This review is of the Camry LE-V6.

This is my first foray into the world of Japanese automobiles. I've owned American, Italian, German and yes, even Brazilian cars up to now but have steadfastly resisted the urge to turn Japanese up to now. But after some bad experiences with American cars recently, I've taken the plunge. Results - and I must point out that these observations are from someone who has owned the vehicle but six short weeks - are decidedly mixed.

Styling

You can, of course, make your own assessment of the auto by simply looking at it. I've read pros and cons, but ultimately I looked at the Camry and its Honda Accord competition and decided that the overall balance of aesthetic virtue went to Camry. Specifically, I think the front end of the Honda is simply boring, whereas the Camry's is interesting. The LE's interior is a trifle utilitarian, but functional. Again, a potential buyer can judge for him or herself whether the LE's styling is what one would expect. If not, the XLE offers more in the way of trim.

Features

While the LE has most of what is needed and does these things fairly well, I am not particularly impressed with the layout or ease of use of some of the car's features. Specifically, the climate control knobs are a bit shallow to be turned easily and don't have clearly-visible indicators of their positions. Similarly, the cruise control wand is at the driver's right hand, low, and turns with the wheel itself. I find myself hunting for it all the time if I am turning my steering wheel even slightly.

The upgraded stereo, a JBL, is a bit boomy but otherwise is well worth the money as the standard unit is well, more akin to a North Korean war surplus unit. The JBL is serviceable and, if not pushed to its limits by your rap-enthusiast teen offspring, good enough for all but the most demanding auto audiophile.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Bluetooth feature of the JBL system. It allows the driver (and up to 5 more individuals) to link their cell phones into the car's audio system for 'hands-free' operation. While setup and operation of the system can get clumsy (buttons to operate it are on both sides of the steering wheel), once set up it is a very handy, and very safe, system to have. I heartily recommend this for anyone getting a car, regardless of make or model, today.

On the Road

Four main points: handling, ride, engine and transmission

Handling - the Camry is a family sedan. I knew this going into the transaction and you should, too. That's not to say that the Camry is sloppy or vague...it's not. But neither will you have the same feel for the road that you get in a BMW Z3, either. The car sits a bit higher than my old Chrysler Concorde and it feels it in cornering. Overall, the handling is adequate and even above-average for a family car.

Ride - The Camry's ride is relatively smooth, but it probably feels the road a bit much for the family-sedan handling that it exhibits - I would expect a stiffer feel from a vehicle that transmits as much of the routine bumps and pits as the Camry does. Shoulder and hip room are excellent, and the seat does a good, not great, job of supporting the body once you get it properly adjusted. I'm 6'-4" tall and, shall we say, a tad pudgy and the Camry fits me without problem. The telescoping wheel is also a nice feature.

The only caveat is the car's headroom. I planned for this potential problem after I drove the demo model at the dealer - by ordering my LE-V6 with a sunroof. This reduces overall headroom with the hatch closed, but increases it with it open...plus I like the light and, when it's seasonable, the air that come in. If you're tall, make sure you're okay with its headroom in the configuration you order.

Engine - the V6 just rocks, really. It has power to spare and can easily get me into and out of any kind of traffic. It's not like buzzing around in my Z3 2.8l, but it's pretty darned close, something I never expected from a Camry.

Transmission - in a word, dreadful. The idle on the car when cold is set pretty high, so going from Reverse to Drive can be a neck-snapping event. When cold, the transmission also 'gets ahead' of the engine - when I come to a stop sign, particularly one at the bottom of a downhill run, and then begin to go through, the engine revs for a few seconds before the tranny kicks back in with a clunk and the car gives a lurch. I'm planning on taking the car back for a look at this...I refuse to believe it's a systematic problem with this model.

I do see that others are having transmission issues with hunting. I concur completely. City driving with the Camry is an adventure in gear selection...it never seems to know where it should be. Furthermore, it is almost like driving a stick insofar as the Camry 'gears down' whenever I take my foot off the gas. I would prefer that it coast, but this tranny wants to decel whenever it's not accelerating. Ugh.

I've been getting about 24 MPG with mixed city/highway driving and fairly cold weather (runs a tad rich). I'll update as the weather warms.

UPDATE 7/25/07: Gas mileage does not appear to be as dependent on ambient temperature as it was for my old car. I've been holding steady at 23.2 MPG for mixed city/highway driving.

Also had my Camry serviced for the transmission situation. This is apparently a common problem, as the service ticket referenced a Tech Service Bulletin being applicable. It was a simple software tweak that seems to have largely addressed my complaints. I'll drive a bit more on it and update, but initial results are favorable.
Amount Paid (US$): 25200
Condition: New
Model Year: 2007
Model and Options: LE-V6