2022 Toyota Camry Expert Review
Reviewed by Kelly Lin
An automotive staple for nearly four decades, the Toyota Camry hardly needs an introduction. This bread-and-butter family sedan is still selling in droves despite a shift in consumer preferences toward crossovers. After receiving a mild face-lift for the 2021 model year, the Camry soldiers on mostly unchanged for 2022.
What's New
- New Camry SE Nightshade Edition
- New two-tone Cavalry Blue with Black roof available on the Camry TRD
- Ice Edge now available on the Camry LE, SE, and XSE; Galactic Aqua no longer offered
- Dual-zone automatic climate control now standard (except on TRD)
What We Think
It's not the most exciting midsize sedan available, but some buyers will be OK with that. The Camry serves a purpose: deliver reliable and practical transportation for families. Some variants serve this purpose better than others, though. Despite its sporty intentions, the TRD variant provides underwhelming performance, a harsh ride, and a lack of amenities, undermining the Camry's ultimate goal of being an everyday drivable sedan.
However, the XSE Hybrid delivers the goods. Its smooth, quiet powertrain, solid ride, interior goodies, and excellent fuel economy make it one of the better models in Toyota's lineup.
Strong crash scores, abundant safety features, and traditionally good IntelliChoice value ratings add to the Camry's appeal. But don't get it confused; the Camry is not a segment leader. Performance and handling can't compare to rivals like the Honda Accord. The Accord is more comfortable and spacious, too.
Performance and Fuel Economy
The base engine remains a 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 202-206 hp and 182-186 lb-ft of torque depending on the trim. A choice of FWD and AWD are available. Maximum fuel economy for models with this engine comes in at 28/39 mpg city/highway.
For more power, the trusty 3.5-liter V-6 makes 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. These models come exclusively with FWD. Fuel economy maxes out at 22/33 mpg.
Buyers who want the best fuel economy should choose the 208-hp Camry Hybrid. This model tops out at 51/53 mpg (or 44/47 above the LE trim).
Safety Ratings and Features
The latest Camry is a strong performer in IIHS safety testing, earning a 2022 Top Safety Pick+. Toyota's midsize sedan also receives a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.
Standard safety features are impressive on the Camry. Toyota includes its Toyota Safety Sense collection as standard, including pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high-beams, road sign assist, and adaptive cruise control. Lane tracing assist is also standard, which uses the lines on the road to keep the vehicle centered in its lane. For details on what's included at each trim level, check our trim guide.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
The Camry has a pretty spacious interior, but segment leaders offer more. Compared to the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata, the Camry is mid-pack for rear legroom but provides the least cargo space of the three.
Technology
Lower-trim Camrys work with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment setup that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. A six-speaker audio system is standard. The Camry XLE, XSE, and TRD all include a 9.0-inch infotainment setup that was new for 2021, and that system offers integrated navigation as an option. For folks who want a little something more than what the base audio offers, a JBL nine-speaker system is standard on the XLE V-6 and the XSE V-6, or optional on the Camry TRD.
