10 Things You Need To Know About The 2012 Toyota Camry

Toyota has introduced the all-new 2012 Toyota Camry - the best-selling mid-size sedan in the United States. The Camry is one of the most important products in the entire Toyota portfolio, which means that any changes that are made to the vehicle are carefully evaluated so as not to upset the successful formula that has helped the sedan stay relevant for so many decades. The 2012 Toyota Camry is poised to maintain its dominance of the family car segment, and the revised sedan continues to offer new vehicle shoppers a balance of comfort, fuel economy, power and value.

Let’s take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2012 Toyota Camry.

01. The 2012 Toyota Camry Has Been Re-Styled

The 2012 Toyota Camry sports a different – but not dramatically different – look when compared to the car's 2011 model year. Toyota has been careful to maintain the Camry’s visual identity while still updating the sedan’s conservative appearance. The 2012 Toyota Camry benefits from a lower stance that gives it a wider feel than the departed model, and the car also features bolder lines that are especially evident on the SE trim level. The Camry SE, which is intended to invoke a performance image, offers front, rear and side skirts as well as an integrated trunk lid spoiler.

02. The 2012 Toyota Camry Offers An All-New Interior

The 2012 Toyota Camry is now larger and more comfortable for a wider range of vehicle occupants. Rear leg room and knee room have been increased, and almost every aspect of the sedan’s interior design has been tweaked in order to enhance the feeling of spaciousness without actually plus-sizing the Camry’s exterior dimensions. The 2012 Toyota Camry’s seats can be had in both cloth and leather upholstery, and the driver’s position is now more adjustable than in year’s past. Comfort and convenience features have also been accentuated in the new Camry, with a host of storage compartments, power points and soft surfaces located throughout the cabin so as to maximize their effectiveness.

03. The 2012 Toyota Camry’s Redesigned Platform Offers Better Driving Dynamics

The 2012 Toyota Camry’s chassis has been engineered to be stiffer, stronger and lighter than that found on the previous generation of the sedan. The new Camry’s platform also offers a new rear suspension design that works together with the vehicle’s refined front suspension system in order to offer much better comfort over rough pavement as well as improved handling. The 2012 Toyota Camry even provides what could be described as a spirited driving experience in the form of the SE edition of the car. This model features a number of tweaks and changes to its suspension system, including more aggressive spring rates, 18-inch wheels and the addition of performance-oriented shock absorbers.

04. The 2012 Toyota Camry Comes With Two Gasoline Power Plants

The 2012 Toyota Camry starts out with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine under the hood. This unit is good for 178 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque - figures that represent an improvement of nine ponies and three lb-ft of twist. Those interested in having more grunt underneath their right foot can opt for a 3.5-liter V-6, which maintains the 268 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque that it offered for the 2011 model. Despite its similar output, the V-6 benefits from a number of small changes – including an automatic transmission fluid warmer – aimed at increasing its overall efficiency. Both power plants are matched with a six-speed automatic transmission with last year’s manual gearbox no longer found on the Camry’s option sheet.

05. The 2012 Toyota Camry Checks In With Improved Fuel Economy

The most dramatic changes to the 2012 Toyota Camry’s mechanical specs can be found with respect to its entry-level four-cylinder engine. This engine now offers an EPA fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 35 miles per gallon on the highway, which is an improvement of three miles per gallon for each respective measure when compared against the auto-equipped 2011 four-cylinder Camry.

The 2012 Toyota Camry V-6 also enjoys a bump in fuel efficiency, moving from last year’s rating of 19 miles per gallon around town and 28 miles per gallon on the highway up to 21 miles per gallon in stop and go driving and 30 miles per gallon during highway cruising. Toyota claims that this makes the Camry the most frugal V-6 powered mid-size sedan in its class.

06. The 2012 Toyota Camry Offers A Hybrid Edition

The 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is also the recipient of significant attention from Toyota’s engineering team. The 2012 Camry Hybrid’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system has been upgraded to offer 200 horsepower – 13 more than in 2011 – thanks to the decision to bump the displacement of the vehicle’s four-cylinder gasoline engine to 2.5-liters. The Camry Hybrid still makes use of an electric motor and an advanced transmission in order to post outstanding fuel economy figures. The 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid offers 43 miles per gallon in city driving and 39 miles per gallon on the highway, which Toyota is advertising as a 30 percent improvement in stop and go driving efficiency.

07. The 2012 Toyota Camry Provides Top Level Safety Features

The 2012 Toyota Camry is exceptionally gifted when it comes to both active and passive safety systems. The Camry comes with 10 airbags installed at key locations throughout the passenger compartment, and it also offers stability control, traction control, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution and the Smart Stop feature, which automatically cuts out the sedan’s engine should the brake and the accelerator be activated simultaneously. The Camry can be equipped with the optional Safety Connect telematics system, which provides a link between the vehicle’s occupants and a live operator who can provide assistance in the event of an emergency, as well as an available blind sport monitoring system.

08. The 2012 Toyota Camry Features High Tech Connectivity and Multimedia Equipment

The 2012 Toyota Camry keeps pace with the rapid rate of technological progress and sophistication in the communications and entertainment segment thanks to a healthy amount of connectivity and multimedia investment in the vehicle’s electronic systems. The 2012 Camry features standard Bluetooth connectivity, as well as an iPod interface and a USB port that can relay both video and audio feeds to the vehicle’s stereo system as well as its optional LCD display screen. HD and satellite radio are also available, as is a navigation system.

Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system will also join the list of Camry options for 2012, offering full integration with mobile phone apps and the ability to take advantage of the wireless Internet connectivity offered by smart devices. Entune can read incoming text messages aloud and also provides full voice control for drivers concerned about keeping their attention on the road, and not their gadgets.

09. The 2012 Toyota Camry Comes In Four Different Trim Levels

The 2012 Toyota Camry starts out in L trim, which when spec’d with the base four-cylinder engine features an MSRP of $21,955. The Camry L comes with power windows and door locks, cruise control, a CD player and air conditioning as its highlights. Moving up to the four-cylinder Camry LE adds a touch screen vehicle interface, keyless entry and nicer exterior trim for an MSRP of $22,500. The sporty Camry SE retails for $23,000 with the vehicle’s four-cylinder engine under the hood and $26,640 if the optional V-6 is selected.

The 2012 Toyota Camry XLE represents the most plush version of the sedan, and its list of equipment includes 17-inch wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual automatic climate control. The four-cylinder XLE can be had for an MSRP of $24,725, while the XLE V6 edition (which also includes heated leather seats and a backup camera) will set buyers back $29,845. The 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid can be had in both LE (MSRP $25,900) and XLE (MSRP $27,400) trims.

10. The 2012 Toyota Camry Will Pace the 2012 Daytona 500

The 2012 Toyota Camry will join its race-bred NASCAR sibling on the track this coming February as the mid-size sedan has been selected as the official pace car of the 2012 Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is the sport’s premier race, one which receives more attention than any other on the schedule. Toyota has a strong history of participation in NASCAR, having won 36 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as three straight manufacturer’s championships in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The 2012 Toyota Camry pace car will be painted in special Daytona 500 livery and show off its new design to an audience of millions tuning in to watch the race from around the world.