Apparently Toyota wants to do a major nip/tuck on the Camry

"BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather" (bugeyedacura)
11/25/2013 at 08:44 • Filed to: None

But I just don't know what the point is. People buying Camrys will keep buying Camrys. What are they gonna do? Give it some steering feel? Offer a manual again with the SE?

No, all of these things would fix what, for most of America, isn't broken. So they'll redo the grill and rear taillights to give it a more distinct "look". They'll put some shiny new material on the center stack to make it more "hip". And then ultimately keep polishing the turd that sells way too many cars for them. And people will eat it up. The transportation pods will keep rolling.

As much as I want Toyota to go back to being the "slightly more technologically based" version of Honda and Nissan, it's dug itself too far into its target market of beige buyers to turn around their volume models and make them viable for enthusiasts again.

DISCUSSION (18)

Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 08:49

Well, that's why they shouldn't worry about the Camry and turn the Avalon into the spiritual successor of the Crown Vic.

Slave2anMG > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 08:56

This sounds like GM trying to make Oldsmobile cool and attractive to the under 55 crowd...they'd let it geezer-fy for so long it was basically a lost cause. The 20-somethings I know have zilch interest in Toyotas or even Scions. Honda, yes. Big 'murican trucks, yes. Toyotas? Not a bit. Yeah, it may be 10-15 year old Hondas but there's no interest in 10-15 year old Toyotas...the guys will tell you the 'yotas are just dull and boring.

And which Japanese automakers do I see incessantly advertising cash back and low interest rates all year round? It's not Honda...it's Toyota and Nissan.

davedave1111 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 09:24

Honda and Nissan are indistinguishable from Toyota to most buyers. They make boring, reliable cars, just like they have for the last four decades.

Sure, there are the GTRs and LFAs in there, the odd S2000 or MR2, but the vast, vast majority of the business of those three companies is the dreariest beige transport appliances imaginable.

Don't forget, the Camry you get is essentially a US-only car, so it's more of a pile of shite than some of its competitors, but they're all very, very boring. Is a Honda Legend somehow better because Honda once made some sporty cars?

offroadkarter > Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise
11/25/2013 at 09:30

I don't see the avalon as a very good taxi or cop car.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise
11/25/2013 at 09:49

I'd much rather see the Avalon become a budget GS. You know, the new one beating the 5-Series and E-Class in everything, even driving dynamics?

Yeah. Let's get some GS in the mix.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Slave2anMG
11/25/2013 at 09:52

I was thinking of the older days of the Celica GT-S, MR2 Turbo, and 1st gen Corolla XRS. I think those cars gave some credit to Toyota in the enthusiast realm. Are they as great as the RSX, S2000, and TL-S? No, but at least they're something.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > davedave1111
11/25/2013 at 09:54

The Accord still has much of it's old, plucky spirit. It proves that you don't have to be boring to be practical. Toyota has just built a sensory deprivation chamber to serve as the Camry for the last 3 generations, and continues to refine that idea.

And up until this current gen, the Altima and Maxima were reasonably sporty for mid-size family sedans.

Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 09:57

I welcome that with open arms.

davedave1111 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 10:01

Well, I've never even seen, let alone been in, a US-market Camry, but I have been in Euro Accords and Toyota Avensises and the like. They're all as boring as drilling a well. That said, they've all got a lot better in terms of driving dynamics over the last ten years or so. They're still deliberately neutral in every way, though, because that's their selling point.

davedave1111 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 10:03

Slave2anMG > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 10:09

Those cars did...but those are mostly 10-20 years ago, aren't they? I mean, Toyota had it...and let it slip away in the name of market share and the dullness that seems to require. Honda's working on that with their current yawn-filled offerings...

Slave2anMG > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 10:09

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > davedave1111
11/25/2013 at 10:18

The Euro Accord is our TSX here, aka the entry level luxury car for the Acura brand. It used to be quite good, but the new gen threw it all away in search for a bit more padding.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Slave2anMG
11/25/2013 at 10:20

They are all mostly 10 years away. And for the most part, it's not that they changed, they just killed all of the exciting models. Which makes me unspeakably sad...

Slave2anMG > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 10:26

I opine that killing off the exciting models was a conscious decision on Toyota's part to change...a decision to go mass market and ignore the enthusiast. Which also makes me unspeakably sad.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Slave2anMG
11/25/2013 at 10:49

Don't get me wrong, it's not a mystery or a misconception as to how deliberate it was. But there are ways to go mainstream and still keep your stuff together. I present the latest Accord as example A, and the last gen Altima as example B.

AMC/Renauledge > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 11:44

This isn't news.

The XV10 Camry got a facelift for 1995, its 4th model year.

The XV20 Camry got a facelift for 2000, its 4th model year.

The XV30 Camry got a facelift for 2005, its 4th model year.

The XV40 Camry got a facelift for 2010, its 4th model year.

The XV50 Camry will get a facelift for 2015, its 4th model year.

This is Toyota's regularly scheduled programming. Nothing more to see here, folks.

SkarTisu > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/25/2013 at 12:42

They're just improving the Camry's groundedness to the ground.