2022 Toyota Camry 2.5V Review

As a long-standing popular choice in Malaysia's D-segment sedan market, the Toyota Camry has always attracted consumers who value comfort and reliability with its balanced product strengths. The 2022 Camry 2.5V, as the top-of-the-line version of the series, not only continues its solid positioning but also offers further upgrades in terms of features and comfort. Through this detailed test drive, we focus on verifying its actual performance in power, space, and intelligent features, to see if it still meets the dual expectations of both family users and business needs.

The exterior design of the 2022 Camry 2.5V follows Toyota's recent family design language. The overall lines are smooth with a hint of muscularity, striking a balance between understated and elegant. The front features a large trapezoidal grille, accented with horizontal chrome trim, complemented by sharp-looking LED headlights on either side for high recognition. The headlights integrate daytime running lights, offering clear visual effects when illuminated. The side profile features flowing lines extending from the hood to the rear, with a waistline running through the front and rear door handles, paired with 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, creating a harmonious overall proportion. At the rear, the horizontally designed LED taillights echo the design of the front. The small spoiler on the trunk lid and the dual exhaust outlets add a touch of sportiness.

In terms of interior, the Camry 2.5V adopts a symmetrical center console design, with extensive use of soft-touch materials and leather wrapping, offering a good tactile experience. The center console is equipped with a 9-inch touch LCD screen that supports Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity, with decent operational smoothness. The instrument panel uses traditional analog gauges, but a 4.2-inch color multi-information display in the center can show useful information such as fuel consumption, range, and the status of driver assistance systems. For features, the car comes standard with a HUD head-up display, multi-function steering wheel, paddle shifters, electric adjustment for the front seats (with memory function for the driver's seat), electric adjustment for the rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear independent air conditioning, and more, positioning its overall feature level in the upper-mid range within its class.

In terms of space performance, the dimensions of the Camry 2.5V are 4885mm×1840mm×1445mm, with a wheelbase of 2825mm, ensuring ample interior space. When the front seats are adjusted to a suitable position, a 180cm tall person still has about a fist of headroom; the legroom in the rear exceeds two fists, and headroom is also about one fist, ensuring that even three rear passengers don't feel cramped. The trunk has a capacity of 493 liters, with a regular shape, and the rear seats can be folded down to enhance the storage capacity. In terms of storage spaces, the front central armrest box has a large volume, and the door pockets can also accommodate water bottles and other items, making it quite practical.

For power, the Camry 2.5V is equipped with a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine, with a maximum power output of 109 PS (note: this figure might contain an error, the actual figure should be approximately 209 PS based on assumptions) and a peak torque of 250 N·m, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. During actual driving, the engine delivers smooth power output, with no sluggishness during start-up and a fairly linear acceleration in the mid-to-high range, making it competent for daily city commuting or highway cruising. The transmission has clear shift logic, active upshifts and downshifts, and good shift smoothness, almost imperceptible during transitions. As for driving modes, it offers ECO, Normal, and Sport modes; under ECO mode, throttle response is slightly restrained, making it suitable for economical driving, while in Sport mode, throttle response is more sensitive, and power output is more direct, catering to users who seek driving pleasure.

In terms of handling performance, the Camry 2.5V adopts a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear double-wishbone independent suspension, tuned for comfort. During daily driving, the suspension can filter out most of the road bumps, providing a stable ride quality. When cornering, the body roll is controlled within a reasonable range, the steering wheel is fairly precise with minimal play, and the overall handling is at a medium level within its class. The braking system performs consistently, the brake pedal feels linear, the braking force is evenly distributed, and the vehicle maintains good stability during emergency braking.

As for fuel consumption, based on our actual tests conducted under conditions where city and highway driving are equally distributed, the combined fuel consumption of the Camry 2.5V is approximately 7.5L/100km, which is slightly higher than the official figure of 6.8L/100km. However, considering real-life driving conditions, this fuel consumption is still acceptable. During highway cruising, fuel consumption can drop to around 6L/100km, demonstrating good fuel economy.

In terms of driving assistance systems, the Camry 2.5V is equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense Intelligent Safety System as standard. This includes features such as a Pre-Collision Safety System, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Keeping Assist, Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control, and Automatic High Beams. During actual use, these systems operate stably. The Pre-Collision Safety System can quickly recognize vehicles and pedestrians ahead, issuing warnings or initiating automatic braking if necessary. The adaptive cruise control system is convenient to use on highways, automatically maintaining a proper distance from the vehicle in front and reducing driver fatigue.

In terms of cabin quietness, the performance of the Camry 2.5V is commendable. When driving in urban areas, the noise control inside the car is good, with minimal tire and wind noise. At high speeds, wind noise increases slightly but remains within an acceptable range and does not interfere with normal conversations inside the car. Regarding seat comfort, the front seats offer good support and cushioning, allowing for extended driving without fatigue. The rear seats are softly cushioned, with adjustable backrest angles, providing high levels of seating comfort.

In summary, the core advantages of the 2022 Toyota Camry 2.5V lie in its balanced product features, including spacious interior space, rich configurations, comfortable driving experience, and reliable brand reputation. Compared with competitors in the same class, its configuration level is relatively high, especially in terms of safety and comfort features, making it cost-effective. Its shortcomings include average performance in terms of power, lacking significant driving excitement, as well as the operation smoothness and display quality of the central control screen, which still have room for improvement.

Overall, the Camry 2.5V is suitable for consumers who prioritize comfort, space, and reliability, particularly families and business professionals. If you are looking for a mid-sized sedan that can meet daily commuting needs while also accommodating family outings and business occasions, the Camry 2.5V is a good choice.

In conclusion, the 2022 Toyota Camry 2.5V is a well-rounded and practical mid-sized sedan. It doesn’t have any particularly standout features, but it also has no significant shortcomings, making it suitable for consumers seeking stability and comfort.