On a crisp day in November, six consumers selected for test drives spent several hours at a raceway near Los Angeles driving three sedans: the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu, the new Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. At the end of the day, no clear winner emerged in the contest arranged by auto research firm Edmunds.com. Two of the vehicles tied for first place. But there was a definite loser -- the Camry, which wasn't anyone's top choice.
"The Camry got the job done, but it was kind of boring," said Scott Barr, a high school science teacher and self-styled car enthusiast who took part in the exercise.
The Toyota Camry, now in its sixth generation, doesn't turn heads or thrill drivers with its road handling. It's no longer the undisputed leader in quality, either. Yet Toyota's rivals are struggling mightily to dislodge the perennial best-seller.
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