of know-how, worth for cash, and luxury, successfully shrinking the Camry’s lead. With its rival’s gross sales figures rising steadily, this smart sedan has to supply extra to remain on prime.

The 2021 Toyota Camry we have been testing is an XLE V6, the second-highest trim degree accessible, with a $37,079 price ticket. In concept, our well-optioned tester ought to showcase this automobile at its finest. As an alternative, we get a sedan that, whereas comfy, handsome, and well-equipped, lacks its opponents’ refinement, dealing with traits and general appeal.

A automobile’s rankings are relative solely to its personal phase and never the new-vehicle market as a complete. For extra on how Motor1.com charges automobiles, click on right here.

29 Images

• Exterior Colour: Blueprint
• Inside Colour: Ash
• Wheel Measurement: 18-inch

The present Toyota Camry has been round since 2018, and regardless of being over 4 years outdated at this level, it’s aged properly. Horizontal strains within the Camry’s grille assist visually widen the automotive as they practically span the width of the entrance bumper. Chrome trim surrounds the grille, contrasting our tester’s darkish Blueprint paint.

Alongside the perimeters, a powerful shoulder line connects the entrance and rear quarter panels whereas chopping by means of each doorways. This sharp styling component helps break up the graceful strains of the Camry’s sides, making it look sportier. Chrome surrounds the home windows, though it would not present as a lot distinction as within the entrance, seemingly as a result of gentle passing by means of the glass.

The rear of the Camry performs it protected with tamer styling components. Whereas the big boomerang-shaped LED taillights stand out, the black plastic diffuser blends in, particularly on a automobile carrying darker paint. The first styling cue that connects the rear to the entrance is a single outstanding line that nearly runs the bumper’s width.

Regardless of our tester being an XLE, this loaded Camry would not look all that totally different from its cheaper options. One of many foremost differentiating components is the set of 18-inch wheels, upgraded from the 17s discovered within the base mannequin. Moreover, the XLE advantages from LED daytime operating lights. If you would like even sportier styling for this smart sedan, you may want the SE, XSE, or TRD trim ranges.

The outside variations between our XLE and a base LE don’t instantly stand out, however their interiors are miles aside. The seats in our tester featured Toyota’s SofTex materials, a fake leather-based that visually, at the least, will get near the true factor. Whereas the fabric is ultra-soft to the contact, its easy texture and general lack of heft really feel a bit flimsy. Regardless of this, SofTex is a major improve over the rough-feeling cloth choices present in decrease trim ranges. The artificial leather-based additionally covers components of the sprint, door panels, and door playing cards, which means that a lot of the surfaces you contact function it as a substitute of rubber or exhausting plastic, making the inside really feel barely extra premium.

For the 2021 mannequin 12 months, Toyota opted to axe the 7.0-inch infotainment display that sat flush with the sprint in favor of one in every of an identical measurement that stands out vertically as a substitute. Whereas the remainder of the format stays largely unchanged, this one component considerably transforms the automotive’s inside aesthetic, interrupting the comfortable strains of the sprint with a outstanding rectangle within the center. Consequently, the Camry’s inside feels a bit disjointed, as if the display was an afterthought.

• Seating Capability: 5
• Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
• Cargo Capability: 15.1 Cubic Ft

Seems-aside, the Camry’s inside is a comfortable place to be. With a pair of 8-way power-adjustable entrance seats, dialing within the right seating place is simple. Moreover, the chairs have wonderful padding, offering good consolation even over lengthy distances. The place of the chairs signifies that getting out and in of the Camry is just not a problem. Whereas heated seats come customary on the XLE, cooling is an elective further.

Detracting from the entrance row’s consolation is the Camry’s 38.3 inches of headroom. For context, opponents such because the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5 each provide 40 inches or extra, leaving the Toyota feeling a bit extra cramped as compared. General, the automotive’s entrance has much less of an open, ethereal feeling than what you get in both the Hyundai or Kia.

The Camry’s second row is somewhat common for the category. With 38.3 inches, there’s barely extra headroom than the sunroof-equipped K5 or Sonata (37.4 inches every), and a wholesome benefit in leg house at 38.0 inches to 35.2 and 34.8, respectively. But when you actually need house, the Honda Accord’s 40.4 inches of legroom makes up for its negligible drawback in head house. The Camry additionally struggles to haul cargo – its 15.1-cubic-foot trunk trails the competitors, all of which pack 16 cubes or extra.

Whereas each rows of seats are comparatively soft, the Camry’s comfortable suspension additionally helps, which excels round poorly maintained metropolis streets and huge highways alike. The suspension strikes a great steadiness with an opulent sufficient trip with out leaning on being overly mushy. This locations the Camry just about on par with different opponents within the phase.

• Middle Show: 9.0-inch Touchscreen
• Instrument Cluster Show: 7.0-inch
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: No

The 2021 Toyota Camry comes well-equipped, even in its most simple kind. As customary, you get a 7.0-inch infotainment display with wired Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. Nevertheless, the bigger 9.0-inch display in our tester comes customary on the XLE and XSE, however is elective on the LE, SE, and TRD.

Whereas the bigger touchscreen is simple to function due to its proximity to the driving force, it’s nonetheless smaller than the ten.25-inch items accessible within the Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata. Moreover, the Camry’s display feels a bit gradual, so switching by means of the infotainment system’s many pages and menus generally is a laggy expertise at instances.

There’s additionally a transparent drop in general decision in comparison with the screens discovered within the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia K5. The identical goes for the analog devices in entrance of the driving force. Whereas they definitely appear constructed to final, they appear dated. In distinction, most opponents now provide totally digital instrument clusters at this value level, in addition to heart touchscreens measuring 10 inches or extra.

• Engine: 3.5-liter V6
• Output: 301 Horsepower / 267 Pound-Ft
• Transmission: 8-Velocity Computerized

Our 2021 Toyota Camry XLE options probably the most highly effective engine in its class, a 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V6 that produces 301 horsepower and 267 pound-feet. This can be a important improve over the bottom mannequin’s four-cylinder and its 203-hp and 186-lb-ft output. All of that energy goes to the entrance wheels through an eight-speed computerized transmission. All-wheel drive is offered, however solely with the four-cylinder engine.

The V6-powered Camry is fast. Whereas it lacks the low-end torque of turbocharged opponents, mid-range efficiency is powerful. Alongside the facility, the naturally-aspirated engine delivers a throaty sound that permeates the cabin throughout exhausting accelerations however stays subdued the remainder of the time.

Nevertheless, the Camry stays a considerably underwhelming drive by way of enjoyable. Its ultra-light steering would not present a lot suggestions, and its chassis would not really feel fairly as succesful as what you get within the Mazda6 or Honda Accord.

• Driver Help Stage: SAE Stage 1
• NHTSA Score: 5 Stars General
• IIHS Score: Prime Security Decide +

The Camry stands out, as most Toyotas do, for providing a complete host of lively security gear customary, through the Toyota Security Sense system. Each Camry comes with computerized emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise management, lane departure alert, computerized excessive beams, lane tracing help, and site visitors signal recognition.

The total-speed adaptive cruise management system works properly on the street, sustaining a gradual distance to following automobiles. Lane tracing is a useful addition, however the Camry isn’t fairly as assured by means of freeway bends and on ill-defined lanes as Hyundai or Kia’s Freeway Driving Help system.

Our tester additionally featured blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, an elective further on the LE and SE trim ranges, however customary on the XLE, XSE, and TRD. The Camry’s security choices fall intently in keeping with what its opponents provide, with none supplying you with blind-spot monitoring as customary.

• Metropolis: 22 MPG
• Freeway: 33 MPG
• Mixed: 26 MPG

On paper, the Camry’s V6 affords up common gas effectivity rankings of twenty-two miles per gallon within the metropolis, 33 freeway, and 26 mixed, regardless of packing extra energy than turbocharged rivals. For context, probably the most highly effective variations of the Kia K5 and Honda Accord have mixed rankings of 27 and 26 mpg, respectively. Consequently, having probably the most highly effective midsize sedan would not require a substantial effectivity trade-off.

• Base Value: $24,970 + $995
• Trim Base Value: $35,990
• As-Examined Value: $37,079

Toyota sells the Camry in 13 totally different flavors, starting from the bottom LE, which begins at $24,970, together with a $995 vacation spot cost, to the range-topping XSE V6 at $36,540. Whereas the XLE V6 begins at $35,990 with vacation spot, choices equivalent to the driving force help package deal ($830) pushed the as-tested value of our unit to $37,079.

In distinction, the Kia K5 is cheaper, beginning at $24,585, together with a $995 vacation spot cost. Likewise, the Hyundai Sonata can be much less, coming in at $24,705 with its $1,005 payment. Our XLE V6 struggled to supply worth within the greater trim ranges the place each probably the most highly effective K5 and Sonata undercut it, beginning at $31,585 and $34,305 respectively, together with vacation spot.

On the prime finish of the Camry’s trim ranges, the query of worth turns into extra necessary. Since a lot of the Camry’s finest options come as customary, spending $5,000 extra to have the V6 is tough to justify. The four-cylinder model of the XLE affords up the identical premium options that make our tester a terrific every day driver. Whilst you will not have the quickest automotive within the phase, the cheaper model of the XSE is the place you get probably the most on your cash.