Camry and Corolla can be called Toyota's two left and right protectors, they are the pillars of Toyota's sales, and they are also the most familiar Toyota models for Chinese. In the era when northern China was still dominated by Santana and Jetta, a large number of Camry were imported to the southern region, including the third generation of the 1992 model, the fourth generation of the 1996 model and the fifth generation of the 2001 model, all of which were translated into "Jiamei", and "Jiamei" became the memory of a generation, which also made many Guangdong entrepreneurs still like to choose a Camry as a car in a low-key manner. In 2006, the sixth-generation Camry was finally localized by GAC Toyota, and it also received the official Chinese name "Camry", and since the day of its launch, Camry has been a sales star in the Chinese mid-class car market.
The Camry currently on sale is the eighth generation produced by GAC Toyota, and it is the first model under the Toyota TNGA architecture, although the name is still called Camry, but based on the new architecture, it has completely changed from the chassis to the engine to the gearbox, so the entire model has nothing to do with the previous generation.
This generation of Camry is available in three power sizes in China, namely 2.0L, 2.5L and 2.5L hybrid, with a maximum power of 178 horsepower, 209 horsepower and a combined output of 218 horsepower, respectively, while in North America there is a 3.5L V6 version with a maximum horsepower of 301 horsepower. Although the 2.5L gasoline version and the hybrid version are both Dynamic Force Engine, the displacement is also the same, but the horsepower is different, the gasoline version uses the A25A engine, the compression ratio is 13:1, and the thermal efficiency is 40%, while the hybrid version uses the A25B, the thermal efficiency can reach 41%, which is the most thermally efficient engine in the automotive industry.
When the eighth-generation Camry was first launched, because the 2.0L DFE engine did not have enough production capacity, the 2.0 model also used the powertrain of the previous generation, that is, the 6AR-FSE with the Aisin 6AT, and in the 2019 model, the 2.0L model already used the M20A-FKS with a Direct shift CVT transmission.
The 2.5L gasoline version is equipped with a new Direct Shift 8AT developed by Aisin Seiki, the structure of this 8AT is very compact, the volume is smaller than the previous generation of 6AT, and the transmission efficiency is higher than that of the previous generation of 6AT, the official claim that the torque loss can be reduced by 50%, in addition, the range of gear locking has also been widened, the torque converter can almost achieve global locking, the power response is also more direct, with the new engine, the layout of the entire powertrain can be lowered, It's just that this gearbox will switch a little unnaturally in some gears, and the downshift is not as fast as expected. The hybrid version is powered by an E-CVT analog six-speed continuously variable transmission, and there are no other words to describe it than to be smooth and fuel-efficient, and durable.
The body of the eighth-generation Camry has also made great improvements to the sport, longer (35mm), wider (15mm), shorter (-25mm), stronger (LSW laser spiral welding), and the increased stiffness has greatly contributed to safety and handling. In order to ensure the seating space of passengers, the Camry has lowered the height of the floor without lowering the height of the chassis, and has made efforts to move the body to the sporty side without compromising comfort. In fact, because the waistline of the entire body is not high, the A-pillar is also narrowed, and the height of the instrument panel is also reduced, so the view of the entire cabin is very wide.
This generation of Camry still uses the front MacPherson suspension, using a low-profile design, the roll arm is 10mm less than the previous generation, improving the anti-roll ability, and the rear suspension has been replaced by a new suspension that combines multiple links and double wishbones, which is generally more inclined to double wishbones, and also improves the strength of the material, which not only improves handling, but also does not sacrifice the space in the rear because of the double wishbone suspension.
With the help of this body and suspension, the Camry has a relationship with sports for the first time, although the 2.5L model is only 200 horsepower, pushing 1.6 tons of car weight, the power is not surging, but it is sufficient, and the 000 acceleration time is about 8.5 seconds. In the process of driving, although the direction is not clear, I can always feel the benefits of the low center of gravity, and the driving has said goodbye to "boring".
The low center of gravity does not mean that there is no roll when cornering, this generation of Camry still takes into account the needs of the family, the suspension adjustment is flexible, and when the normal speed passes through some speed bumps, the bumps can be filtered very well, and the thickness and isolation of the chassis have a feeling of leapfrogging. It is also worth mentioning that the tire noise and road noise isolation of this generation Camry is very good, and the tires do not pick the road surface, and the wind noise is also well controlled at 120 per hour, but unfortunately, the engine noise is more obvious at 3500 rpm.
In terms of reliability, there is no doubt that the Camry is one of the most reliable cars in the world, with an unbelievably low failure rate, and no part of this body is prone to breakage, even after more than 10 years of use. The hybrid Camry is as cheap as the regular Camry, with an 8-year warranty of 200,000 kilometers and an extended battery warranty of unlimited years and unlimited mileage. Toyota has sold more than 7 million hybrid units of gasoline-electric hybrids, and there is no need to worry about reliability.
The safety of the Camry is just as reliable, with the addition of the TSS-P system to the eighth-generation Camry receiving an IIHS TSP rating and receiving the highest rating in all crash tests, meaning it is at the highest level of safety in its class. The North American Camry is equipped with TSS-P (Toyota Safety Sense P) as standard, while it is not in China, such as lane departure warning system (LDA), automatic adjustment of high beam system (AHB), pre-collision safety system (PCS), dynamic radar cruise control system (DRCC), panoramic monitoring system (PVM), which is only equipped in the 2.0L luxury version or above. Safety features include 10SRS airbags, Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) as standard. Safety features are becoming more and more important in today's cars, and Toyota's safety system is of a very high standard, so it is recommended that prospective car owners purchase models equipped with TSS when the economy allows.
Toyota Camry evaluation report