The Toyota Camry is a mid-size sedan by Japanese manufacturer Toyota. The Camry was first made available in Australia in 1983. Since then, it has been known for reliability. This reputation has led the car to be widely used by most market segments, from everyday family drivers to government and taxi fleets as well.
The Toyota Camry is one of those cars that has continually evolved over its lifespan and successfully kept up with the times. Initially, the car came as a narrow-bodied compact car with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive configuration. Eventually, it transitioned into a wide-bodied mid-sized car with the option of either front- or four-wheel-drive.
First Generation: V10 (1982-1986)
When it first started, the Toyota Camry was a small sedan with four doors. As mentioned earlier, it had a front-engine, front-wheel-drive configuration. The car came in hatchback, sedan, and wagon body types.
This first-generation Toyota Camry had powertrain options of:
- 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 64 kW of power and 145 Nm of torque
- 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 88 kW of power and 171 Nm of torque
Transmission-wise, these drivetrains were paired with either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox.
Inside, power steering and radio cassette players were standard features for this car. The higher-level CS-X trim included features like central locking on top of that.
Second Generation: V20 (1986-1992)
Generally, the body of the second-generation Toyota Camry was mostly the same as the first. What Toyota decided to do for this generation was to offer drivers additional features that the previous generation did not have.
During this generation, the powertrains of the Toyota Camry were:
- 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 88 kW of power and 171 Nm of torque
- 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 117 kW of power and 215 Nm of torque
These drivetrains were paired with either 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmissions.
As a standard feature, the Toyota Camry came with a radio cassette player. Higher trim levels included central locking, power steering, alloy wheels, cruise control, as well as power steering and windows.
The V20 Camry would later become the basis of the upscale Lexus ES 250 before moving to use the Avalon platform. In Australia, it became the donor model of the badge-engineered Holden Apollo.
Third Generation: XV10 (1991-1996)
The third-generation Toyota Camry received an updated design. This time around, the car grew in size and had a more rounded look. Its exterior was smoother and more streamlined than before. Insiders would say that the XV10 was more a product of Lexus than any other Toyota model, noting the technology shared with the ES 300.
Inside, the vehicle had improved on comfort features like better insulation that reduced outside noise, as well as a more efficient air-conditioning system.
This generation also offered a 4-speed automatic transmission option in addition to its five-speed manual transmission. The car's powertrain options were:
- 2.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 93 kW of power and 185 Nm of torque
- 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 136 kW of power and 264 Nm of torque.
Additionally, this generation was the first time that the Camry started using a multi-point fuel injection system. This was a shift away from the carburetted fuel system that was used prior.
Standard features on the third-generation Toyota Camry included climate control, cruise control, power steering, power windows, and of course a radio cassette player. This time though, the cassette player came with six speakers.
Fourth Generation: XV20 (1996-2002)
By the fourth generation, the Toyota Camry received yet another design update. The exterior of the sedan was given a much sleeker look that included aerodynamic lines. Even the new names given to some models were much more exciting. These were names like Azure, Conquest, and Intrigue.
While the transmissions of the car remained the same, the engine options for this generation were:
- 2.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 94 kW of power and 187 Nm of torque
- 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 141 kW of power and 279 Nm of torque
By the fourth generation, the Toyota Camry started carrying a wide range of new features by default. These included things like ABS, a CD player, an engine immobilizer, and leather upholstery, among others.
Fifth Generation: XV30 (2002-2006)
The vehicle in this generation was slightly larger than before. By this generation, the car was only available in Australia as the sedan body type, and no longer the wagon.
With transmissions of 4- or 5-speed auto and 5-speed manual, the engine options for the fifth-generation Toyota Camry were:
- 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 117 kW of power and 218 Nm of torque
- 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 141 kW of power and 279 Nm of torque
For this generation, Toyota started to include even newer features not seen years before. These included dual front airbags, a trip computer, and even a remote anti-theft system on some models.
Sixth Generation: XV40 (2006-2012)
With the sixth-generation of the Toyota Camry, buyers were spoilt for choice, especially with the added option of a hybrid model added to the lineup. The hybrid Toyota Camry had both a petrol engine and an electric engine. These engines were paired with transmissions of five- or six-speed automatic or the five-speed manual transmission. The hybrid model, on the other hand, had a CVT automatic transmission, which is essentially a shiftless or stepless transmission.
The powertrain options available for this generation of the Toyota Camry were:
- 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 117 kW of power and 218 Nm of torque
- 2.4-litre 4-cylinder hybrid and petrol engine with a maximum output of 110 kW of power and 187 Nm of torque
- 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 135 kW of power and 235 Nm of torque
Some newer features for this generation included vehicle stability control, a traction control system, side front airbags, head airbags and brake assist, among others.
The XV40 Camry sold alongside its derivative, the Toyota Aurion, with both productions running parallel each other at the Toyota Altona plant in Australia until 2017.
Seventh Generation: XV50 (2012-2017)
For the seventh generation of the Toyota Camry, this was the last time the car came with a manual transmission.
This generation saw the inclusion of many great standard options for the car, including power windows, a steering wheel with power tilt-and-telescoping, and cruise control. Of course, by this time, USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity also came standard with the car just like other models on the market. For higher-trim models of the Camry, things like keyless entry, aluminium wheels and better suspensions were also available.
The powertrain options for this generation include:
- 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 133 kW of power and 231 Nm of torque
- 2.5-litre hybrid and petrol engine with a maximum output of 133 kW of power and 231 Nm of torque
- 3.5-litre V6 engine with a peak power of 224 kW of power and 362 Nm of torque
Eighth Generation: XV70 (2017-Present)
The XV70 succeeded not only the XV50 Camry, but also the XV50 Aurion, which ceased production after the shutting down of the Altona assembly plant.
The eighth-generation Toyota Camry is the most high-tech of them all thus far. The way that Toyota keeps upgrading these cars with each generation, it's no wonder that the vehicle has earned and maintained its reputation of being a reliable choice.
A perfect example of this is how this generation's Camry is the first Toyota model to include the Entune 3.0 system. This multi-media system is a Linux-powered open-source operating system which allows third-party developers to build apps to be used in the car!
The drivetrain options for this generation are:
- 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 133 kW of power and 231 Nm of torque
- 2.5-litre hybrid and petrol engine with a maximum output of 133 kW of power and 231 Nm of torque
- 3.5 V6 petrol engine with a maximum output of 224 kW of power and 362 Nm of torque
The car also includes better smartphone connectivity, as well as increased safety features like autonomous emergency braking and additional airbags on the curtains and at the driver's knee. There are even child seat anchor points, including the ISOFIX anchorage system.
As mentioned before, Toyota has always kept the Camry evolving with the times. The car definitely deserves its reputation for being reliable, which is why it has stayed in demand for decades. On top of that, the addition of a wide range of safety features should go a long way in driving the market for this car, especially among families.
If you're looking for a secondhand Camry or replacement parts for it, head on to Carpart.com.au, it's a one-stop marketplace for people looking for car parts, accessories, and used cars.
- Rasyad 'Ray' Hasbollah