Toyota 2012: Camry gets a makeover along with Yaris

BY AL VINIKOUR For Sun-Times Media February 11, 2012 4:29PM

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2012 Toyota Camry Lineup

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Updated: February 11, 2012 4:30PM



The biggest news for the 2012 Toyota vehicle line is the all-new Camry. The 2012 Camry is the seventh generation of America’s best-selling car for the past nine years running and 13 of the past 14 years.

It again offers three powertrain choices – all of which have been enhanced for 2012 to offer better horsepower while at the same time offering more fuel efficiency. There’s the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder, the powerful 3.5-liter 268-horsepower V-6 and finally the Camry Hybrid 2.5-liter four-cylinder that gets an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 43 mpg city/39 mpg highway/41 mpg combined mileage figure.

New for the 2012 Camry Hybrid is an EV drive mode that allows the driver to operate the car on the electric motor alone for up to 1.6 miles at lower speeds — less than approximately 25 mph.

The 2012 Camry will offer six different model grades: the entry-level L, value-driven LE, premium XLE and sporty SE, along with the LE and XLE Hybrid.

The Camry features a more spacious interior than before, a new dashboard design, modified seat locations and enhanced outward visibility.

Pricing for the all-new 2012 is another pleasant surprise. Although the base L has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $21,955, representing an increase of $710 (and a lot more content), every other model in the Camry line has either remained exactly the same — or had a cost decrease ranging up to $2,000.

The other Toyota product news for the 2012 model year is the all-new Yaris liftback. This new addition to the subcompact category will appeal to young, price-conscious shoppers who want a vehicle with a strong list of standard convenience and safety while having room for their friends and gear.

It will be offered in three grades: the entry-level L, value-packaged LE (both offered as a three-door liftback or five-door liftback) or sport-tuned SE (available only as a five-door).

The new Yaris’1.5-liter 16-valve four-cylinder DOHC engine produces an adequate 106 horsepower. It’s bolted to either a new four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission or a smooth-shifting five-speed manual (the manual is only available on L and SE). It’s a fun-to-drive runaround and should prove ideal for the demographic for which it was designed.

Base prices will range from $14,115 for the L three-door liftback (with manual transmission) to $17,200 for the SE five-door with an automatic.

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