Q: What does the new Toyota Camry have in common with NASCAR?
A: Pit stops.

Watch a NASCAR race some Sunday and consider the strategy of the pit stop. It’s the ultimate application of the old saw, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Cars pull in, fuel up, fix what they have to and get back on the track before they get lapped by the competition. So too for Camry; circling the track at the head of the pack for the last four years as America’s top selling car. When it came time to pull in for the model year switch, the idea was to keep improving, but not mess with success.

An all new Camry emerges for 2007; the 6th generation Toyota will be offered in five models: entry level CE, LE, SE, XLE and Hybrid. Size-wise, Camry stays the same length, but the wheels have been tugged closer to the corners and the wheelbase is stretched some 2¼” longer than last year. Camry is a skosh lower, and sits on a wider (1¼”) track, too. Toyota’s franchise car is a family sedan, and it’s traditionally been conservatively styled. Too conservative? When Toyota polled Camry owners on what they wanted in a new car, many asked for a more modern, athletic looking design. Toyota has responded with a car that’s still mainstream friendly, but with up-to-date lines. Seen side on, the body is more high-waisted, with a sloping roofline. Front and back ends are substantial – it’s an engineering company and form still follows function – but there are enough angles and bevels in the sheet metal to keep it interesting.

Usually, when cars are redesigned, they get bigger. Family cars trade on comfort and convenience, and the easy solution to increasing both is to make the package larger. But, remember that those Camry owners who were surveyed said they’d like something a little more athletic. Now, unless your definition of “athlete” includes sumo wrestlers, adding bulk doesn’t get you to sporty. So, Toyota had to take the long road and design a car that would feel bigger inside without really being bigger outside. They got there by reworking the interior package without changing its overall size. With the wheelbase stretched, the cowl was pulled forward (an approach that Chrysler called “cab forward” a few years ago). Seats were redesigned for a slimmer profile. Both rows accommodate the small and the tall, and three fit in back without complaint. Seat travel was increased up front (now a full 10”), to better suit the long of leg. So too in back, where an extra ½” of leg room was squeezed out and the foot wells were enlarged. Hop inside the Camry and the new look hits you immediately – and positively. The large, overlapping design of the main gauges is easier to read, day or night, and the two-tier dash design looks fresh. A range of sound systems are offered as is Toyota’s fifth generation navigation system. Side curtain and side seat airbags are standard on all models, along with a tire pressure monitoring system. Camry is a family vehicle, and families, like armies, tend to carry a lot of stuff with them. Toyota responds with plenty of inboard storage spots: door pockets, a center stack covered cubbyhole, cup holders, a deep center bin whose cover doubles as an arm rest, and a glove box big enough for boxing gloves. If that’s not enough, the trunk is well sized at 15 cubic feet, with a low liftover height and a wide mouth. Rear seats split and fold for added cargo options (except on sporty, SE models, where the seatback area is reinforced for added stiffness).

I sampled all three power plants in the 2007 lineup, including Toyota’s 2.4 litre four cylinder and the 3.5 litre V-6. The four is an upgraded version of last year’s engine, and is offered with either a five speed manual transmission or a five speed automatic. It weighs in with 158 hp, 161 lb. ft. of torque and EPA gas mileage estimates of 25 city/34 highway (standard), 24/33 (automatic). The step up engine is a new V-6. Displacing 3.5 litres, it’s available in LE, SE and XLE models, and is linked to a six speed automatic transmission. With its power spread over six gears, the engine is loafing at highway speeds, with a favorable impact on gas mileage (22/31, by EPA’s reckoning).

And speaking of mileage, my test drive also included the newest entry to the Camry lineup – the hybrid. For 2007, Toyota has expanded its dual, gas/electric power technology to its most popular model. The gas engine is Toyota’s 2.4 litre, 147 hp four, along with a 45 horsepower electric motor. The combined, uh, (let’s see, 7 + 5, carry the 1..) 192 horsepower comes from either engine or both; the system varying the power sources as needed. This is 4th generation hybrid technology for Toyota, and the systems work together hand in glove. Part of the fun of driving hybrid powered cars is to learn how to maximize mileage. Driving smoothly but not slowly, I clocked 35.7 mpg’s behind the wheel. While hybrids don’t typically make the mileage estimates that EPA sets out (in this case, 43/37), I know plenty of people who would settle for 35 mpg’s plus in a car as comfortable as Camry.

Many Toyota fans felt that the company didn’t take the last generation SE model far enough in the sporty direction, stopping with cosmetics. This time, it’s a step closer. The cosmetics are there in force; with its blackout grille and minimal brightwork, the SE is only a killer set of rims away from being a highway hottie. But, the newly beefed up suspension has a taut handling feel that adds a fun to drive factor never before found in a Camry.

The 2007 Camry goes on sale in March, with hybrid models following a few months later. While pricing has not been established as of this writing, Toyota expects sales of 450,000 for the model year. After a first drive through the model line, it’s too soon to tell if Toyota’s hit a home run, but the new Camry is at the very least an extra base hit.

Numbers and Dollars
2007 Toyota Camry
MSRP: $TBD

Drivetrain
Engine: 2.4 litre I-4 3.5 litre V-6
Horsepower: 158 @ 6,000 rpm 268 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Torque: 161 lb. ft. @ 4,000 rpm 248 lb. ft. @ 4,700 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic, 6-speed automatic (V-6)

Weights and Measures
Wheelbase: 109.3"
Length: 189.2”
Width: 71.7”
Height: 57.5”
Weight: 3,285-3,495 lb.

Interior
Head Room: 38.8” f/37.8” r Leg Room: 41.6” f/38.3” r
Cargo volume: 14.5-15.0 cubic feet

Chassis
Suspension: Independent front and rear
Brakes: Four wheel disc, standard ABS
Tire size: 215/60R-16 all season

Mileage
EPA estimated mpg’s, city/highway: 24/34 (I-4, manual) 24/33 (I-4, auto), 22/31 (V-6 auto)

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