2018 Toyota Camry: America's Favorite Sedan Is All-New

It's no stretch to imagine that the team creating the 2018 Toyota Camry ^[1], just revealed at the 2017 Detroit auto show ^[2] and bound for dealerships this summer, had to confront some severe performance anxiety. They faced the freedom afforded by the fresh Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, signs that Americans are continuing to abandon mid-size sedans ^[3], and the reality that the current, inoffensively-yours Camry has actually been selling well despite industry trends.

The team, fortunately, was never just going to settle for subtle nips and tucks; CEO Akio Toyoda has demanded more adventurous, stirring designs across the board as part of his aim to purge the boring cars from Toyota Motor Corporation's lineup.

"It's no secret that I like to involve myself in the design process," said Toyoda, who made the show presentation of the new Camry himself. "My team might call it something else."

And so arrives this Camry gone wild, with an only somewhat more toned-down version of the seemingly sci-fi-inspired look that makes the styling of the current Prius so polarizing, and some of the sculpting that invites a double-take of the upcoming C-HR crossover ^[4]. The 2018 Camry is within an inch of the 2017 model in length and width, but Toyota hasn't yielded to the crossover crowd by making the new Camry taller or more upright. It has actually gone the other way; the hood is 1.6 inches lower, and the roofline is lower by 1.2 inches. That let the automaker drop the occupants' seating heights an inch in front and 1.2 inches in back. The front seats have been resculpted, while the cowl, beltline, and dash have been lowered, adding to a more open feel inside the cabin.

The Camry's new dashboard does away with the former segmented T shape in favor of a more sweeping design, drawing inspiration from home furnishings while aiming for a more sculptural interior combined with warmer detailing. Mixed hues and tones on the interior move away from the former monotone themes.

Beyond appearances, Toyota calls the TNGA platform that underpins this Camry "a structural reform movement for the entire company that will result in cars that are more dynamic, athletic, and fun to drive." It also claims that, with the new building blocks, "drivers will notice the dramatic improvements within the first few seconds of driving." Given that previous generations of the Camry evolved so subtly, that's a bold pronouncement. But, based on the level of improvement we've seen in the latest, fourth-generation Prius ^[5]—the only model with that platform to make it to production so far—we'll take it seriously.

To complement the new structure, it boasts a lower center of gravity. Toyota takes the Camry into new chassis-tuning territory by ditching the struts in the rear for a multilink suspension setup, while a four-point engine-mounting system should help keep the cabin experience smoother and quieter.

Perhaps the greatest surprise in all of this, to gearheads, is that Toyota still hasn't killed the V-6. Toyota has subbed in the latest direct-injection 3.5-liter version for its flagship Camrys. The base 2.5-liter Dynamic Force inline-four has a higher compression ratio, a variable cooling system, multi-hole direct injectors, and variable valve timing, and Toyota says it will have higher power and torque ratings, although it has not yet specified those figures. It also claims better fuel efficiency than with the outgoing engine of the same displacement—and phenomenal 40 percent thermal efficiency. A new eight-speed automatic transmission, with faster and more decisive shifts, should make the V-6 and four-cylinder versions more enjoyable.

Camry hybrid models will also get a version of the new four-cylinder, and they should have improved powertrain drivability with their continuously variable automatic transmissions programmed to simulate a six-speed automatic, with paddle shifters included in the SE model. It's possible there may be multiple battery setups as well, as with the Prius.

Toyota claims improved ergonomics and three interlinked next-generation display screens. On some models, that will include a 10.0-inch color head-up display, a 7.0-inch multi-information display, and an 8.0-inch display for audio, navigation, and climate control that is flush with the center console and has a smartphone-like interface. That comes via the new Entune 3.0 system ^[6], which offers 4G LTE–based in-vehicle Wi-Fi for up to five mobile devices, plus new remote-connect features and an app suite across all trim levels. An improved nine-speaker JBL premium audio system tuned for the Camry's cabin materials now includes a 10.1-inch subwoofer and Clari-Fi technology for compressed music—which is pretty much any music you might be listening to nowadays.

The Toyota Safety Sense system includes pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high-beams, plus adaptive cruise control and a backup camera. It will be standard on all 2018 Camrys; blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert are available on some models.

The 2018 Camry comes in four trim levels: LE, XLE, SE, and XSE. The SE and XSE get a set of Sport appearance upgrades that go beyond trims and finishes, with Toyota designers targeting differences that could be spotted from 200 yards away. Rocker panels are more sculpted, front and rear bumper designs are different (with a diffuser down below and a trunklid lip up above in back), and the face has a more exaggerated, aggressive look with the same catamaran-style lower-bumper accents that Toyota has used elsewhere, to mixed results. They'll also get a mesh grille and smoke-tinted rear combination lamps, with 19-inch black machined-finish aluminum wheels reserved for the Camry XSE.

Remaking Toyota's bland best-seller to be more expressive is risky—and may not even save this mid-size sedan from the big market shift that's underway. But the sales success of the Nissan Maxima ^[7], one of the more daring sedans of the past year, might calm those jitters. We're looking forward to driving the new Camry because we've long thought the top-selling sedan in America should be less boring.

Or, as Toyoda said during the presentation, "Why should SUVs get all the glory?"

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