2008 Toyota Camry LE 4 cylinder. What's not to love?

Hi again, everyone. For those of you keeping track, this will mark the third (I believe) Camry review I've written. Having owned a 2002 and 2007 Camry prior to this, I feel compelled to carry on with the legacy, as I write a review of my new 2008 Camry. As most of you will notice, I've gone back and forth between Honda and Toyota for the past several years, and threw in a Dodge one time, just to be different. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Toyota makes one hell of a great car. Reliability is second to none, the looks are inoffensive, and the power is adequate... Sometimes more than adequate. That's it. You can stop reading now if you just wanted to express opinion. For the rest of you, keep on reading...
Style and Design The exterior styling of this new, 6th generation Camry has been a hot topic in many areas. There is not much room for middle of the road people. You either love it, or you're repulsed by it. I'll admit that in early 2006, when the car was released as a 2007 model, I hated it. It was putrid, with its big old nose, and frumpy looking rear end... Times change, and the more I see it, the more I like it. Yeah, it's got a big front end. It's not menacing like the front end of a Dodge Charger, but it's not obnoxious, either. It's nice. Elegant, even. The projector beam headlights blend nicely with the rest of the front end, as well. The rear end works well, too. No complaints.

From the side profile, the Camry does a remarkable job of looking like other nice cars on the road, but without being able to bring to mind any specific models. That being said, I have seen several new LS460 Lexus' and initially thought they were Camry's...

Interior The Camry has a pretty spartan interior. You get the basics, and not much else. You'll not find wood grain dash bits, naviagation systems, or ultra nice leather interior. This is in the LE, at least. Other models offer a vast array of options, but I'm not reviewing those. :) What you DO get is comfortable, supportive seats that, while they aren't deeply bolstered sports seats, they support the hind end of the ever growing American fat guy just fine. The dash dispoays are quite possibly the best in the business, and are always easy to read, even in bright sunlight. Glare has never been a problem with this car. An AM/FM single CD player with mp3 compatability is standard, and I've got my iPod plugged in and ready to go. Speaker quality is above average, and road noise is quite low.


How's it drive? It's a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine. It doesn't scream, and you'll be excited when you beat anything at all off the line. I take that back it actually does have pretty good pickup, and will pass on a 2 lane highway with ease. The ride itself is quiet, smooth, and without feedback from bumps. This does translate into "boring" or "lacking road feel" to some. Others like this situation. It's going to have to be a personal call on this one. Personally, I'd prefer a bit more road feel, but if that's what you want, step up to the Camry SE, which comes with a sport tuned suspension and more road feel.

Braking is excellent, once you get used to them. I very nearly rear ended several cars right after buying the car, because I was used to the beastly brake pads my previous Dodge Magnum had. Those thing would throw you through the windshield if your seatbelt wasn't fastened. Otherwise, the brakes are great, they don't fade, and they stop with authority. ABS is standard. Traction control is an option that mine is equipped with.


The final word Overall, the new 2008 camry is a giant step above the previous generation. Compared with my 2002 model, it's like night and day. There are no chages to the car, so if you can find a good, or rather, great deal on a remaining 2007 model, go for it. I chose to get a 2008 model because I got it the day they came out. There were no incentives to purchase an '07 and the base price went up just $100 across the board. Obviously, the 2008 was the way to go.

I've had it for 2 months now, and have put just over 12,000 miles on it. Yes, I drive a lot. It's returned a real world average of just over 30 mpg consistently. The lowest it's gotten is 27 mpg, and at best, 35mpg. However you look at it, it'll get good mileage compared with others. I strongly recommend this car.