driving impressions: 2007 Camry 2.4

[Vinsanity]

3 letters, one word: OMG SLOW

Ok first, the good stuff: I like the interior. I like the look of the center stack, with it's cool blue back-glow, even if the materials could be better. There's a lot of room in the car. Probably rivals the Impala and Chrysler 300 as far as passenger room is concerned. That's because the car is kinda big. I parked it next to my dad's Mitsubishi Diamante, and it looks like a big red whale next to it. It doesn't feel that much heavier than the Mitsu or my TL, though. And it rides very nicely. But it's also really floaty. Probably rivals the Impala and Chrysler 300 as far as floaty ride characteristics are concerned.

Now, the bad: OMG this car is slow. Flooring the gas pedal from a dead stop does little more than feathering it. Except one time when I engine-braked the car (one of my rental car rituals) and was able to chirp the tires along a strip of paint on the road, this car shows no signs of haste. When you apply additional throttle input on the freeway, the car pretends that it didn't hear you. More gas, nothing...more gas, meh...more gas, ok downshift. Using cruise control actually exposes the engine's uber wussiness; it will have to downshift on slight uphill grades to maintain 70-75 mph. They say objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Not this Camry. This Camry doesn't like staying in motion. Otherwise, it's a fine highway car.

[TheIntrepid]

Ehh... I haven't noticed the lack of power on the highway, but then again, mine has a CVT so passing power is ALWAYS there.

Otherwise, yeah I agree on everything. The materials feel cool and I like the light-up of the center stack.

So do you like it?

[CALL_911]

Ehh... I haven't noticed the lack of power on the highway, but then again, mine has a CVT so passing power is ALWAYS there.

Otherwise, yeah I agree on everything. The materials feel cool and I like the light-up of the center stack.

So do you like it?

You said you hated the CVT.

[TheIntrepid]

You said you hated the CVT.

I hate the sound it makes, it's really weird. I'd rather have it in this car than a conventional auto for the reason that Vinsanity said.

[CALL_911]

I hate the sound it makes, it's really weird. I'd rather have it in this car than a conventional auto for the reason that Vinsanity said.

Ok. 

[Vinsanity]

Ehh... I haven't noticed the lack of power on the highway, but then again, mine has a CVT so passing power is ALWAYS there.

Otherwise, yeah I agree on everything. The materials feel cool and I like the light-up of the center stack.

So do you like it?

meh, I'm torn. On one hand, I do feel that the Camry has gotten an unfair brunt of bashing due to its boring premise of existence, but on the other hand, this car is frickin' slow! The optional V6 would make this a perfect family commuter, but since most people prefer the economy of a 4-cylinder for this type of car, it really needs at least another 20 horses from the 4-banger, and it needed it 300 lbs ago.

[thewizard16]

Interesting. I'm not a fan of base level Camries, especially the new ones. The Hybrids and XLEs have a bit nicer interiors, I think and the SE's feel less... dead, but still a big floaty family car and it acts as such. Too bad it's so slow, I hadn't read numbers on it and have only driven a newer one around town, so I don't know how well they accelerate. The 04 with the 2.4 isn't bad, but it feels slow. I didn't have the problems you described on the highway though, and I haven't had it downshift an abnormal amount for our terrain. (Roads are either going up or down at any given point in time. Level does not exist.)

[TheIntrepid]

meh, I'm torn. On one hand, I do feel that the Camry has gotten an unfair brunt of bashing due to its boring premise of existence, but on the other hand, this car is frickin' slow! The optional V6 would make this a perfect family commuter, but since most people prefer the economy of a 4-cylinder for this type of car, it really needs at least another 20 horses from the 4-banger, and it needed it 300 lbs ago.

Mine has 192hp. There's your 32hp difference (2.4 gas motors have 160, right?)

[Vinsanity]

Interesting. I'm not a fan of base level Camries, especially the new ones. The Hybrids and XLEs have a bit nicer interiors, I think and the SE's feel less... dead, but still a big floaty family car and it acts as such. Too bad it's so slow, I hadn't read numbers on it and have only driven a newer one around town, so I don't know how well they accelerate. The 04 with the 2.4 isn't bad, but it feels slow. I didn't have the problems you described on the highway though, and I haven't had it downshift an abnormal amount for our terrain. (Roads are either going up or down at any given point in time. Level does not exist.)

A while back, I drove a friend's 2005 Camry 2.4, and it felt expectedly slow. With this car, imagine that same engine lugging around what feels like 200-300 more lbs.

[cawimmer430]

So like I borrowed my mom's Camry. I opened the doors, got inside and boom - fell asleep. The next day I woke up. What a comfortable car! 

[FordSVT]

meh, I'm torn. On one hand, I do feel that the Camry has gotten an unfair brunt of bashing due to its boring premise of existence, but on the other hand, this car is frickin' slow! The optional V6 would make this a perfect family commuter, but since most people prefer the economy of a 4-cylinder for this type of car, it really needs at least another 20 horses from the 4-banger, and it needed it 300 lbs ago.

Can you still get a manual in a 4cyl Camry? A tiny bit less weight plus the few hp you'd gain back from drive train losses might help a little.

Oh well, the average 4 cylinder Camry buyer (56 yrs old) tends to buy a basic, no-frills car painted that boring-ass champaign colour and drive it 10 under the limit most of the time anyways, I doubt they'll care if it takes 10 seconds to hit 60 mph.

[ifcar]

Can you still get a manual in a 4cyl Camry?

There are 1,300 07 and 08 manual Camrys on Autotrader.

[TheIntrepid]

omg that wheel has no buttons on the right side. Poor LE/SE owners with no auto climate control.

[The Pirate]

omg that wheel has no buttons on the right side. Poor LE/SE owners with no auto climate control.

Auto climate control becoming mainstream is relatively recent.  People have been driving for a long time, and even now lots of cars don't have it.  Somehow, we survive.

[Raghavan]

omg that wheel has no buttons on the right side. Poor LE/SE owners with no auto climate control.

[CALL_911]

omg that wheel has no buttons on the right side. Poor LE/SE owners with no auto climate control.

[TheIntrepid]

I don't like the unscrewability of the leather shift knob either. It's not as nice as the Trep's to hold either.

[CALL_911]

I don't like the unscrewability of the leather shift knob either. It's not as nice as the Trep's to hold either.

But you pull it for like a second and you're done.

[TheIntrepid]

But you pull it for like a second and you're done.

Unless I drive in AutoStick. I've been using it a lot more with my new shift knob. It took me 20 minutes to explain to a car-n00b friend of mine today how manumatic works.

[CALL_911]

Unless I drive in AutoStick. I've been using it a lot more with my new shift knob. It took me 20 minutes to explain to a car-n00b friend of mine today how manumatic works.

If it took 20 minutes, you did a terrible job explaining it, or he is mentally retarded.

It's not exactly rocket science.

[TheIntrepid]

If it took 20 minutes, you did a terrible job explaining it, or he is mentally retarded.

It's not exactly rocket science.

He didn't know what a manual transmission was. He has just learned to drive and is driving his parents' 93 Grand Voyager LE around. He just doesn't care about cars, but was intrigued that you could drive an automatic this way.

[CALL_911]

He didn't know what a manual transmission was. He has just learned to drive and is driving his parents' 93 Grand Voyager LE around. He just doesn't care about cars, but was intrigued that you could drive an automatic this way.

[sparkplug]

Not enough power to carry a mother-in-law.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I HATE auto climate control.
And even my Escort can chirp the tires from a standing start. That Camry must be really lame!

[Minpin]

I HATE auto climate control.
And even my Escort can chirp the tires from a standing start. That Camry must be really lame!

I hate it to, it always takes forever to finally get to full blast and then it suddenly shuts off! It's in both my parents cars and I can't stand it.

[TheIntrepid]

I HATE auto climate control.
And even my Escort can chirp the tires from a standing start. That Camry must be really lame!

The Trep gets plenty of wheelspin because the ES didn't have traction control (SXT and R/T only), but even the damn HYBRID chirps the tires and then the VSC light flashes and it grips harder.

[Champ]

I love my ACC, all depends on the implementation I suppose.

It's especially brilliant in the winter time with knowing if the windows are frosted then defrosting them.

[Laconian]

The Trep gets plenty of wheelspin because the ES didn't have traction control (SXT and R/T only), but even the damn HYBRID chirps the tires and then the VSC light flashes and it grips harder.

That's electric motor torque for ya..

[TheIntrepid]

That's electric motor torque for ya..

Yup.

[Raghavan]

I hate it to, it always takes forever to finally get to full blast and then it suddenly shuts off! It's in both my parents cars and I can't stand it.

I have my own climate control... When i'm hot i open the windows, when i'm cold i close them.