Toyota recently announced pricing and product information on the redesigned seventh-generation Toyota Camry, including pricing on the new Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Toyota Camry is a sales star, holding the honor of America’s top-selling car for nine years in a row, and 13 of the last 14 years. Toyota has sold more than 15 million Camry’s nationwide since 1983 when the car was introduced to rival the Honda Accord. While the Camry is still number one, its lead among competitors has shrunk. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Camry accounted for 14.3% of all midsize cars sold in the U.S. through July of this year, which is down from 17.2% in 2010 and 20.1% in 2009.
Features on the 2012 Toyota Camry
Overall, the 2012 Toyota Camry received an all-new, yet modest design update for 2012, increased interior and trunk space, lost about 100 lbs on most trims, reduced the MSRP on many models and added improved fuel efficiency while not sacrificing power.
The 2012 Toyota Camry comes in four trim levels, the base L, LE, the sport-tuned SE and the more luxurious XLE, while the 2012 Camry Hybrid is available in LE and XLE.
The base L, starts with 16-inch wheels, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, the LE adds remote keyless entry, display audio system and steering-wheel-mounted controls, while the sporty SE – which is geared toward a younger demographic -ups the ante with heated exterior mirrors, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels and sport-tuned suspension. The top of the line XLE comes with a sunroof, heated driver and front passenger seats, rearview camera navigation system and the company’s new Entune multimedia system with voice-activated cell phone integration and driver-friendly on-the-road apps such as restaurant-finder, Bing search, real-time traffic and sports, as well as movie listing and location guidance.
The Camry comes standard with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (a manual transmission is no longer an option for 2012) that produces 178-horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque, while a 3.5-liter, six-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed transmission is optional for the SE and XLE trims, and delivers 268-horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque. The four-cylinder engine achieves an EPA estimated 25 mpg city/35 mpg hwy and 21 mpg city/30 mpg hwy for the six-cylinder engine. The hybrid comes with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder hybrid engine paired with an Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission, which produces 156-horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque. The LE trim achieves an EPA estimated 43 mpg city/39 mpg hwy and the XLE gets 41 mpg city/38 hwy. Toyota also offers complimentary two-year or 25,000 maintenance plan with the purchase or lease of every new Toyota, covering all normal factory scheduled service and 24/7 roadside assistance.
While the last major redesign of the Camry was in 2007, many industry experts have noted the Camry’s bland 2012 restyle.
“I thought the redesign will definitely please the loyal Camry buyer,” said Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Industry Trends and Insights at TrueCar.com “But it will probably fall short in conquesting large numbers of new buyers who haven’t owned a Camry before.”
The Toyota Camry competes with the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and the Hyundai Sonata, which is priced $2,300 lower than the Camry, while offering more horsepower, equal fuel economy and bolder styling.
The 2012 Camry (except of the Hybrid) goes on sale October 3rd while the Hybrid goes on sale sometime in early November.
Pricing on the 2012 Toyota Camry
The 2012 Toyota Camry was priced more aggressively with price reductions in several models. The base L starts at a MSRP of $21,995; The LE (four-cylinder engine) starts at $22,500, a drop of $200 from the previous model; The four-cylinder SE starts at $23,000, a reduction of $965; the six-cylinder SE remains at the same starting price as last year’s model at $26,640; The four-cylinder XLE starts at $24,725, a decrease of $2,000 from the previous model year and the six-cylinder XLE stays the same at the 2011 model at $29,845; The 2012 Camry Hybrid will carry a MSRP of $25,900 on the LE trim, a drop of $1,500 while the Hubrid XLE starts at $27,400 MSRP, an $800 reduction in price from last year’s model. Each Camry carries a $760 delivery fee (may vary in Southeast and Gulf States).
As many car shoppers know, MSRP is the starting price set by the manufacturer, and is almost always negotiable. Any consumer who is in the market for a new car should visit www.truecar.com to find out the real market price for a new car. TrueCar shows you what other people actually paid for a new car, then shows you an even better price from a local TrueCar Certified Dealer.
