2023 Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry midsize sedan is a survivor. It keeps improving while retaining all the qualities for which it is renowned. The 2023 Toyota Camry starts at $25,945.

Throughout the years of changing fashions, the rise of SUVs, and the onslaught of tough competition like the Honda Accord, the 2023 Toyota Camry plows on undaunted.

Over eight generations (the current version debuted for the 2018 model year), Toyota kept improving the Camry while retaining all the qualities for which it is renowned. These attributes include reliability, spacious cabins, reliability, robust resale values, reliability, comfort, and even more reliability. It’s the midsize sedan that gives the people what they want, as long as they don’t want an SUV. Or anything too exciting.

The range of new Camry sedan models goes from affordable — yet still with plenty of safety features — to one developed by the TRD division (Toyota Racing Development) with a bespoke suspension setup and a 301-horsepower V6 as standard.

The 2023 Camry Hybrid has its own review.

Toyota charges $25,945 for a 2023 Camry LE. The range tops out at $36,370, for a 2023 Camry XSE V6. The destination fee is $1,025.

Some midsize sedans start at about $24K — like the Kia K5, Hyundai Sonata, and Subaru Legacy. The Nissan Altima is around $26K. And the Honda Accord could be closer to $27K.

Before buying a new Camry sedan, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. The Honda Accord tends to be the resale value king of this particular castle, but the Camry turns in a princely performance.

In its everyday form, the 2023 Camry sedan doesn’t ask much from the driver apart from the basic attentions and skills to accomplish safe and steady progress. The 203-horsepower 4-cylinder engine has adequate muscle (although it starts to sound coarse at high revs) and returns tolerable fuel economy.

Nor does it give much to the driver. Not in terms of involvement, amusement or information. It’s almost like there’s an implied agreement between the car and the people in it — you do your thing, and I’ll do mine.

However, the front seats are big enough to take all sorts of shapes and sizes, comfort levels are high, and outward vision is good. The main gripe is that the Camry can get a little noisy at freeway speeds.

A 301-horsepower V6 is available as an option in the XLE and XSE, and standard in the TRD. While all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional with the 4-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive (FWD) is the sole setup with the V6. This larger engine endows the Camry with a more satisfying driving experience — especially the TRD, with its firmer/lower suspension and stronger brakes.

Whatever the 2023 Camry midsize sedan might lack in design flair, it compensates with an intelligent layout that makes everything easy. Also, the quality of cabin materials becomes almost luxurious in the higher trims. For example, the XLE has wood trim, while the XSE replaces those with metal highlights.

Admittedly, the Honda Accord has the Camry beat for rear legroom: 40.4 inches compared with 38 inches. But that’s still plenty of space for adult passengers.

A similar situation exists with trunk volume. The Camry has 15.1 cubic feet, and the Accord has 16.7. However, 15.1 is still considerable, the trunk’s aperture is nice and wide, and there’s a low lift-over point. Most versions also have 60/40 split/folding rear seats to take the occasional extra-long item, but the TRD variant’s extra body bracing in the pursuit of maximum rigidity requires fixing the rear seats in place.

Now we come to the changes for the 2023 Camry sedan. The Nightshade Edition, based on the SE trim, is now available in Reservoir Blue in addition to black or white. Like reservoirs are sort of deep, but not especially so, that’s how to describe this kind of blue.

The other tweak is that Nightshade versions also gain 19-inch alloy wheels with a bronze finish.

The only Camry not to have a gray or black grille is the XLE, which goes for chrome. The TRD model has mainly black exterior elements, including a fixed rear wing. The XSE and TRD also offer the option of a metallic black roof to contrast with the body color.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
Naturally, the 9-inch touchscreen in some upper trims is preferable, but the graphics are nice and sharp regardless of display size. This is also a really user-friendly and intuitive system with hardly any learning curve.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
The availability of all-wheel drive is rare for the midsize sedan class. It’s paired exclusively with the 4-cylinder engine, bringing extra reassurance in slippery conditions. It does mean a slightly smaller gas tank, though: 14.4 gallons as opposed to the front-drive models’ 15.8.

LE trim starts off the 2023 Camry sedan range with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lighting, heated side mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a rear-seat reminder function.

The infotainment system has a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Amazon Alexa compatibility, satellite radio, Bluetooth, two USB ports, and six speakers.

There’s a reassuringly generous amount of driver aids in the 2023 Camry, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, intersection assistance, automatic high beams, lane tracing assistance, and road sign recognition.

Versions with the 4-cylinder engine are eligible for all-wheel drive. Strangely, the next-up SE trim has single-zone automatic climate control. That applies to the Nightshade Edition as well, since it’s based on the SE. Other changes include simulated leather seating surfaces and a steering wheel wrapped in the real stuff.

XLE raises the luxury aspect by reinstating dual-zone climate control and adding keyless entry/ignition, wireless charging, leather seating surfaces, 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated front seats, full-speed adaptive cruise control, self-dimming rearview mirror, ambient cabin lighting, 9-inch touchscreen, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

Apart from 19-inch alloy wheels, 3 more horsepower for 4-cylinder models, and a sport-tuned suspension, the XSE doesn’t really add much. Both the XLE and XSE come with a panoramic moonroof, head-up display, Wi-Fi, and a 9-speaker JBL sound system when there’s a V6 in the engine bay.

The TRD model comes exclusively with the V6 and — goodness knows why — single-zone climate control again. It also reverts to simulated leather, but this time with red stitching. The front passenger goes back to having a manually adjustable seat. The rearview mirror loses its self-dimming ability. And the infotainment system shrinks to a 7-incher.

Other options across various versions include heated/ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera system, a heated steering wheel, navigation, and JBL audio setups. Blind-spot monitoring is available in the lower trims.

Most buyers of a 2023 Camry will probably get a version with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) variants in LE, SE, and XLE trims enjoy 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque.

When all-wheel drive (AWD) is in the picture, output dips slightly to 202 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque.

Just to muddy the waters a little more, when this engine is in the Camry XSE, it generates either 206 horsepower/186 lb-ft (FWD) or 205 horsepower/185 lb-ft (AWD).

The XLE and XSE are also eligible for a 3.5-liter V6, the standard engine in the TRD model. This powerplant develops 301 horsepower and 267 lb-ft, going just to the front wheels.

All Camry models use an 8-speed automatic transmission. And regular gasoline works fine with each engine.

2.5-liter inline-4
202-206 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
182-186 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400/5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/39 mpg (FWD), 27/38 (FWD: XLE & XSE), 25/34 mpg (AWD)

3.5-liter V6
301 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
267 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/33 mpg (XLE), 22/32 mpg (XSE), 22/31 mpg (TRD)

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