2009 Toyota Camry Bottom Line

By  Bengt Halvorson, Editor

TheCarConnection.com read reviews from a number of different outlets and picked some of the best information to bring you in this comprehensive review on the 2009 Toyota Camry. To help pick out the Toyota Camry’s high and low points, TheCarConnection.com’s editors have also driven and reviewed the 2009 Toyota Camry firsthand.

The Toyota Camry mid-size, front-wheel-drive sedan carries over to 2009 with no significant changes. A 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 is available on the 2009 Toyota Camry, but the standard engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 158 horsepower. The V-6 comes with a six-speed automatic transmission; the four can be ordered with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.

The 2009 Toyota Camry comes in several different models, ranging from the very affordable CE up to the sporty SE and luxurious XLE. Stiffer suspension settings and some other performance improvements come with the SE grade, and because of an additional rear brace the back seat doesn’t fold down in the SE as it does in the other models. Even in the SE, the ride is comfortable and well controlled; the ride is downright soft with base four-cylinder models—don’t expect sporty handling. The 2009 Toyota Camry has a very roomy interior, with plenty of legroom in back for most adults and enough space for five.

The interior of the 2009 Toyota Camry has an understated but upscale design that looks good at first glance and its controls are intuitive, but up close the some of the materials seam a little cheap—especially at the top of the range, considering that prices can exceed $35,000 for a loaded XLE V-6—and several of the test cars TheCarConnection.com’s editors have seen have demonstrated build quality issues. All trim levels come with air conditioning, a power driver’s seat, power windows and door locks, and a CD stereo. A 440-watt JBL audio system (with Bluetooth technology) is available, as is a DVD-based navigation system, making the Camry—at least in features—feel like a luxury car when so equipped.

A knee airbag for the driver as well as full-length curtain and front seat side-impact airbags are standard on the 2009 Toyota Camry, for seven airbags in total. Traction control is standard but stability control remains optional, even on pricier, more powerful V-6 models. That aside, the 2009 Toyota Camry does quite well in safety, including five-star results in the federal government’s crash tests and ‘Good’ results from the insurance industry tests, except for a ‘Marginal’ result in the rear-impact test.

Except in sporty SE trim, the 2009 Toyota Camry has perhaps the softest, most comfort-oriented ride among mid-size sedans. The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, however, also emphasizes ride quality and comfort, and has more distinctive styling, equivalent performance, and more impressive materials and quality. The Malibu also includes electronic stability control on all of its models except the base LT. The Honda Accord has—compared to the Camry—a stunning interior, especially in the more expensive V-6 models. The Altima have a sportier driving feel but are a little smaller inside, while the Passat is a good alternative to the Camry—especially with the base 2.0T four-cylinder engine; but beware of the Passat’s spotty reliability. The Hyundai Sonata has more power, improved ride and handling, and a refreshed interior for 2009, making it a much more formidable alternative.