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we found the design to be a little too safe. Why can't a Camry look as swoopy as a Mazda6?
the cabin's styling looks as though it was created by a human -- a stylist, even -- able to convince the bean counters to splurge a little
Catch the 2012 Toyota Camry from the corner of your eye and chances are good you'll have a hard time telling it from its predecessor.
less-than-revolutionary suit of new clothes
a vaguely Corolla-esque look, especially in the side surfacing
STYLING | 6 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
we found the design to be a little too safe. Why can't a Camry look as swoopy as a Mazda6?
Popular Mechanics
the cabin's styling looks as though it was created by a human -- a stylist, even -- able to convince the bean counters to splurge a little
Automobile Magazine
Catch the 2012 Toyota Camry from the corner of your eye and chances are good you'll have a hard time telling it from its predecessor.
Autoblog
less-than-revolutionary suit of new clothes
Edmunds' Inside Line
a vaguely Corolla-esque look, especially in the side surfacing
Motor Trend
And to confirm the new Camry's evolutionary direction, Toyota calls the design theme "Rational Tech-Dynamism," which "aims for a rational and advanced style with sporty exterior and a modern, luxurious interior."
Essentially, the result is a Camry that from most angles looks a little boxier and more angular, and reminds us a bit more of the 1996-2001-era Camry. Toyota claims that the sharpness of the Camry's corners—they call it 'aero corners'—helps improve aerodynamics. And in back, it helps increase trunk space.
There are a few key appearance differences within the Camry lineup, too. For instance, sporty SE models get a split, winged air dam that we saw at times as Subaru-influenced; but XLE and hybrid trims come with a more wide-open (but louvered) air dam (with XLEs getting a little extra chrome in the upper grille). Toyota also placed more consideration on the lower area's design to aid pedestrian safety, improve aerodynamics, and yield better cooling.
Thankfully, Toyota has replaced the former interior that we saw as a 'Corolla-plus' layout with one that looks part influenced by Lexus sedans, accented with some of the dash details from Toyota's newest SUVs, like the new 4Runner. Like most new models, the Camry gets a multi-layered dash appearance; Toyota says that the layered, stitched-leather look of the instrument panel was modeled after saddles, while the center gauge cluster and audio and climate controls were inspired by media players like the iPod. And we like the chunky, multi-function controllers on either side of the steering wheel, positioned right where your thumbs can be.
While some might think the styling a snooze, we ended up really liking it for two main reasons: Firstly, it goes against the grain with respect to more organic designs like the Hyundai Sonata and the (albeit more conservative) Volkswagen Passat. And secondly it doesn't sacrifice function for form, especially with respect to rear headroom.
Conclusion
The 2012 Toyota Camry looks crisper, neater, and a little more upscale than the previous version, but it's as ubiquitous as ever.
