Just like the Skoda Superb, you don’t feel you are driving a long car. It’s that easy to manoeuvre.
BHPian SR-71 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
I test drove the Camry yesterday, the last of them in my list of cars that I wanted to TD before I finalized my purchase. This is one car that has nothing to love about or nothing to hate about (barring the sticker price). Here is my personal opinion.
The Good
- Looks classy, inside and out.
- I was surprised when I started the car as I could not hear the sound. I refused to believe it was running, the SA mentioned it starts on the battery. It’s the same when you are waiting in traffic or crawling.
- Excellent mileage. The HU was consistently showing 15+ in dense but mostly moving city traffic. I can only imagine how good it should be on a highway run.
- Well insulated cabin.
- Spacious, my 6′ 1″ brother was able to sit comfortably behind me (I am a 6 footer).
- Put together solidly, gives you the impression that it can withstand a decade-plus abuse easily.
- Fantastic long-distance cruiser, especially if you are chauffeur driven.
- Minimal body roll in the back.
- Perfect seating contours both in the front and in the back. I loved how everything was perfectly positioned for my reach and how I could rest my arms on the door pad and the center console comfortably. I am sure I will be comfortable on 8 – 10 hour highway runs.
- Loved that black wood insert in the dash and the leather door pads.
- Fat rubber but low profile (235/45).
- Full-sized alloy spare wheel.
- Just like the Superb, you don’t feel you are driving a lengthy car around, it’s easily manoeuvrable.
The Bad
- If you love to have fun driving just don’t bother about the car. The moment you press down on the A pedal, the engine groans and its lethargy is noticeable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fast car and you will not notice the speed building up. It just doesn’t respond to the pedal to metal expectations.
- You cannot do high-speed lane shifts on a fast highway run, you need to plan it a bit.
- I felt the ac in the rear was just OK despite being a car with 3 zone climate control. However, it was quite a chiller in the front.
- OK speakers despite being a JBL with Clarify technology.
- Average HU, and IMHO sticks up like sore thumb. I like neatly integrated setups. If it’s floating, it has to be classy with rounded contours, not boxy. Black plastics on the door and dash seem to be from one segment below, not from a car that costs 5 million rupees on road.
The Ugly
- The sticker price of 52.5L OTR Bangalore, is simply too high, even for Toyota’s reliability. It’s 8L over and above the similarly-spec and more fun to drive Superb and just for a couple of more lacs I get the insanely fun to drive 3 series. Even if I have to replace the DSGs twice in the Superb’s lifetime, the ownership cost of the Superb including fuel over a period of 10 years will be lesser compared to the Camry. If this was priced on par with the Superb, I am pretty sure it would sell more than it does now.
Verdict (for my buying decision)
I only test drove it because the wife loves the Camry. My brother found it nice because he loves sitting around and not driving as such. I on the other hand (enthusiast mindset), think it’s ‘meh’. Perhaps 8 – 10 years from now, I might like something like this, who knows, but not now. However if one is looking for a reliable long-distance mile muncher, is chauffeur-driven, appreciates a classy and quiet cabin then this is the car to go for. I don’t plan to go for it unless the wife exercises her veto power. The Superb offers all of it and then some. That should be the pick if one were OK to overlook the DSG quirks.
Keyword: 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid test drive: The good & the bad