The Toyota Camry is the best-selling midsize sedan in the United States and for a good reason. The Camry is spacious, efficient, and most of all, affordable. Give that the segment favorite is bringing in boatloads of money, Toyota has plenty of room to play with potential special editions of the model. If anything, they could potentially tap into an underserved segment of the market and further their sales growth.
This week's tester, the 2020 Toyota Camry TRD is just that, a spiced-up version of the daily commuter that aims to shake up the otherwise mundane styling. Unlike some true sports sedans, the TRD does not skyrocket in price. In fact, it stays very true to the Camry's original formula, and it's $32,920 as tested price certainly doesn't offend. So let's find out if this unique Camry is special enough to earn a spot in your driveway.
All Show And No Go
The most striking thing about the Toyota Camry TRD is, without a doubt, its styling. With a unique shade of red paint and additional aero elements, there is no mistaking it. The Camry TRD's front bumper is almost identical to that of the XSE trim level, albeit with an additional lower lip spoiler. Things change up when looking down the sides of the TRD since that's where you'll find the extended side skirts. The skirts were my favorite stylistic element of the TRD, given that they make the Camry seem lower to the ground without being over the top.
In the rear of the Camry, you'll find a rear diffuser flanked by the dual exits of the TRD cat-back exhaust. The diffuser itself is nicely integrated and matches well with the side skirts. On top of the trunk, we find the most significant visual offense of the Camry TRD is the low slung wing. The Camry is already an elegant looking car, and instead of giving it a sporty edge, the wing takes it a step too far. Despite this, the contrasting black roof and multi-spoke 19-inch wheels tie in the rest of the design nicely, giving the Camry a proper two-toned look.
Under Hood Beats The Standard Camry's Heart
Under the hood of the Toyota Camry TRD, you'll find the same 301-hp 3.5-liter V6 as in the standard Camry. Given that the TRD upgrades are primarily visual, the engine does not get any added performance. The engine produces all of its power at the very top of the rev-range, making it difficult to extract without running at wide-open throttle.
The eight-speed automatic transmission is also lifted from the standard Camry and still retains its comfortable fuel-efficiency focused tuning. While smooth shifts are excellent for daily driving, they are relatively slow when trying to drive spiritedly. One of the best performance upgrades the Camry TRD gets is the upgraded springs, which not only lower the car but also stiffen up the ride slightly. The springs do a great job of eliminating a bit of the floaty feeling present in the standard model, although they are by no means track-ready.
Inside Is A Gloomy Yet Comfortable Cabin
Testing the Camry TRD shortly after my review of the Avalon TRD allowed me to notice some significant differences. While the Avalon's dashboard layout feels modern, the Camry's feels like it has too many things going on at once. A triangular-shaped dashboard houses the infotainment screen and all of the A/C controls. While the screen has an acceptable seven-inch display bundled with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it sits too far away from the driver, making it difficult to operate while on the move.
As you'd expect, the seats are seemingly lifted from the standard Camry and, as a result, are supremely comfortable. Since the Camry is not a true fire-breathing sports sedan, I am glad they did not give it unnecessarily harsh seats as an aesthetic decision. The seats themselves have a lovely red and black insert with horizontal lines and the TRD logo embroidered on the headrests.
The biggest issue I had with the interior was the overall lack of light in the cabin. Check the video review posted above, and you'll see that despite it being the middle of the day, the cabin can get very dark. The lack of a sunroof means there's no quick remedy for the problem, unlike in the Avalon. Some lighter colored interior materials would undoubtedly help, even adding more red into the dash would be a welcomed addition. As it sits, the cabin can be a very gloomy, albeit very comfortable place to be.
The Camry TRD Is Priced Perfectly
While all of the added aesthetic elements of the Toyota Camry TRD may not be to my specific liking, the price is a strong point. The Camry XSE on which the TRD is based carries a starting price of $30,005, eerily close to the TRD's as-tested price of $32,920. Given that the TRD behaves mainly like the XSE, what we're debating here is whether or not the visual updates are worth the extra cash.
Once you add some options to the XSE, the price creeps almost to that of the TRD. At that point, opting for the special edition is a no-brainer. While the Camry TRD may not be the sports sedan we were hoping it would be, it makes perfect sense for someone who is already a fan of the Camry. So if your goal is to stand out even during your daily commute to work, this car is the one for you.