Test Drive Toyota Camry Solara 2003 - 2008

Review of the new model a / m Toyota Camry

Technical characteristics of the model Camry G:
Length 4815 mm x Width 1820 mm x Height 1480 mm.
Wheel base: 2775 mm.
Machine weight: 1590 kg.
Drive: on the front wheels
Engine: 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder with inline cylinders arrangement, developed power 167 hp at 6000 rpm, the greatest torque is 22.8 kg / m at 4000 rpm.
Transmission: 4-speed automatic transmission.
Machine price: 2 million 604 thousand yen.
 
In Japan, the Camry model is not such a noticeable phenomenon.
Recently, the opinion has been formed that being global is good. I do not know where, but, with regard to the automotive market, it is undoubtedly very prone to such globalization. In fact, it is only worth creating such a car that begins to be sold immediately in several countries of the world, as a manufacturer who produces such a car, to live is easier. For example, it is not necessary to go far, it is easy - you can just see how the fate of the Toyota Camry model series machines, machines that are often called the phenomenon of the world value (WORLD CAR). Currently, such cars are collected in the 8th countries of the world, including Japan itself. Well, this model is sold everywhere where only you can, in the United States, in Central Asia, and in Australia, and in Europe (including Russia and other countries of the former USSR), are only about 100 countries in the world.
By itself, the figure 100 is impressive, right? But at the same time, if you judge the volume of sales in each of these hundreds of more countries, the Camry car can be called a sedan, produced for one country. And its name, as you can guess - the United States of America. Name only a few digits. So, the sales of Camry cars in the North American market amounted to an average of 400 thousand units per year. Compared to these indicators, sales volumes in all the rest of the countries are a drop in the sea. Of course, experts predict that the Asian market develops dynamically develops dynamically, and, above all, his Chinese direction, but all this is still in the project. In the meantime, a rather high rating of the Camry car is provided solely at the expense of American buyers. In fact, if you take the market of passenger cars (of it, however, it is necessary to exclude a segment of light trucks), it turns out that over the past 9 years, the Toyota Camry model turned out to be a sales leader. Well, finally, it should be noted that about 10 million cars were sold in the entire history of this model range. So, approximately 70 percent of this quantity falls on the share of North America (it is necessary to include Canada here.
How to identify that niche that Camry took the North American market? Please: a mass sedan who gladly chooses a regular driver, as they write about him in American advertising booklets. In short, this one segment that in Japan fills the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Premio / Toyota Allion model range, and in Western Europe, the same Toyota Corolla and Toyota Avensis. Yes, perhaps, it will be clearer: for America, the Camry model has become the same than the Japanese is the Toyota Corolla car. It was quite natural to assume that, having achieved such success on his main game field, the project developers are unlikely to be decided to dramatically change the image of their bestseller. So it happened: the Camry machine of a new sample did not make anything new anything new to his already traditionally formed image. The Japanese are hard to understand why designers who worked on the new Camry car were forced to act so carefully, and such misunderstanding has quite definite reasons. The fact is that Japanese buyers have no stable stereotype as to what the machine must be called Camry. But I repeat, fate the new model of Camry in the Japanese market is not at all what the head has a hurt and hurts the manufacturer! How to save and develop that undoubted success that has accompanied the model of the former sample on the American continent - that's how it should be a question! Therefore, it was decided, not to be caught, give a car a little more sportiness in appearance (among the sedans it is fashionable now), then, albeit slightly, but increase the useful volume of the cabin. It is clear that all this should be accompanied by improving the quality of performance. Once, two, and a new version of the American sedan of the Toyota brand is ready! And again he, more precisely, his creators, on horseback!
Progress is a comprehensive nature.
Both the platform and the engine of the new Camry car were subjected to further improvement. And if we consider only those models that are intended for implementation in the inner Japanese market, it turns out, the new machine is only by these improvements and differs from its predecessor. At the same time, the Americanized model range of Camry, among other things, turned out to be replenished with new models. First, there was a car with a mixed burden (hybrid), secondly, the car began to be equipped with a new and more powerful 3.5-liter engine having six V-figuratively located cylinders. That is, a modernized Camry machine is produced on the American market, the novelty of which is more specific, and its version intended for internal Japanese consumption does not possess such a certainty. But here it should be noted one important detail. The fact is that in the Japanese market there are already sedans of the Toyota brand, which are characterized by similar tractive characteristics and the same dimensions. We are talking about Toyota Mark X and Toyota Crown models. At the same time, everyone knows that the demand for Cars type Sedan in Japan is steadily falling. That is why for the new model Camry was planned a fairly low plan for the implementation of just 1000 cars per month. In addition, as everyone knows, the Camry sold in the domestic market is equipped with a less powerful, 4-cylinder engine, which is 2.4 liters. With regard to the type of actuator, modifications are provided for both 2WD and 4WD. But regardless of how the drive is equipped with the machine, its chassis does not change and remains the same, calculated for the main, base model. Thus, there is a main version of the machine, the category of which is denoted by the letter G (General), and a number of varieties that differ in equipment. In total, there are 5 categories of Camry new sample.
The Japanese version of the new Camry model borrowed all its main components from the machine for the same sample, although all these borrowings were subjected to further comprehensive improvement. The length of the body remains unchanged, but the wheelbase has become more than 55 mm. This, in particular, affected the increase in the free space under the legs of the rear passengers. At the same time, the overall width of the machine was increased, which led to some extension (30 mm) king of both the front and rear wheels. The speed characteristics of the 2.4-liter engine rose, as well, and its environmental safety. In addition, a version with a 5-speed automatic transmission is provided for the front-wheel drive machine. However, in addition to these improvements, which are visible to a naked eye, it is worth only to be driving, "there is a number of innovations remaining behind the scenes. These include the special design of the side panels of the body, which affects the safety of the passengers sitting inside the cabin in the event of a collision. In the cabin, as many as 7 different pneumatic airbags are installed, including the one that should prevent the lower part of the driver's foot from pinching. In general, on a set of protective devices, which should ensure the safety of passengers and the driver, the new Camry car is at a very high level.
Remember that the Camry of the former generation was so spacious that it seemed to be small, in general, the Japanese, he seemed to be like anything else. And, nevertheless, the space at the level level was decided to make more by 30 mm. And now, when the driver of such growth, like me, that is, height at 178 cm, sits in the driver's seat and moves it so much as it is convenient for him, the legs behind the seated passenger are not squeezed. On the other hand, in accordance with the current tendency of the body of the new Camry sedan, it was decided to make more sporting, which caused the need to reduce the height of the car by 20 mm, and the height of the ceiling in the cabin is 25 mm. And in general, despite the changes in the proportions, it turned out that the difference in the perception of the volume of the salon personally, I could not see.
The front panel is designed in such a way that its configuration resembles the letter T. All components of the panel are similar to what can be seen in any large sedan of the Toyota brand, at least in the Mark X or Crown salon, this is certain. But the width of the touch keys and them, so to speak, the working turn does not reach the level achieved in the CROWN salon. It even more convinced me that the Camry model is Corolla, but only in its Americanized version. I say it without any shares of criticism. In fact, instead of ironizing, it is better to carry out a comparative analysis of the high-quality component of the interior of Japanese production machines that are similar to Camry dimensions. I mean the Nissan Teana and Honda Inspire model. Try yourself, and you, I'm sure you will feel how new Camry's salon is higher in class. Camry steering column can be tilted and advanced on the principle of a telescope. But these functions are not something special, all the latest Toyota models have exactly the same advantages. Further, if you look into the salon of the highest category machine, then there the steering wheel will be separated by genuine leather and wood. Of course, this tree is just a skillful plastic imitation, similar to the one that is made in the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy salon, but Toyota covers their thick layer of a special colorless primer, thanks to which, even after a long ride, the driver will still not understand without tip Just imitation of wood.
Win those who know that in this.
Why in Japan to cars standing in the model range of Camry include so inattentively and frivolous? I think that the main reason lies in the already established system of values \u200b\u200band priorities, which does not give Japanese buyers to look at things unbiased. In particular, if you ask any driver who understands the machines, how they see the ideal of a large sedan, then many will answer without thinking that it should be from the category of vehicles and necessarily rear-wheel drive. And as an example, the BMW and Mercedes brand cars will probably call, then, of course, Nissan Cima, Nissan Fuga and Nissan Skyline will be remembered. Naturally, they will not forget about the sedans of the brand LEXUS and, finally, the Toyota Crown car. But, let's say, the same Japanese driver turns out to be driving a large sedan now with a front-wheel drive, for example, the same Toyota Camry, Nissan Teana, not to mention some car of European production. Then, I am sure the first thing that will come to his head is the idea that for long distances (Long Cruise) cars with more suitable characteristics not to find! Only the main advantages of such a sedan, which help him to earn a similar assessment. This is, first of all, the amazing ability to move strictly in a straight line at high speed. Then, increased resistance to such adverse factors as side wind, wet asphalt, etc., a large useful volume of the cabin, and, finally, the special stability of the machine, which is due to the low location of its center of gravity. Such stability, or more precisely will say, such a sense of stability cannot be tested in a minivan or driving a car such as SUV. So personally i, if my lifestyle assumed daily trips to 50 km and more, would not think long and preferred all other options a large-sized sedan with an end wheel drive. Yes, I agree, one of the most important advantages of the rear-wheel drive car is a subjective feeling of excellent manageability. But it should be borne in mind that the steering of the latest models with the front-wheel drive has the same high degree of stability. That is why I fully liable can argue that at the moment of the sedans with the front-wheel drive, including the new Toyota Camry car, the wave can compete in terms of controllability with many rear-wheel drive sedans from the discharge of elites.
The presence itself on the Japanese car market, the driving qualities of which give an idea of \u200b\u200bhow to move there, on the American continent, does not cause protest feelings. At the same time, this is still Japan, and therefore, it seems to me, it would be better if the new Camry car had a different adjusted suspension and wim myself was not so noisy, as it may be accepted in America.
No, I do not argue that a modernized 2.4 liter engine, which has become more powerful, has no right to simultaneously become a little more noisy, and its vibration is not so apparent. And, nevertheless, when you give a car full gas to achieve the maximum acceleration intensity, the noise in the cabin penetrates, and with some unpleasant timbre. This disadvantage is desirable to eliminate as quickly as possible. It is clear that the Camry car, which by the standards of Americans is a major nallow is a mass sedan, I do not pull on the sedan a high-class, no matter how much we call him an elite or any more. But at the same time, according to its traction characteristics, he almost inferior to his elite fellows, and it really would be great if only this tedious sound of the engine operating, which all spoils. In addition, it should be borne in mind that, as I explained, adjusting the suspension of Americanized and Japanese versions of the car is almost identical. But on Japanese roads, the car often has to overcome the joints of the road cover, and it is not anywhere. And this, in turn, means that the car is forced to constantly peck the nose, which cannot but affect the level of comfort. What imitation of ride on American roads can you in this case? After all, there problems of road junctions simply do not exist. Taking into account all these considerations, someone can clearly explain what the authors of the new version of Camry were calculated, when they produced her to the Japanese market, where, as I said, she was forced to compete with himself like Toyota Mark X and Toyota Crown models? Well, why, tell me, should I give up the purchase of a car with one of these models and give preference to a new Camry if it swings stronger under all equal conditions? But it seems very important circumstance. Good in America, where the highway is like a single cloth, the joints are embedded, each bend is marked with well-noticeable lines along the curb. There is a new model Camry, I'm sure can show yourself in all its glory! After all, that neither say, and the steering wheel she has been balanced canceled, and if the body will hold exactly, without swaying, it will already be a completely different song. And try to get the same effect on the Japanese road without changing the suspension setting? I think it is hardly possible.
In a word, in Japanese standards, a new Camry car is marked by a number of roughness, which may be the inevitable consequence of its excessive Americanization. But at the same time, if anyone loves long-distance trips, if anyone is caring for the driving process for long distances, a large-sized front-wheel drive sedan, like a new model Camry, just what he needed. How then to appreciate this car and should it be recommended? I think it is worth it, however, please treat my recommendations with a share of caution. Camry developers of a new sample, understandable, wanted that their brainchild find demand not only in America, but also in Japan itself (quote). But on the other hand, it seems that they act, guided by the wrong point of view, which I would formulate this: if America accepted the car in such a form, then what do you need, the Japanese, still need!?! And here you need, and not unnecessary decorations and not even extra centimeters in the cabin. Instead, let the car be not so noisy, and let her suspension begins to act differently. Choosing for those who know in this sense! - So, it seems? I do not argue with this statement in principle, I, nevertheless, would like the new car to be able to confidently hold on the legs exactly where she would have to ride. Is it really, expressing such a wish, I do as a person who wants too much? If so, then I apologize!

    
 

A source: Carview.co.jp.