Kyle Busch drove his Toyota Camry to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
race in Las Vegas. An engine change caused Busch to charge from the back
of the pack. Clint Bowyer came in second place and Jeff Burton finished in
third place.
The 2009 Toyota Camry is a great car from a solid company. The Camry
offers motoring reliability from a vehicle manufacturer that will be around
in the long run!
The Camry is a family sedan that has gone back-and-forth with the Honda
Accord as America’s best selling car. And the 2009 model continues its
winning ways! It is available as a 4-cylinder LE, a 6-cyliner SE, a 6-cylinder
XLE with navigation, and as a hybrid with navigation.
The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 158 hp and 161 lb. ft. of torque is
adequate in most driving situations. The 3.5-liter V6 engine delivers 268 hp
and 248 lb. ft. of torque. If you frequently drive up steep mountain inclines,
the V6 is your engine. The 4-cylinder engine is available with a 5-speed
manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission. The V6 is available with a
5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.
Gas mileage is rated at 31 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder and 28 mpg for the
V6 engine. The hybrid is capable of about 29 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on
the highway.
All the Camry models have fairly taunt but absorbent rides on rough road
surfaces. The car offers a very smooth and quiet highway ride. The steering
is accurate with the feel of quality, and the brakes provide smooth and ample
stopping power.
Inside the car has large easy to read gauges and logical ergonomics.
However, the climate control panel can become difficult to read in bright
sunlight. The navigation system is easy to program but it makes some
audio functions more complicated to use. The interior materials are of
good quality and their surfaces are soft to the touch.
The seats are nicely padded and are comfortable. Legroom front and back
is adequate for even six-footers. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes for
a comfortable steering position. Outward visibility is good except for the right
rear quarter. Entry and exit is easy, and the trunk offers 15 cubic feet of storage
(the hybrid offers 10.6 cubic feet of space). All but the SE and LXE models
have split-folding rear seats.
Outside the Camry offers more sporty styling than the company’s previous
offerings. The front and rear light treatment has some resemblance to
the upscale Lexus 350 sedan.
Pricing of the 2009 Camry starts at about $18,500. This is a couple
thousand dollars more than some of its competitors. However, good
gas mileage and a long track record of reliability will enable the driver
to recoup the money while driving one of the best engineered vehicles
for many years.
The 2009 Toyota Camry is a great car from a company that will be
around regardless of the economic environment – and that is worth
something!
Kyle Busch is the author of “Drive the Best for the Price…” He
welcomes your comments or car questions at his auto web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.
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