FIRST IMPRESSION:

The 2000 Toyota Camry is out to take the mid-size car market segment again. But this time, there's some fierce competition. With Honda's new line of Accords, Nissan's throw of Maximas, Volkswagen's Passat, Ford's Taurus, Mazda's 626, and Mitsubishi's Galant. In the automotive industry, not only do you have to make the car reliable, you also have to design the exterior of the car to fit the tastes of the consumers. To do this, the design of the car can't be too abstract, yet it shouldn't be too bland, either. The 2000 Camry is somewhat bland, in my opinion. Last year's model was very, very plain. For the 2000 model year, they gave it a face-lift... it helped a little but not much. I actually like the design of the previous generation of Camrys because it had smooth corners and the design seemed to flow. The 2000 model just looks too plain (this is my sole opinion and others may think differently).


DATA & SPECS:

PERFORMANCE:
Acceleration (0-60 mph): 7.1 sec.
Braking Distance (60-0 mph): 129 ft.
Engine type: 3.0-liter, V6
Horsepower: 194 hp @ 5200 RPM
Torque: 209 ft-lbs. @ 4400 RPM
Fuel Capacity: 18.5 gal.

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS:
Length: 188.5 in.
Width: 70.1 in.
Height: 55.4 in.
Weight: 3175 lbs.
Wheelbase: 105.2 in.

INTERIOR DIMENSIONS:
Front Headroom: 38.6 in.
Rear Headroom: 37.6 in.
Front Leg Room: 43.5 in.
Rear Leg Room: 35.5 in.
Luggage Capacity: 14.1 cu. ft.

MSRP: $22,360


TEST DRIVE:

I went to a nearby Toyota dealership to test-drive the 2000 Camry. A truck had just brought a new shipment of various models and were unloading them in the back (tells you that they're selling like hotcakes). Meanwhile, there were a few people roaming around looking at the cars, but no sales person to assist me. "That's cool," I thought because I don't really like sales people flocking up to me like commission-hungry beasts butt-kissing from every angle so they can make a sale. Five minutes passed and I was getting bored of walking around the lot. Ten minutes passed, so I walked in their showroom and asked if I could talk to a sales person. I was paired up with one of their sales staff and he asked the usual questions. I told him I was here to test out their 4-runners, Camrys, and Tacomas. He plainly knew I wasn't there to buy, so he tried brushing me off every way he could. He actually let me test-drive the car by myself, which I thought was pretty cool. I got in the Camry of my choice. They carry the Camry in three basic models: CE (low end), LE (mid-trim level), and XLE (high-trim level). CE is their basic package that comes with the 4-cylinder engine, while the LE was their most popular line with the 4-cylinder or you can choose the optional V6 (highly recommended). The XLE comes standard with the V6 engine and a lot of other luxury options. I chose to test the LE with the V6 engine.


THE GOOD:

The car feels very solid beginning with the opening and closing of the doors. I Know that Toyota works hard to push out quality products and it shows in the Camry. I gave them a thumbs up for fit & finish. The driver's seat was very supportive but I don't think it would have been too comfortable for long road trips. The engine was quite responsive and picked up quite well. The ride was very quiet and the controls were within comfortable reach. The trunk has enough room to fit a couple of large suitcases and several medium-sized bags. The AM/FM cassette stereo with CD player is a nice package. There's also a center console for storing CDs, tapes, and other things.


THE BAD:

I mainly gave the Camry a 3.5-star rating due to a few things that I thought were very important. First, when you buy any type of car, you expect to receive quality service from the dealership AND the manufacturer. I have several relatives and friends who own brand new Toyotas that aren't getting the quality service they expected in a company that produces good cars. Most of them had a heck of a time trying to get the exact car they wanted, too. Secondly, the car lacks style. The design is so John Doe and bland. Thirdly, I'd like to mention that Toyota does not provide roadside assistance with a purchase of the Camry. I don't know if it's something they thought of or not, but it's just not there. No matter how dependable a car is, you always want the peace of mind knowing that you have 24-hour roadside assistance just in case.

There are a few things that didn't quite agree with my tastes on the Camry. The first is the plain design. Usually, I want the looks of my car to fit my personality. Driving a Camry makes me feel very boring and unsociable (this only impacted the rating by 0.5 stars). When corning and taking the Camry through windy roads at medium-high speeds (45 to 55 MPH), it has a sort of 'mushy' feel. It's not as responsive as my Passat, but it handles well enough. I didn't like how small the center arm rest was. It's not big enough to rest your arm on...maybe your elbow, but definitely not your arm. The stock AM/FM, cassette, CD stereo has a very cheap-looking face. The buttons are fairly big (makes it look like it's made for a 4-year old) so you can't miss 'em. Nothing to complain about really, just thought I'd let you know what I thought of it. The main concern about any Toyota you buy is how much the price can vary from the lowest trim level to the highest. They just option the heck out of you. The Camry CE costs about $16,700 while the Camry XLE without any added options costs about $27,300. Then I looked at the costs of the options...down-right OUTRAGEOUS!


STANDARD FEATURES on the CAMRY LE V6:

The LE model comes standard with these features:

- 3.0 liter 6-cylinder 24-valve engine (194HP)
- 5-speed manual transmission
- ABS (Only available on Camrys with V6 engine)
- Dual airbags
- 15" steel wheel with plastic covers
- AM/FM cassette stereo & CD player with 6 speakers
- Integrated grid antenna on windshield
- AC
- Rear heating ducts
- Rear defroster
- Power windows, locks, steering, brakes
- Auto-off halogen lights with daytime-on feature
- 60/40 split rear seats
- Adjustable head rests for front and rear passengers


OPTIONAL FEATURES:

I was amazed at what they charged for optional features. I understand that the manufacturers and dealers need to make a profit but this was ridiculous. Imagine this, they still charge an enormous amount of money for floor mats! Amazing. It was actually a standard feature on my Passat. The list of options seem to be endless. I guess this is good for people who want to 'piece' together their Camry, but I wouldn't mind if a list of options came standard instead.


FUEL ECONOMY:

The Camry with its 4-cylinder engine puts out about 133 horsepower, thus giving a fuel economy rating of 23/32 MPG for the 5-speed manual and 23/30 MPG for the automatic transmission. The V6 on the other hand, gets 21/28 MPG with the 5-speed manual and 20/28 with the automatic. The Camry has a 18.5 gallon fuel capacity, so you'll see yourself less at the gas station.


WARRANTY:

Toyota throws in their basic bumper-to-bumper 3-year/36,000 mile warranty. It also comes with a mediocre 5-year/60,000 mile drivetrain warranty and a not-so-promising 5-year/unlimited mile rust/corrosion warranty. Sadly, Toyota does not offer roadside assistance (I guess they really think their cars are reliable).


SUMMARY:

The Toyota Camry is a well-made car that you can count on and last for years. It may not be the car for people who are searching for something new and exciting, but it's definitely a car for families that are looking for a dependable sedan. Although there are many choices in this midsize category, the Toyota Camry has set a name for itself as a dependable car with few, if not any, problems throughout the years. There are many other cars in its class that I would recommend above the Camery for about the same price, though.

Don't be conned into paying full MSRP on it, though. The dealers may take you for a ride saying, "it's very rare to get so many in one truckload..." or "...they're in such high demand, we can't budge on the price..." Don't even believe them. If they don't carry them, you can always go elsewhere or you can even consider buying a different brand. Overall, Toyota's not ranked highly with their service. It's probably because their cars do the talking and they don't need to do much to sell them.

If you're willing to shell out the cash for the top-of-the-line Camry XLE V6 auto, I'd suggest you go to the nearest Lexus dealer and look at the ES300. Yes, you'll be paying about $2,500 more, but you'll get the famous Lexus service/performance guarantee (you just have to check this out for yourself, it's GREAT), a superior car (glorified Camry with a better modified engine and a much more eye-appealing exterior/interior), and a great warranty package that includes roadside assistance for 4 years/unlimited miles.