- station wagon 196,497
- Porter, TX
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- autoshopper.com
- station wagon 196,497 gasoline manual
1997 toyota camry review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Polishing the gold standard. introductionamong ordinary cars, sales leap after a redesign and then gradually decline as the new becomes familiar and other, more exciting models catch the public's eye. not so the camry. Last year--the final year for a five-year-old design--toyota sold more camrys than ever before. Thanks to its status as the benchmark among family sedans, the camry manages to sustain ever-increasing sales, even with a comparatively steep pricetag. the camry's virtues have included bulletproof reliability, excellent fit and finish, and a comfortable, quiet interior. Its performance has never stirred the soul, but it has been predictable and precise. In redesigning the car, toyota had no interest in tinkering with the formula. Its goal was to enhance the car's features without changing its fundamental nature. in this, the company has succeeded. The low-volume coupe and wagon models have been dropped. The trim levels have also been tweaked. The base model is now called the ce instead of the dx; the mid-level le, which makes up 60% of sales, and top-of-the-line xle remain the same. the new camry is less than an inch longer than before, but it looks bigger and more substantial, thanks to smart design. The car's lines are more angular, and angularity generally lends a larger appearance. Toyota also stretched the wheelbase two inches and chopped the front and rear overhang. This puts the wheels closer to the corners, which gives the car a sportier stance and a fuller look overall. the car's aerodynamics have been improved significantly (from a coefficient of drag of 0. 33 to 0. 30), thanks to a sharply swept-back windshield and a squared-off tail with wraparound lights. The aerodynamic new tail design does double-duty by also changing the trunk opening, which is an inch and a half wider and has a lower liftover, making loading easier. The simple gooseneck trunk hinges are unchanged, however, and still intrude into the cargo area. the interior of the trunk is slightly wider (it can hold golf clubs crosswise) and fully lined for a nicer appearance and less noise. The rear seats can be folded forward (in a 60/40 split) to increase cargo capacity even further. to jazz things up even more, toyota has added five new exterior colors, some of them positively exotic, such as sunfire red metallic, blue velvet pearl, and frosted iris metallic. interiorthe interior of the new camry was designed at the toyota technical center in the u. And it displays a welcome americanization. Plus the seat and seatback can be adjusted to more positions, fitting a wider range of people. the camry le we tested had a clean, simple dashboard with a low cowl for good visibility. The white-on-black gauges of the instrument panel are larger and brighter this year. A low washer fluid light and odometer with dual trip-meter have been added. The most helpful change has been to invert the audio and temperature controls, with the more frequently used audio controls on top. several thoughtful amenities have been added. A second power outlet is located at the bottom on the front console, next to the new built-in tissue dispenser. The sun visors have extension panels. The front cupholders now hold 20-ounce bottles, and new rear cupholders can take either juice boxes or cans. There are numerous new storage cubbies, and the glovebox is almost 30% larger. interior dimensions are slightly larger, particularly in rear legroom, thanks to the longer wheelbase. The amount of sound-deadening material has been increased, making an already-quiet interior luxuriously quiet. Body structure has been strengthened thoughout, as have been the rear seatbacks to resist intrusion from objects in the trunk. The lap belt in the rear center seat has been replaced with a safer, three-point belt. The 2. 2's acceleration is acceptable, and once up to speed, it rolls along nicely. It has to downshift more frequently, and passing on two-lane roads requires more planning than with a larger engine. It passes with ease, and accelerates briskly away from stoplights. Horsepower is improved here, too, from 188 to 194. However, the uprated v6 now requires premium fuel for optimum performance. an intriguing new combo this year is a ce fitted with a v6 and a manual transmission, to satisfy sporty tastes (base price $19,668). It's the fastest of them all with a 0-to-60 time of 7. 6 seconds. Steering is more precise this year, giving greater maneuverability. Though the car is no sports sedan, it is smooth and competent, giving the driver a confident sense of control. summarythe camry redesign had a secondary goal of wringing cost out wherever possible. Many changes are even improvements. The new bumpers, for example, are cheaper to build and install yet protect up to 5 mph instead of 2. 5 mph, as before. however, it's not easy to see the savings on the camry's window sticker. The company says new camrys are 3% to 4% cheaper than comparably equipped 1996 models. That may be technically true, but it is largely because antilock brakes are now mostly standard instead of mostly optional at a relatively high $1100. nevertheless, the new camry is just what toyota set out to achieve: more of everything but still a camry. It is more refined, better handling, roomier and better equipped. Anti-lock Brakes✔ Power Windows✔ Air Conditioning
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