The Toyota Camry moniker has been in continuous production since 1982 and is one of the best-selling cars in the United States. With the advent of time, it has also managed to retain all the characteristics that made it one of the most preferred options of the segment, along with making the Camry more feature-packed, safe, and supremely comfortable. The 2022 Toyota Camry, which has been launched for a base MSRP of $25,295, comes with no major changes apart from minor design and paint scheme updates.
Being one of the highest-selling mid-size sedans of the segment, the 2022 Toyota Camry offers excellent fuel efficiency, all the driver-assistance features as standard, and a spacious interior. Along with that, the TRD and Hybrid versions are offered for a slightly higher premium too. This mid-size sedan is here to compete with the likes of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Kia K5, and here are 10 things you need to know before getting the 2022 Toyota Camry.
10 The Base 4-Cylinder Motor Is Lethargic
The 2022 Toyota Camry comes in 9 trim configurations and 3 different powertrains. The gasoline-powered trims come with the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated DOHC 16-valve inline-4 motor with VVT-i intake and exhaust. The motor produces 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, and the motor comes mated to the FWD drivetrain.
The inline-4 engine of the Camry is decently punchy and frugal, making it an excellent proposition of the mid-size sedan segment. The mid-range is where the 2022 Camry shines the most, and the overtaking is a relatively easy affair. However, it is not going to excite the gearheads out there. The car can do 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of 134 mph, both of which are slower than the Honda Accord.
9 Reasonably Quick And Smooth Transmission
Even though the base 4-pot motor leaves a lot to be desired, the 2022 Camry's 8-speed Direct Shift ECT-i automatic transmission turned out to be quite impressive. The transmission gets shift lock and is one of the most reliable units in the segment. Along with that, the Camry is also one of the very few offerings that come with a torque converter unit.
The transmission shifts smoothly and even when mashing the gas pedal, the transmission doesn't jolt like the Kia K5. The transmission also is reasonably quick while shifting through the gears. However, we wish it came with manual mode and paddle shifter, both of which would have made it more fun to drive.
8 Hybrid And TRD Trims Are Available Too
Of the 9 trims on offer, Toyota offers four hybrid trims. The base hybrid trim, which is available for a base MSRP of $28,505, gets the coveted 2.5-liter naturally aspirated motor along with two electric motors, producing a combined 208 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque. This motor comes mated to a CVT automatic transmission and offers a phenomenal combined gas mileage of 52 mpg.
For the more enthusiastic drivers, Toyota also offers the Camry in the TRD trim, which is priced at $33,485. If you intend to get the Camry, the TRD trim is the one to get, as it offers explosive performance from the V6 motor. Producing 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque, the Camry TRD managed to do 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 101 mph.
7 A Comfortable Cruiser
The present generation Toyota Camry, which came to the American market back in 2017, is still one of the most comfortable offerings of the segment. Being part of the TNGA: GA-K platform, the 2022 Camry comes with the strut front suspension with coil springs and the multi-link rear suspension with coil springs. Gas pressurized shocks and front and rear anti-roll bars are onboard too.
Even though it is not the most advanced suspension system, the ride quality is supremely comfortable. The Camry offers a magic-carpet-like ride, absorbing everything at slow city speeds. On the highways, the 2022 Camry rides completely flat. This makes it a perfect choice for all occasions, be it for commuting or for cruising.
6 Very Frugal
The naturally aspirated inline-4 motor mated to the 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission offers superb gas mileage. The 2022 Camry is capable of achieving a city gas mileage of 28 mpg and a highway gas mileage of 39 mpg, making for a combined gas mileage of 32 mpg.
With an impressive tank capacity of 15.8 gallons, the 2022 Toyota Camry could do 442 miles in the city and 616 miles on the highway with a full tank of fuel. If you want an even more frugal offering, the 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid is here for the rescue. With 51 mpg of city gas mileage and 53 mpg of highway gas mileage, there are no other offerings that could beat it in terms of fuel efficiency.
5 Comes Loaded With Safety Features
The 2022 Toyota Camry comes loaded with all the tech and features, making it an excellent offering for the mid-size segment. Being loaded to the brim with all the safety tech, it is also one of the best-selling offerings of the segment. The features like the forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control come as standard.
Entirely constructed in high tensile steel and aluminum, the 2022 Toyota Camry feels a bit more premium in comparison to the likes of the Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima. The impressive build and long list of safety features helped the car to get an overall safety rating of 5-stars in the NHTSA crash test and the top safety pick + tag in the IIHS crash test.
4 Interior Looks Quirky
The interior design is one area that would likely divide the opinions amongst the car buyers. The dashboard looks a bit quirky with multiple design elements being highlighted. The interior gets leather, silver inserts, and faux wooden elements, all of which look pretty elegant. The chunky steering wheel and the shifter wrapped in leather look premium, too.
The interior comes in 3 different color schemes, all of which accentuate the design and roominess of the cabin. The light color palettes and a heavy dose of leatherette insert gels well with the modern design too. However, being in production for quite a long time, it feels a bit long in the tooth.
3 Exterior May Not Be To Everyone's Taste
The exterior design is very quirky and that is not something that everyone would appreciate. Offered in 6 exterior colors and a long list of optional accessories, the 2022 Toyota Camry does have a decent road presence. The front end gets a massive air dam which is blacked out and LED headlights with LED DRL.
The massive width of 72.4" and height of 57.1" adds to the road presence of the moniker. When it comes to the side and rear, the 2022 Toyota Camry stands out due to the 19" black machine-finished alloy, 235 section low profile tires, chrome side window trims, LED taillights, and many more. The TRD moniker gets a rear spoiler and blacked-out elements as well.
2 Very Spacious
The interior space sees no changes from the outgoing model year and the buyers are going to be very happy with it. Being a 5-seater mid-size sedan, it is more spacious than the rivals like the Honda Accord and the Kia K5. The driver and the front seat passenger are going to enjoy the excellent headroom and legroom of 38.3" and 42.1".
The rear-seat passengers get the best-in-class space as well. The seats are superb, with top-notch under-thigh and lower back support. The ride would never tire out the passengers, even during long road trips. The leatherette upholstery and the well-padded seat are some of the other highlights of this interior. The front seats get 8-way power adjustability and heated support as well.
1 We Can't Fault The Infotainment
The Entune 3 infotainment system is offered with the 2022 Toyota Camry. This is one of the most refined and polished systems for the price and comes with all the bells and whistles that you could think of. The 6-speaker audio system offers decent low and mid-frequency audio output. However, the high-frequency output turned out to be a bit distorted.
When it comes to infotainment, the connectivity features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, AUX, USB ports, and many more are offered as standard. The steering wheel controls are offered as well. When it comes to the infotainment system, the 9" touchscreen display is reasonably large and bright. The interface is top-notch, and so is the touch sensitivity. There are no major lags and stutters too.