Toyota slips in a facelifted version of the Camry with a few cosmetic and utilitarian upgrades to keep up with the continuously advancing market
Words and Photography: Adhish Alawani
over the years, the Toyota Camry has secured itself a place in the niche segment of premium cars in the Indian market. It has always been an exclusive statement of style, luxury and performance for Toyota in India. However, the car did not see any upgrades since the launch of its latest generation version. In a continuously changing market, it is quite necessary to introduce the latest features, utile upgrades and cosmetic changes to keep attracting the customers. Toyota did just the right thing by introducing the facelifted version of the Camry last month. The car features some new cosmetic bits here and there along with a few highly useful features in the cabin.
The firm has slipped in chrome outlined fog lamps in the slightly refreshed front bumper, LED turn indicators in the exterior RVMs and multi reflector headlamps housed on either side of the reprofiled front grille. The Camry also gets a set of new ten-spoke alloy wheels to enhance the attitude of the premium saloon. Inside, the car boasts a huge interior space. The leather upholstery welcomes you to the plush interiors which define elegance and grace in every possible manner. Toyota has introduced a ‘Minus Ion Generator’ feature in the air-conditioner of the Camry. It filters out all the germs and bacteria outside the car and allows only fresh and germ-free air in the car giving the consumer healthy driving conditions. Also the dual vents ensure that the driver and passenger can set their own AC temperatures to suit their individual comfort levels. The steering wheel of the facelifted Camry sports audio controls for the Psychoacoustics music system and controls to set the AC temperature. Another button on the steering wheel toggles between the stats provided by the multi-information display in the instrumentation console. A lever behind the steering wheel has been offered which allows you to get into cruise control mode for highway drives.
On the performance front, nothing changes in the Camry as it still sports the same 2.4-litre four cylinder engine as the earlier iteration. The motor produces 167PS of peak power and 224Nm of max torque. However, what is new in the automatic transmission Camry is the five-speed ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission). The ECT makes sure that the gearshifts are smooth and offer linear acceleration. The Camry features an array of safety equipment including six SRS airbags, collapsible steering column, Vehicle Stability Control, ABS with EBD and brake assist. Toyota has also introduced a safety feature known as Whiplash Injury Lessening or WIL Concept Seat which prevents neck injuries in case of a rear end collision. While all these safety features and driver aids have been offered by Toyota, it is quite surprising to see that they have missed out on the basic parking assist feature on the new Camry. The Camry has been offered in four variants which come with a high price tag between Rs 21 and 25 lakh (approximate OTR, Pune).
