2023 Toyota Camry | Family Sedan Review

We're driving the 2023 Toyota Cram... Cramry? Let's try that again. We're driving the 2023 Toyota Camry. Coming up, I'm going to tell you why this Camry is cooler than your car. But first, information explosion! The Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan icon. Let's begin with interior. The materials here aren't my favorite. Like, there's a lot of this pebbly plastic and shiny black plastic, but it's a very functional interior. Door storage here, a small pocket. Sauce pocket. There's room in the door for a bottle, although it must have a sealed lid. Tandem cup holders here, which even in the front position don't interfere with the climate control, which is nice. Then you get this front area here with this little hidden storage nook where your phone can go on top. Also, the center console area is big. Up front here, soft in various places. If you go to the back seat, things get a little bit hard and a little bit scratchy. One material I do really like is the seat. The... Softex! I like stripes. They're stripy. Oh, there are stripes. Yeah, I didn't even notice. I was so busy focused on how comfortable they are, the lack of pressure points. And over here, I've got adjustable lumbar support. You don't have it, and that's why you're seating at me right now. But in terms of overall comfort, though, do you find them pretty comfortable? I do find them comfortable. Behind my preferred front seat position, knee room is generous. My headroom is fine. The middle position, things get a little bit tighter naturally, and there is a center hump to contend with. But overall, the rear passenger space I think is quite good. Behind that, 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space. Not largest in class, but certainly usable. And then you've got a standard 60-40 split-fold seat situation, although that is not a flat transition. Kiddo, how do you find climbing in and out of the Toyota Camry? I find it. Cool, although I do have one complaint on your behalf. This particular Camry does not have rear vents. It is an optional feature, and really, that ought to be standard by now. And what about getting the booster seat installed? The latch points are covered with plastic covers, which are removable, which is great, except that might make them easy to lose. But the booster snaps in super easy. As for safety, man, the Camry is strong. Five-star overall from the NHTSA. In every category, it's a five. It's a top safety pick plus from the IIHS. Ten airbags standard, plus a full suite of active driver assist, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane-keeping assist. Family, what do we think? Is the Toyota Camry family-friendly? Family-friendly. Family-friendly. Yeah, sedan family-friendly. Rear window test. All the way down. Bam. Armrest test. Driving in a comfortable 8-4 if I were driving right now, maybe these could be a little bit further inboard, but I'm not having too much difficulty putting my elbows in place with my hand on the steering wheel, and I like that they're relatively even height. Also, good squish factor, both inboard and outboard, and I like that there's no stitching on the edge here that would have braided my delicate, delicate elbow skin. I'm like, hey, would you like to see more videos like this where we sit at a light and eventually talk about driving a car? Oh, it's happening. I'm driving a car. If so, you are welcome to subscribe. Oh, and we occasionally do some helicopter adventures too, if that entices you further. Moving on, we're to style. My expectations, I think, were low based on the name Camry, because my grandparents loved Camrys, right? Oh, everyone's grandparents loved Camry, sweetie. So it was sportier than I was expecting. You just got nightshaded. The nightshade trim that we're driving here has these cool bronze wheels, that kind of like matte bronze finish. You got dark exterior badging, and it really does add a little something, not a lot of something, but a little something to the Camry. I think the part I like the best is the side. There's a lot of interesting body lines, almost like a little fender flare. Yeah, okay, sure. I have no additional style thoughts. I think if you look very, very, very closely, you can find parts that seem a little bit different. Overall, the effect is very Camry-like, but I do love those bronze wheels. Oh, sweet 19 inches. What do you think of the Toyota Camry style? Do you like it? Do you dislike it? Tell us in the comments section. Moving on, we're to in motion. Very quickly, let me thank the sponsor for today's video, Flying Eye Sunglasses. They're made of a material called rizillamide that is patented. Why is that important? Here's what happens when you bend flying eyes, and then here's what happens when you bend not flying eyes. Those are my old glasses. I destroyed them. If you've ever sat on your sunglasses or dropped your sunglasses, that bendability might really come in handy. That's true. We did drop them out of a helicopter, and they survived just fine. If you would appreciate aviation-grade eyewear, whether you live a lifestyle that's active and sexy, or you also fly helicopters, click the link in the description below. Use the promo code, and you can save 10% on flying eyes. We've got a bump here, and it feels smooth, even rolling on these 19-inch wheels. This is a Camry High Point. We've got comfortable ride quality. At higher speeds, it can get a little bit noisy in the interior, but overall, as far as like a cruiser is concerned, it's a very comfortable vehicle to occupy. Steering it around, I'm not feeling a ton of emotion. Let's enter this left-hander with a little bit of gusto. It's not a fun car to steer, but it gets around the corner agreeably enough, which I think is appropriate for people who are buying a Camry. Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Snack bag throwing, Lefi. One of the advantages of driving a sedan versus, let's say, an SUV is it's a little bit smaller, a little more maneuverable. Let's As you may have noticed in the beginning of the information explosion, we're driving the hybrid version floored from a stop. A little chirp of the tires, strong pull, and it just kind of keeps on pulling. I like the hybrid powertrain. Cruising here, now I'm going to floor it. Swift reactions, good pull, and one of the challenges with the hybrid is the brakes. It has that kind of classic hybrid sort of spongy touchiness here. Let's see if I can come to a smooth stop. I am trying, and I'm trying, and it's like you're trying to let off, and it's still creeping, and it's just it's a little bit awkward to come to that smooth limo-like stop. So the brakes aren't my favorite, but I do like the propulsion. The transition between gasoline and electric power is transparent. If I were buying a Camry, I might be tempted to go with the hybrid. That's what I think, but what does Sweetie think? Evie's driving, and I'm going to try to try something real quick. Okay. Push the EV button down here and see if it'll actually go into EV mode. It did it. Okay, let's see how far. Now just drive away, like maybe slowly, see if you can keep it in EV mode for a little bit. Take to the right. Ah, 12 miles an hour too fast, but it worked. Yeah, if you needed to creep in late at night because you're out carousing or whatever it is you do, then that would be a way to sneak on in. You really know my lifestyle. How do you find steering at first? Does it feel pretty easy to drive? It does. Helpful if I was turning. You're weaving. You're weaving. Just trying to thoroughly answer the question, man. Are you finding those brakes? Yeah, really hard to smoothly come to a stop. How's the power? Ooh, that feels plentiful. Why don't you take a ride at the slight? Tell me, does it do what you expect it to do? I feel like I can predict what the car is going to do. Since I'm not looking for like exciting steering. She gets all the excitement she needs right here. That's right. Yeah, so it's predictable and you feel like it's comfortable and giving you what you expect. Yes, which is the most important quality in steering for me. Oh, and then lastly, what about visibility? Any issues? No issues with visibility. Would you say you're feeling comfortable driving this Camry? I am. Sweetie's feeling comfortable. I'm getting back in the driver's seat. Overall, we like how the Camry drives, but I would mind a little more emotion. Forward to emotion factor. Is there an emotion factor here? It's very practical. Boy, that is a very diplomatic way of saying no. I think there are versions of the Camry that have some elements of emotion in them. The TRD is an interesting one. I think in the nightshade version, you might feel like there's a little bit more visual sass and that's more emotive. But I don't really think driver emotion and stylistic emotion are strong components of the Camry experience. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Are you feeling emotionally drawn to buy a Toyota Camry of your very own? If you are, click the Kelley Bulldog pricing link in the description below to learn what your current car is worth and what you should spend on a Camry. Onward to remarks. In the beginning of the video, I teased that I was going to tell you how this Camry is cooler than your car. Here's how. We're driving the hybrid version. It's got about a $2,400 premium over the base four-cylinder engine. The average driver in America drives 13,500 miles a year. If you were to drive that average distance in the hybrid versus the gasoline engine version, you would pay back, based on $4 per gallon gas prices, your premium for the hybrid in only three years, which means everything after that is just money in your pocket. Do you like money? Yeah, I bet you do. You'd have more money if you were driving this Camry. That's why this Camry is cooler than your car. And yes, I recognize some people watching this probably do get better fuel economy than the Camry we're driving. Am I provoking them just to increase engagement? You bet I am. All right, let's talk infotainment. We've got a standard seven-inch screen. There is an optional nine-inch screen. I find this very easy to operate. There are buttons on the side that are very clearly labeled. There's a knob for the tune and the volume. There is a more modern Toyota interface that we've experienced in other vehicles. Let's say the Sequoia, and if you're curious what we thought about the Sequoia, click up here. This is the old-style Toyota infotainment interface, very, very functional, not as modern-looking infotainment as Toyota offers. Now it's time for everybody's favorite segment, the Museo Family Smell Test. Our daughter doesn't like new car smell, and we know that some people might agree with her. Kiddo, how do you like the smell of the Camry? Is it good, bad, or just okay? And that was the Museo Family Smell Test. All right, let's talk engine choices. The basic engine is a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder. It makes slightly less horsepower with all-wheel drive and slightly more in the XSE trim. There's the standard fuel economy, and then here's the fuel economy with all-wheel drive. Yes, you can get a Camry with all-wheel drive. It's only $1,500 depending on trim. Then there's the 2.5-liter hybrid. It's extra efficient if you go with the LE trim. Lastly, there's a 3.5-liter V6 that makes a bunch more power, but it's only available with front-wheel drive. If you get a non-hybrid Camry, it'll come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and in all trims, regular gas is fine. Sweetie? Yeah? Can I give you a trim recommendation? Yep. Our trim recommendation is which Toyota Camry trim will give you the essential features you would regret not getting, but at the lowest possible price. For our trim recommendation, we're going to recommend you go up one level from the base LE trim to the SE trim. It's only about $1,500 more, but it adds nicer trim elements inside and out, upgrades the seats from cloth to faux leather, and it adds automatic climate control. I'd also budget an extra $1,200 for the Blind Spot Monitoring Package with Smart Key. Grand total, $29,160. We're driving in 2023. For 2024, no major updates. Man, I'm thinking maybe 2025, a pretty major update's going to come along, and I think Toyota's worked very hard to add some emotion to their lineup. I'm looking for a more emotive next-generation Camry. Toyota, don't disappoint me. As for midsize sedan competitors, you've got names like the Subaru Legacy, Hyundai Sonata, and the Honda Accord, and if you're curious what we thought about the Honda Accord, click right up here. Do we miss any remarks? If so, tell us in the comments section. Synopsis! In thinking about the essence of the Toyota Camry, it is not the most thrilling choice, but its practicality is unassailable. To me, it is the PBS NewsHour water bottle of midsize sedans. It says PBS on it, and it just holds some water, but man, I need some water. Family, I think we've done a good job reviewing the Toyota Camry. May I have a five, and a five, and you, come get your high five. Bam!