TOTALLY OVERHAULED 2025 CAMRY IS A BOLD ATTEMPT … AND IT WORKS!

By NITISH S. RELE – motoringflorida@gmail.com

We waited and waited for years and finally Toyota has delivered. A brand-new Camry unlike any other in the past, the 2025 sedan will take your breath away. It is a total overhaul from any of its predecessors, grille to bumper.

For starters, the V-6-cylinder engine is history. In fact, there is no non-hybrid powertrain. You can get a front-wheel or all-wheel-drive Camry with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid engine putting out a decent 225 and 232 horsepower respectively and 163 pounds-feet of torque @ 5200 rpm. Instead of the sole electric motor, another one has been added to the rear. Gone is the previous 6-speed auto gearbox in the best-selling car in the United States for 22 years. It has been replaced with continuous variable transmission to result in gas savings. The retuned suspension is made up of the front independent MacPherson strut and a multilink rear. Noticeably lowered are noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. Normal, eco, sport and EV modes are available.

Dimension-wise, the 2025 Camry mostly stays the same except for a slight length boost. For the sporty SE trim, that translates into a sleeker sedan portraying a wider black sport mesh grille with racing-inspired front-side canards, black air ducts and sport-styled rocker panels. Black CAMRY letters on the rear badge draw attention along with LED tail lamps, also with a smoke tinge, subtle lip spoiler and, of course, dual quad chrome exhaust tips. The functional interior is straightforward but well laid-out as expected of any Toyota. Though made of synthetic leather, the seats are cozy and pleasing enough. Storage spaces are scattered throughout the cabin. Our test drive arrived with a splendid though optional 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen, dual auto a/c, eight-way power driver and six-way front-passenger heated seats, 60/40 rear seat, panoramic moon roof, three-spoke manual tilt/telescopic steering column and a wireless phone charger.

Dual front and side airbags, front knee airbags, side curtain airbag, vehicle stability and traction control, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, three-point seatbelts for all, rear-cross traffic alert, keyless entry, blind spot monitor, front/rear crumble zones, rearview camera, daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring system are standard. Also included are Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 – pre-collision system to detect pedestrians, lane departure alert with steer and lane trace assists, auto head beams and dynamic cruise control.

This bread-and-butter vehicle for and from Toyota is a nimble, athletic and tidy gas-sipper that seats five in comfort. The total revamp inside and out for the ninth-generation 2025 model, a pleasant surprise indeed, can only keep the midsize sedan at the top for several years to come.

CAMRY (SE, AWD)

Tires: P235/45R18

Wheelbase: 111.2 inches

Length: 193.5 inches

Width: 72.4 inches

Height: 56.9 inches

Steering: electric power rack-and-pinion

Fuel capacity: 13 gallons

City, highway: 44 mpg each

Weight: 3,627 pounds

Base price: $32,225

Web site: www.toyota.com

Test-drive the 2025 Camry at Gettel Toyota, 5088 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33614, or call (813) 358-1002.