Toyota Camry 2.5 Review

In a separate review by this writer in the national Malay newspaper, it was written in a subtle manner that the Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSI is destined to be a new leader in the large executive sedan segment; and that Toyota, with its newest Camry 2.0-litre, had lost its plot and relevance in this era of shrinking lumps.

Now, this same writer would like to change his tune – although the point stated about the 2.0-litre Camry hasn’t changed, the bigger 2.5-litre variant is an executive sedan that ought to be taken seriously. This is one particular car that even the same Passat will find hard to beat.

Toyota has done a highly commendable job of sticking to its gun instead of downsizing and force-feeding their VVT-i lump – if the predecessor had a 2.4-litre, this one now has a 2.5-litre Dual VVT-i. Meaning it’s bigger and better this time around.

Aesthetically, Toyota’s designers… well… were probably not in their element while updating the Camry. To be candid, the previous model seems a much handsomer, sophisticated car – like comparing Pierce Brosnan next to square-jawed Ben Affleck.  

There seems to be too many angular lines throughout the car, to the point that it may be mistaken as the Altis instead. And then when viewed from the side, there are cues of the Chevrolet Epica…

To be fair though, it looks sharper and smarter as a whole. It looks sorted, from the rear in particular, with a pair of fairly sized LED tail lamps complimented by a strip of chrome, placed above the license plate, to add that sense of sophistication. The rear bumper is highly detailed, but what would be nicer would be a pair of exhaust tip, like the Mark X, instead of just a single tip.

The Camry looks properly proportioned from the sides, unlike the Epica that was somewhat rear-heavy. The addition of 17-inch alloys wrapped in comfort-biased 215/55 R-17 Bridgestone Ecopia rubbers - standard on the 2.5-litre variant - ensures the car doesn’t look bland.