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Toyota's Camry Proves You Don't Have To Be Exciting to Be Number One

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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Toyota's Camry Proves You Don't Have To Be Exciting to Be Number One



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LexSucksLexSucks - 2/12/2008 11:47:50 AM
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So True. I'm an American and I can tell you this; Americans are the most clueless individuals when it comes to cars and car knowledge. How else can you explain the Lexus Fanboys? 100% of all Lexus fanboys are American. The rest of the world is smarter than that.

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TargaTarga - 2/12/2008 7:42:55 PM
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Wow... you both have no clue. AT ALL

And JoshLexus, you are bashing the only country that seems to buy your beloved Lexuses.... so what does that say?

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LexSucksLexSucks - 2/13/2008 10:38:35 AM
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Why is it that we don't have a clue? Be more specific and backup your statements actual points.

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WhelanWhelan - 2/12/2008 10:51:50 AM
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I would gladly take a Malibu LTZ V6 over the Accord or Camry anyday. It just looks soooo much better, and it doesn't appear to be as large even though it is.

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mini22mini22 - 2/12/2008 11:57:07 AM
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The value of name brand recognition is unbeatable. Ford made a mojor mistake when they cancelled the Taurus and went to the 500. Then Mulally realised the mistake and changed the name back. However the car is still not selling well perhaps because it was a very different car from the original Taurus and version one was underpowered.Ford may build the brand back up again but it will take time. Had they kept the Taurus name from the get go I bet the car would be a better seller.The Camry does well because it's reputation precedes it even if the car is not quite as competative or made as well as it once was. Even VW's Jetta,which does not have the great build quality as the Jap makes, still sells well and has a great resale value becaue of name brand recognition. Name brands are invaluable to a car maker Toyota's Camry,Honda's Accord,Fords Taurus,Chevys Malibu,Chryslers 300. You don't give up these names. It is suicide for sales.

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w209w114w209w114 - 2/12/2008 1:06:00 PMView My AgentSpace
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"Even VW's Jetta,which does not have the great build quality as the Jap makes"

Huh???

Please enlighten me as to the validity of this "personal" statement of yours. I do agree with your points on name recognition.


montyz81montyz81 - 2/12/2008 11:59:59 AM
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Again, I have said it before, i'll say it again. Where is the Altima? The Altima was number 9 in the top 10 best selling cars and I think it was 6th among Sedans and of course in this segment it was number 4. It should be considered against these three cars.

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montyz81montyz81 - 2/12/2008 3:06:07 PM
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One other thing, Consumer Reports recommends the Alti over the Accord and Camry. Another good reason to consider it in this article.


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 2/12/2008 4:40:23 PM
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xdrive_ , domestic auto industry execs don't believe you.


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 2/12/2008 4:41:24 PM
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The current Altima sucks because it uses a CVT.


montyz81montyz81 - 2/13/2008 11:21:56 AM
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The Camry uses a CVT too. Just so you know!


1970toyotamarc1970toyotamarc - 2/12/2008 12:18:06 PM
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This is a surprisingly decent, fair article from Detroit Free Press. I love that they point out that since the Camry's arrival, competitors have brought forth new a new Fusion, Accord, Mailbu, Altima and Sonata, yet none can knock the Camry off its perch.

People seem to think that the Camry has been on top forever. In fact, for years it was the also ran to Taurus and Accord. Many Toyota/Camry fans think gen 3 (think early '90s, near Lexus styling, first time as a mid-sized) was the most and last truly desirable Camry. But it never sold in the numbers of gens 4, 5 and now 6. In 1997, tired of playing second and third fiddle, Toyota went straight for the heart of the market and has never let up.

Try as they might, and they have tried, the other mfrs throw everything they have at it, but the Camry still comes out on top. Every new Fusion, Accord, Malibu brings out the same cheering that someone has finally come up with a vhicle to beat the Camry, and every one of them has failed. I know it drives you all crazy.

You're gonna be even more upset when Toyota puts the 2.7L in for 2010 and makes styling tweaks to ensure a few more years on top.

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1970toyotamarc1970toyotamarc - 2/12/2008 3:52:20 PM
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Judging from the deboosting, the truth hurts.


silver1silver1 - 2/12/2008 6:41:01 PM
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1970toyotamarc

LOL! I have to admit, your right. No matter what, Toyota Camry always comes out on top. No matter how many magazines studys that they put Camry in last place, they all know Camry is the best. The Honda gets a kick out of consumers when they say we beat the The Best in consumer reports. Toyota Camry is the best, it's the car that Honda, Nissan, Chevy, wants to be.

The 2007 Camry did win Motor Trend Car of the year and America's best selling car for how many years? I lost count a few years ago.

When it comes to quality, the Camry is simply the best, and everyone knows it.

I seen a used 1993 Camry at the car dealership and I talk with the owner, it had over 236,000 miles on it and running on same engine and transmission with no major repairs, even my cousin has 1996 Camry 302,000 miles on her Camry. Another friend has over 1996 Camry 304,000+ miles their car and bought it when it was brand new and still running on same engine and transmission with no major repairs. It's just un real on how these cars look with many miles. I have a friend with over 289,000 miles on his Honda Accord replace transmission, not sure bought his motor and other major repairs and it didn't look as nearly good as the old anchient Camry.

Even I had a 2nd Car Honda Accord V6 1998 with 180,000 miles on it and the transmission started slipping, trade it in, car dealership calls me and stated the tranmission is gone, well too late now, cause I sign a contract already! :)

Honda is known for transmission issues in the past and they know it, and I am a owner who witness it. But when it comes to what car keeps it beauty inside materials, door panels, fading, etc......Toyota is the clear choice, whatever their secret is it's unmatch, now if Honda can make their transmission last longer and a few other electric bugs like the alternator which goes out early in Honda and battery falls dead Honda will be on par.

Just trying to make you guys understand why Camry will be the leader for a few years to come at least until the next decade, because the rest of the class or still lagging behind the warrior....


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 2/12/2008 9:18:43 PMView My AgentSpace
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toyotamarc, was the Camry ever "truly desirable?" My ex-wife had the "Lexus-like" one you mentioned... total POS.


tattedtwicetattedtwice - 2/13/2008 2:57:45 PM
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"Toyota Camry is the best, it's the car that Honda, Nissan, Chevy, wants to be."

No company wants their car to be the camry, thats why they all do their best to be as un-camry as possible. And it's hardly the best, it's the best SELLING; there's a difference. This thing gets kicked around by every car in its class. It's just on top because of a name and an undeserved reputation, NO other reason.



silver1silver1 - 2/14/2008 3:15:46 PM
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Wow.... What a hater. Anyhow, so many companies due want to be like Camry, it's the Camry that's holding the crown as the best selling car in America for many years. It's Camry thats making all the money. If you were smart in the business field you would know that. All the manufactuers are watching camry. It's something that Camry does that draws consumers to it. It's a business and there here to make money. Camry makes all the money. Learn how to make money. Learn Camry...

Comprenda?


enthusiastx11enthusiastx11 - 2/12/2008 12:32:51 PM
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people buy cars that reflect who their personalities.

most people are incredibly boring and haven't had an original thought in decades.

so it makes perfect sense that the best selling car is lithium on wheels.

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M35MTM35MT - 2/12/2008 1:06:01 PMView My AgentSpace
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Not true, same with clothing - some people dont always buy clothes to reflect their style or personality, they just buy them because they need them.

Very few people in this country are what we consider to be an "enthusiast" - which, translates to basically "the desire for cars which are involving to drive due to their handling, balance and overall performance characteristics".

That has nothing to do with LUXURY, RELIABILITY, SAFETY FEATURES, COMFORT, etc.

Style is subjective.

Most people on this site (009 included) think Toyota and Lexus is an automotive failure, because they dont look at the actual economics.

It's been beaten to death. Let's move on.


StickShiftCamryStickShiftCamry - 2/12/2008 1:29:56 PM
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Y is Camry #1? Try getting a Malibu W/ a Stick Shift, Leather and Navigation and Bluetooth.
Or, which V6 is fastest in class? The Camry 3.5 w/o trac. control 0-60 5.7sec. Those tests, they used a bland colored CE w/ hubcaps.

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RupertRupert - 2/12/2008 7:32:18 PMView My AgentSpace
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You are such a fake!
Too far this time for me to believe you...

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PorschinatorPorschinator - 2/12/2008 7:41:01 PM
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Most people are not passionate car buffs. Just want a reliable commuter and Toyota fills that niche. Toyota's history as well as image of reliability and descent MPG is still strong. Toyota's economy cars also have some pep.

The competition more than anything have to compete with Toyota's good image to topple the Camry.

Remember at one time the Ford Taurus was #1...hehe...

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mini22mini22 - 2/12/2008 7:56:23 PM
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w209114-Most Jetta's are made in Puebla Mexico along with Beetles and Rabbits.I have read that they do not have the build quality of Corollas or Civics. They offer a lot of car for the money but there have been many recalls. If I were buying a Jetta today I would bite the bullit and buy one from Germany. I have heard and read that the build quality is better there. It is not a personal statment. When VW opens up a factory in the US I would be more prone to buy those models. I would not buy a car that's made in Mexico.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 2/12/2008 9:25:45 PMView My AgentSpace
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There is a huge difference between build quality and reliability. The Jetta/Rabbit lead their class in terms of build quality, with beautifully finished interiors and high-quality plastics. However, they trail in terms of mechanical reliability.


huu76huu76 - 2/12/2008 11:08:59 PM
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Malibu or Camry, that's a tough choice but I'd still go for the Camry (but just barely).

Other than "heritage" and foreign-oil dependent diesels that are still dirty, what the hell do German cars offer?

997,
I think you've got them mistaken with automatic driving BMW posers.

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Chaos29Chaos29 - 2/13/2008 1:24:52 AM
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The SOLARA is UGGGGGLY!

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XYZZXYZZ - 2/13/2008 7:28:51 AM
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people often criticize the lexus ES as "just a rebadged camry."

flip that over, and in many people's eyes, the camry is a cut rate LEXUS! with the last generation (or the one before?) it was TRUE TOO! the ES was designed and brought to market first. the camry came later (decontented of course).

as long as people can make THAT connection (whether or not still applicable), the camry will always have an insuperable advantage over its competitors.





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tattedtwicetattedtwice - 2/13/2008 3:06:13 PM
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people often criticize the lexus ES as "just a rebadged camry."

flip that over, and in many people's eyes, the camry is a cut rate LEXUS! with the last generation (or the one before?) it was TRUE TOO! the ES was designed and brought to market first. the camry came later (decontented of course).

as long as people can make THAT connection (whether or not still applicable), the camry will always have an insuperable advantage over its competitors

Neither is a good comparison; I certainly wouldnt want a near luxury car based on an underwhelming family sedan, and I would be appalled at having such a mediocre family sedan compared to the near luxury version. The es is an embarrassment that should be taken out to pasture and slaughtered, like the i35 was. I know thats not likely so long as they need cheap loaner car alternatives to throw people into, and something to keep their sales numbers boosted, image be damned.


XYZZXYZZ - 2/14/2008 8:15:37 AM
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your prejudices are obviously OVERWHELMING what LITTLE good sense and objectivity you ever MIGHT have had.

the ES actually outsells the IS, so obviously it's no skin off the nose of ES buyers that their car provided a DONOR PLATFORM for camrys.

and the camry, as mentioned above, continues to outsell ALL competitors no matter HOW MUCH they improve.

truthfully, wouldn't the average buyer be more inclined toward a camry related to a LEXUS, than a fusion derived from a mazda? or a lumina related to only other GM junk?

now the Altima, from all that i read, is indeed a decent competitor. but unless it can be linked to an Infiniti model, it fares NO BETTER either.

people always want to be proud of their cars, no matter what the cost. again, the Camry has an unbeatable advantage, being the ONLY one in its class with "a rich cousin."




XYZZXYZZ - 2/14/2008 8:28:17 AM
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or a rich (non identical) TWIN, to be more precise.

its a win-win situation for toyota. no wonder they're making so much money.


WhelanWhelan - 2/13/2008 9:29:37 AM
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Comparing Toyota and Lexus and claiming they are the same is no different than comparing Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti. Except since Lexus/Toy is the biggest player of the three they get the most smack. All the cars have similar lines and utilize the same frames, underpinnings, and engines. But they may be tuned differently and offer more supple interiors and such. BMW and MB dont offer everyday sedans like say a 3 series styled car to compete with Camry/Accord. Same goes for MB. Audi/VW would be put in the same category as the Japanese cars even though they are German, but you can see similarities in their models across the brands.

I also did not take into account the Altima. If I could, I would probably go test the Altima and Malibu and leave the Camry/Accord out of it. I would test the LTZ V6 Malibu and the 3.5 V6 Altima and make my own conclusions. The one thing I have not gotten used to on a car yet is CVT so they would both have to be manuals.

As for Toyota and boring, I understand many of their models have been and are becoming doldrum. I personally have a Matrix XR AWD and love it. It looks nothing like anything in the lineup, even though its based off the Corolla, it only shares the engine and frame. And it offers a heck of a lot for what it is in terms of comfort, cargo, AWD, and accessories like the lip kit, leather steering wheel, etc.

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mini22mini22 - 2/13/2008 10:01:49 AM
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The words quality and reliability get mixed up and I'm guilty sometimes of doing this. Regarding VW's.The quality of their interior plastics has been better then most economy car makers.However their reliability problems,especially cars from Puebla Mexico,have been quite a lot.I like VW's,I've owned and driven them but have been put off by niggling problems eg-electical,not starting,burned out headlamps and tail lamps.These kind of thing generally do not occur in Jap cars.I like the way they drive though.

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montyz81montyz81 - 2/13/2008 11:29:31 AM
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It amazes me how the factory a car is built in can make all the difference in the world when it comes to Quality. I never realized that that Mazda 6 and the Ford Mustang are built in the same factory but yet they both have very different quality ratings.


tattedtwicetattedtwice - 2/13/2008 2:48:09 PM
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The camry being the best selling car isnt a testament to anything other than the power of marketing. Despite numerous recalls, several articles written about quality slipping, constant midpack or lower comparison rankings, and the fact that this thing doesn't do anything better than its closest competitors proves that the mind of the american car buyer is closed.

It seems pretty simplistic, but people actually believe that when they see a lot of a certain car, they think "wow, that must be a pretty good car." I learned that a long time ago in a marketing class. This clearly applies here, since there aren't any real, objective reasons to buy one of these things over an altima, malibu, or even the accord.

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StickShiftCamryStickShiftCamry - 2/13/2008 8:27:51 PM
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Navigation, Bluetooth, StickShift, Leather, Big Body, Price - are pretty good reasons to get this Camry over the others.


XYZZXYZZ - 2/14/2008 8:50:40 AM
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plus, a DISTINCTIVE look.

didn't care for it on first sight. then, i GOT IT!

the treatment makes the toyota logo STAND OUT, like the freestanding tri-star on benzes. and, with the backdrop of body color paint rather than empty air, it ACTUALLY STANDS OUT MORE.

every maker has tried various styling tricks to make their logo in the grill distinctive. the 'bone-thru-nose' theme is long passe. the 'winged logo' is fast becoming cliched.

the camry's treatment is DISTINCTIVE and UNIQUE.




XYZZXYZZ - 2/15/2008 7:50:22 AM
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"the treatment makes the toyota logo STAND OUT, like the freestanding tri-star on benzes. and, with the backdrop of body color paint rather than empty air, it ACTUALLY STANDS OUT MORE."


and camry owners can also be RIGHTLY PROUD of that upstanding (yet pedestrian friendly), OUTSTANDING LOGO announcing their progress down the road.

its v6 is among the most powerful in its class. with even more horses than the non-boosted german 6 bangers.

don't know how many camry drivers actually drive aggressively, but when that face LOOMS UP FAST in the mirrors of lesser vehicles, it COULD intimidate. fully backed up with passing POWER as they ZAP PAST!

even owners of camry FOURS with a stick shift could play that game too! they merely have to stir the gears more than the v6 drivers.

and they too have the SAME BOLD FACE.






austin219austin219 - 2/16/2008 12:34:20 PM
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Camry Rocks................ Were these GM AND CHRYSLER EMPLOYEES DRIVING THESE CARS?????

MAYBE THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING JUST SOME ENTHUSIASTS DRIVING THESE VEHICLES>

I meen maybe the science guys father worked for GM or maybe his wife does. Have me drive them all and I'll choose Camry even if I liked the others better, I love the name Camry... IT JUST MEENS TO MOST OF THE NORMAL BUYERS RELIABILITY!!!! THAT MEENS MORE THAN STYLE AND FUN..... WOULD YOU SPEND 20k-30k on something that looks and feels good or something that IS GOOD!!!!!

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XYZZXYZZ - 2/17/2008 6:06:32 AM
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anyone who says camrys "lack excitement" has to be either a detroit/euro fanboi, or blind.

the most powerful v6 in its class, and a semi-aggressive, DISTINCTIVE FACE. plus, with toyota solidity and reliability, you can actually FLOG IT and NOT be afraid it's gonna break!

i think most of its competitors are the ones lacking excitement.

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