KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- This will be the Camry's fifth-generation in India, and ninth-gen globally.
- The new Camry will continue to be assembled at Toyota's plant in Bidadi.
- The wheelbase of the current Camry is identical to the older car.
If you think about it, the Toyota Camry is now probably the longest surviving premium sedan in the country today. The Camry made its debut in 2002, and while most of its rivals have come and gone, Toyota decided to not pull the plug on the Camry.
Today, the Camry sees its fifth-gen model debut in India, and we shall take a look at its entire model run in India, but before going any further, make sure to join the 91wheels WhatsApp Community to keep up with the latest news and updates from the automotive space!
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Toyota Camry Old Vs New
First-generation
The first-generation Camry was launched here back in 2002, and it was brought in here as a CBU. The Camry was Toyota's original brand-building car until the Fortuner came along. The XV30-gen Camry was powered by a 2.4-litre VVT-i petrol engine, producing 158bhp and 220Nm of torque, while paired to a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Second-generation
The Camry's second-generation in India made its debut in 2006, and at the time, it was going up against a considerable set of rivals, such as the Volkswagen Passat, Honda Accord, Skoda Superb, and the Hyundai Sonata Embera as well.
Also known as the XV40 globally, this generation of the Camry received a drastically different design when compared to its predecessor, with a broader, more muscular stance. This generation of the Camry was available in four variants, with both manual and automatic transmission options. As for the powertrain, it featured a 2.4-litre petrol mill, with 167bhp and 224Nm of torque.
Third-generation
The third-generation of the Camry was quite significant. Launched in 2013, the third-gen Camry not only saw the introduction of a hybrid powertrain, but it was also the first locally-assembled hybrid car in India. The Camry Hybrid was based on the seventh-generation of the car sold in global markets.
At the time, the Camry Hybrid was competing against the Honda Civic Hybrid, and its own sibling, the Prius. The Camry's 2.5-litre petrol powertrain worked in tandem with an electric motor and an e-CVT; something that it continues to stick with even today.
Fourth-generation
The fourth-gen Camry made its debut in 2019, retaining the same 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid powertrain. This generation of the Camry was known to maximize its hybrid powertrain, running on pure EV mode most of the time. Its hybrid powertrain produced a combined output of 208bhp.
This generation of the Camry also underwent a facelift in 2022, with a redesigned front-end, featuring a sleeker grille, a sculpted front bumper and the addition of a blue tinge on the Toyota badge, signifying its hybrid powertrain. It also got a slight boost in power, producing a combined 214bhp and 221Nm of torque.
The interiors of the fourth-gen facelift also received serious additions, along with a few tweaks to the layout. It got a larger 9-inch infotainment touch screen with CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a wireless charging pad, 10-step adjustable front seats, three-zone climate control, nine airbags, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and frontal collision warning among other things.
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Current Fifth-gen
The Camry has now entered its ninth generation globally, and its fifth generation in India. While you can read more in detail about the new Camry by clicking here, what you need to know briefly is that its front-end now looks similar to the latest generation of the Prius sold globally. While the interior has also been changed drastically, the features list remains nearly the same as the outgoing car.
It also retains the same 2.5-litre petrol hybrid powertrain, but it now comes with 13bhp more, with a combined output of 227bhp, while the torque figure remains unchanged at 221Nm. The new Camry Hybrid does not have direct competition anymore, as Honda and Hyundai have completely exited this segment, while Skoda is yet to bring the latest generation of the Superb.
We will be driving the latest Camry soon, so stay tuned for our review to find out our impression of the hybrid premium sedan.
Verdict
Once facing heavy competition, today the Camry enjoys a segment completely to itself, but its real battle is against the horde of premium SUVs on offer, while the Germans from a segment above can now also be considered as rivals. The latest generation Camry carries most features from the outgoing car, and is also marginally more powerful. Whether or not all of this impacts the new Camry shall be seen in the near future.
