The Star: June 14, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday June 14 2018 51
Toyota Camry now
sourced from Japan
NOT ALL is lost with
the demise of the
Australian motor vehicle
manufacturing industry,
Toyota has simply
reorganised its resources
and has Aussie-type product
landing on our shores.
The car I’m talking about
mostly is the Camry, for
30 years it arrived here
from the Altona factory in
Melbourne. A new Camry
has just landed, and it is
now sourced fresh from
Japan.
It is also a classy vehicle,
almost bordering on the
luxury car market, yet it
has all the values of its
predecessor, the big sedan
is here with a 2.5-litre, fourcylinder
engine as well as
a 2.5-litre hybrid, much
the same configurations as
previously. However, there
is one major change, today’s
Camry also gets the choice
of a V6 engine, gone is the
old Aurion, Toyota’s big
V6 sedan is now badged
Camry.
The latter is here in one
specification only, and
tops the range at $47,990,
it is the subject of this
evaluation and I’m hooked.
I’ve always liked Camry, and
Aurion, and the newcomer
epitomises all the things I’ve
liked about it in the past.
While the engine’s basic
design could be deemed
a carryover from Aurion,
Prado and a lot of Lexus
models, it has been used for
in the past, there have been
a lot of improvements
in terms of power and
efficiency. It now produces
224kW and 362Nm (up
24kW and 26Nm) and
is now rated with a 8.9-
litre per 100km (32mpg)
combined cycle fuel usage
rating – a four per cent
improvement.
I expect the latter to be
quite achievable, my time
with the test car produced
combined figures of around
10l/100km (28mpg) with
an instantaneous figure of
7l/100km (40mpg) available
at a steady 100km/h cruise,
the engine spinning leisurely
at just 1400rpm.
As its power and torque
figures suggest, it is also a
strong engine, it is capable
of propelling the Camry
to 100km/h in 6.8sec, and
that’s pretty quick for a
1595kg car, and one which
isn’t deemed to be a sports
sedan. In my opinion it
is a sporty car, and that’s
probably why I’m drawn to
it, the engine is delightful, it
Motoring
Ross Kiddie
TOYOTA CAMRY: Hybrid option as well as fourcylinder
and V6 variants.
is smooth, silent and willing.
There are also driverselectable
drive modes
to enhance or subdue its
behaviour through sport or
economy settings.
Drive is channelled to
the front wheels through
an eight-speed automatic
gearbox. It, too, is the
epitome of smoothness,
the changes are almost
undetectable and the
ratios are structured for all
purposes.
• Price – Toyota
Camry, $47,990
• Dimensions –
Length, 4905mm;
width, 1840mm;
height, 1445mm
• Configuration – V6,
front-wheel-drive,
3456cc, 224kW,
362Nm, eight-speed
automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 6.8sec
• Fuel usage –
8.9l/100km
I took the test west to
Hororata utilising the tricky
corners heading out the
Waimakariri Gorge. The
Camry handles flat and
balanced, there is a strong
feel of grip through sport
specification Dunlop tyres
(235/40 x 19in), accuracy
and steering feedback are
assured.
The spring and damper
rates are set for fluid
in-cabin comfort, along
with the delicate firming
you need to arrest
body movement and
gravitational force. Of
course, the suspension is a
quality fully independent
front-strut/rear-double
wishbone system and if
you combine all of these
elements you have an
amazing chassis capable in
all driving situations.
The Camry also looks
spectacular, it has edgy
styling and looks which
ooze character. That’s no
surprise, if you take a look
at any of the Toyota/Lexus
designs these days you will
find a vehicle which has
strong focal points. The
Camry V6 with it is big
wheels, discreet rear spoiler
and quad exhausts looks
desirable.
It is also specced well.
I’m hoping to have drives
soon of the four-cylinder
models which start at
$35,990, but in the case of
the V6 it arrives with most
of the trim and features
you’d expect in a $48k
car. However, I searched
everywhere for seat heaters,
it was cold in Christchurch
over the five days I had the
evaluation car, and there’s
nothing more off-putting
that jumping into that cold
leather. I can only imagine
that their omission is simply
an ordering oversight.
Of course, the new Camry
gets a five-star Australasian
New Car Assessment
Program safety rating.
Not only has Toyota
shifted production of its
many vehicles destined for
New Zealand, at a local
level they are changing
the way they sell cars,
there’s a lot more emphasis
on making decisions,
especially on price, easier.
That being the case, the
journey to the Toyota
dealership should be in
their terminology a ‘happy’
experience.
I’d certainly be happy
to drive home in a new
Camry V6, in the age
when electric/hybrid
power is at the forefront of
a lot of buying decisions
it’s great to get behind
the traditional V6 petrol
engine. The Camry is a
smart piece of kit, and it
looks spectacular. Just as
well it has the performance
to match its looks.
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