2009 Toyota Camry Road Test

Table of Contents
2009 Toyota Camry Review
2009 Toyota Camry Prices
2009 Toyota Camry Competition
2010 Toyota Camry Review
2009 Toyota Camry Car Quote

Driving the Toyota Camry
Four-cylinder and Hybrid versions of the 2009 Toyota Camry favor comfort over speed, but acceleration is perfectly adequate with either. The Hybrid is actually a bit faster than the gas four-cylinder models, particularly for expressway merging or passing. V-6 Camrys sacrifice no comfort, but with a healthy 268 horsepower, their acceleration is the envy of some more overtly sporting cars.

Taking corners quickly means putting up with nose plow and tire squealing with any model. Camry’s steering feel comes in for the most criticism. In keeping with Camry’s isolating character, the steering can feel numb, divorced from what’s going on at the tires. Camry can be slow to react to a turn of the wheel, too. Steering effort that’s finger-tip light in the fashion of a big old American sedan makes for easy maneuvering, but is bound to annoy those who prefer a meatier feel.

Like virtually all midsize cars, Camry has front-wheel drive. That puts the weight of the engine is over the drive wheels for good traction in snow. Some midsize cars in Camry’s price range, such as the Ford Fusion and Volkswagen Passat, offer all-wheel drive for superior all-weather traction.

Riding in the Toyota Camry
All Camry models soak up bumps without disturbing their occupants. They’re composed at highway speeds, too, though only the SE versions have suspension tuning taut enough to prevent mild porpoising motions when the road surface gets wavy.

Seats that capture the illusive goal of being both soft and supportive are a Camry highlight. All models come with a pair of wide front bucket seats separated by a floor console. The rear bench seat has plenty of room for two, and three adults fit if they’re willing to rub shoulders; a nearly flat rear floor helps.

Camry’s roomy rear seat features folding seatbacks; some models also get a center trunk pass-through.
The trunk swallows weekend luggage for a family of four, but the lid’s intrusive hinges will crush bags placed in the corners.

Toyota Camry dashboard and controls
The dashboard strikes a balance of its own, with a shape that’s contemporary and controls that are simple to understand and pleasant to use. Two flaws, however: climate system settings are displayed on a screen that washes out in bright sunlight, and the navigation system screen doubles as the venue for some audio controls, needlessly complicating their use.

The Hybrid has a screen that can be programmed to show a real-time illustration of how energy is flowing between the battery pack, gas engine, electric motor, even the brakes (where friction is tapped to recharge the battery). It’s entertaining, but potentially distracting.

Toyota Camry fuel economy
Fuel economy is friendly, especially for a car with Camry’s generous passenger and cargo room. All versions use regular-grade gasoline.

Gas four-cylinder models should average about 25 mpg overall. V-6 Camrys average around 21 mpg, a little off the pace of their Accord counterparts, which have a V-6 that saves gas by idling three cylinders in low-demand driving.

The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid can be expected to average around 30 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving. It doesn’t require plug-in charging, and boasts fuel-saving technology that automatically shuts off and restarts the engine when the car is at a stop. The Hybrid also can run solely on electric power at low speeds, so some driving is done using no gas at all.

Toyota Camry safety
Camry’s base price includes a nice range of safety features, including head-protecting curtain side airbags. However, an antiskid system (intended to keep the car on course in slippery turns) is standard only on the Hybrid model; it’s an extra-cost item for the others. It’s a sound investment at around $650.

The Camry scores extremely well in government crash tests, earning the highest ratings – a full five stars on a five-star scale – in every important category. These include a simulated head-on crash at 35 mph and a test measuring the effects of a collision in which the car is hit in the side at around 39 mph. The tests concluded that chances were low that the Camry’s driver and passengers would suffer serious injury in these types of crashes.

Toyota Camry price and features
The 2009 Toyota Camry offers four trim levels, plus the Hybrid model. All come with cruise control and power mirrors, windows and door locks, plus a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes and provides auxiliary audio controls. The four cylinder engine teams with a manual transmission or, for roughly $1,000 more, automatic transmission. The Hybrid and V-6 models come only with automatic transmission.

The entry-level Camry CE model starts around $19,000. The volume-selling LE model starts around $21,000 with the four-cylinder engine and around $24,000 with the V-6.

The sport-flavored Camry SE model is around $22,000, or $25,000 with the V-6. The top-line Camry XLE, which comes with leather upholstery, power sunroof, and other amenities, starts around $25,000, or around $28,500 with the V-6.

The Camry Hybrid lists for $25,350 and includes most of the XLE’s equipment, but charges extra for leather upholstery and a sunroof.

Toyota Camry quality and reliability
Camry’s proven durability has helped Toyota build a reputation that benefits all its models. This image of reliability is reflected in high resale values and in repeat-buyer rates that are the envy of the industry.

However, all Toyota models in recent years have shown a decline in the quality of cabin materials, evidenced by thinner-gauge plastic panels and some hard surfaces where earlier models had padding. Blame cost cutting in an increasingly competitive market.

Camry’s reputation in particular suffered a bit when owners of 2007 Camrys complained of squeaks and rattles and some interior trim with scratchy edges and uneven fit. Toyota has worked to remedy those relatively minor issues, and if Camry’s reputation as flawless was tarnished, it hasn’t been enough to dent sales.