First Drive: 2015 Toyota Camry

A Camry by any other name.

2015 toyota camry
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The first thing you should know about the 2015 Toyota Camry is that nothing I'm going to say will make a shred of difference to the potential Camry consumer, an obstinate breed that clutches a well-worn copy of Consumer Reports like a bastard sword as they steel themselves for battle with Toyota's formidable salespeople. Whatever Camry is newest is likely what a loyalist will buy, satisfying a basic and primal need for bland competence.

Bland competence? Well, the 2015 Camry has more of that! Way more than the last one! Don't remember the last one? I agree that it's hard to visualize negative space, so never mind—just trust me. After all, the most interesting thing I can recall about the old model is the hybrid job that Web Editor Zach Bowman was driving when its fascia was rearranged by a wayward Blazer.

It's been just two years since the new-model Camry debuted, and that's usually prime time for the traditional mid-cycle refresh involving a new front end treatment and some new tech bobbles. Toyota has instead dropped gobs of money to rework the look and feel. Instead of simply a new fascia and wheels, all external panels except for the roof are new. The bones underneath? Not so much. If you remember the "new" 2014 Corolla that debuted last year, it's pretty much the same proposition. The upshot is that the formula seems to work for Toyota, which trusts that its buyers will see the value in using older hardware as long as the stuff the driver can see (without popping the hood or peering underneath) looks new.


And new is how the sheet metal certainly looks. Original? That's another story. Depending on the angle and the color, the 2015 Camry struck me as either Avalon, Jr. or Corolla, Sr. There's not much take in beyond corporate design cues scaled to medium size, but I'd be hard-pressed to describe it as offensive in any regard. The Mazda 6 need not quiver in front of the mirror, wondering who's the prettiest sedan of them all.

Inside, it's a happier story. The dollar investment in higher-quality and plusher materials is undeniable, and gives the 2015 Camry a fighting chance against its competition. The gauge cluster gets a small TFT screen that displays the predictable information, the center console is sensibly reworked and intuitive, and the seat and dash materials are nicer. It's not class-leading, but it's close.

A couple of new tech features are welcome upgrades. The first is a wireless charging pad utilizing the Qi standard, which works with a variety of devices. It's in the deep cubby under the center console. The second is a seriously upgraded Entune infotainment system. The tile-based layout still looks corny, but functionality is slick. Want to change the time? Touch the clock. That's just an example of the intuitive interface, which I think UI engineers at a couple of German companies should study. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's effective at minimizing the number of taps and sub-menus needed to get to a desired outcome. Unfortunately, many functions still require a Bluetooth-paired phone and the Entune smartphone app to work properly.


The 2015 Camry's engines are both elder statesmen at this point. The 178-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 have earned their retirement several times over. Neither offer much in the way of spirited performance. The four wheezes and chomps at the bit in response to a stab at the go-pedal. The specs don't look all that 19th century, but both are fundamentally paper tigers. And they're not happy about it, either, judging from the groaning that seeps out from under the hood.

A quick word about the word "sporty." Monty Kaehr, chief engineer on the Camry, kept throwing the term around. For instance, it was used to describe a minuscule track increase on all trim levels, as well as the XSE trim itself and some unspecified suspension recalibrations across the line. Malarkey. Unless you can describe an excellent washing machine as "sporty," then Toyota's marketing department needs to stop using the word. It doesn't apply here. Try "competent" or "capable."

Now that we're clear about what the 2015 Camry is and isn't, the real question becomes, why would Toyota invest so much to dress an old chassis in new clothes? According to them, it was a combination of consumer feedback and a nudge from president and CEO Akio Toyoda, who challenged the team to improve the car. Barely mentioned was the encroachment of small SUVs into mid-size sedan sales, although that is definitely a bigger concern to Toyota than consumer feedback.


Conspicuously absent from that short list of reasons are any competing midsize sedans, although that seems like the most likely reason to revamp a strong-selling car only two years into its so-far successful product cycle (407,000 or so Camrys were sold last year). Subaru's refreshed Legacy and the much more interesting Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima all have points in their favor—despite being also-rans in the numbers game. Perhaps Toyota saw something in the tea leaves portending a real challenge to Camry hegemony.

The Camry's most serious competitors need not resort to tasseography. The Accord is a more compelling package in all drivetrain configurations, and its interior is more interesting and upscale than the Camry's. Even the 189-hp, 2.4-liter inline four equipped with the CVT is sprightly by any objective measure, and buyers can still choose a manual transmission on some trims (including the Coupe). Put an Accord Coupe V6 with a 6-speed manual up against any Camry, and survey says that zero Road & Track staffers would go Toyota. Let's not even start on the beloved Mazda 6, the clear driver's pick of the segment.

Ultimately, the 2015 Camry is more of the same, but better than before. It's a formula that's moved units in bulk for decades, and by doubling down on their Camry bet, Toyota ensures that cars will continue to march out of Kentucky and into the hands of value-driven buyers nationwide.

See? Still blandly competent. And prospective Camry buyers will still buy them, odd refresh cadence or no.

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