Just spent 2 weeks in a rented Camry and thought I would post my observations.

It was a 4 door SE 4cyl auto. Remember the SE adds the body effects kit and bigger 17" wheels and Toyo tires.

Ride/Handling: -
Ride was comparable to the Accord, maybe a bit softer, remember it was the SE tho not the standard suspension. Poor to fair on the handling. Big turning circle and not nearly as sharp as the Accord.

Size/interior room: +
Seemed bigger inside than my Accord and I liked that. My kids are not getting any smaller and I like the feeling of having a little more car for my money.

Engine/Transmission: -
Toyota may be reliable but their engines suck. Noisy and rough and not much power and no fun to listen to like a Honda.
Transmission sucked too! Never seemed to be in the right gear when you needed it, and sometimes hunted up and down when the cruise was on at 70MPH. It was very reluctant to go back down and grab 1st gear if you were already moving. Was going up a parking gargage, it was in 2nd and didn't catch first, started bogging out!

Seats/Interior: -
Horrid front seats! Could never get comfortable!
Dash layout was pretty good except for the annoying clock and Air Bag light up near the windshield. Gauge and radio lights were a little too blue/cheesy.

Audio system: -
WAY Overdone! wound up leaving the Bass control at 0 and the Treble at just +1 or 2. Push the Bass and it just boomed...not tight or good, just boomed. Highs would just turn up the hiss and start splattering.
Had the feature that turned up the volume once you were moving and lower it when you stopped. Hated that...it turned up too much and then down to far and with no particular set of parameters or account of the noise in the motion of the car.

Minor annoyance, the passenger wiper blade sits up to the right hand side of the windshield. Always looked like it wasn't down all the way. Almost like they added the wipers after the design was done.

Overall impression,
Give me a Honda engine, transmission, audio system, interior/seats
but give me the bigger rubber of the Camry SE and the bigger size/interior.
We'll see what the Gen 8 brings us!
I was missing my Honda a LOT on the trip!

Keep in mind this was a rental, so I'm sure there's been quite a bit of abuse to it by renters which might explain the "poor to fair" handling and the "noisy and rough" engine.

I'll agree with you on the slightly softer ride vs. an Accord, the roomier interior, and the poor audio system though.

As a prior Camry owner who's driven and riden in quite a few different generation Camry's, I've found their handling to be slightly less agile than the Accords but I wouldn't call it "poor to fair" IMO.

As for their engines, I'll agree with you that they aren't as strong (fast) as an Accords, but no way are they "rough" or "noisy." I love the Camry's engine for it's smoothness. It's a very refined engine. Thus probably why you say it's "no fun to listen to." I'll also agree with you that their engines never seem to be in the correct (lower) gear. It was like that with my old Camry. Climbing up hills (while driving to Las Vegas in particular), the engine would always shift back and forth, back and forth between 3rd and 4th gear. Hated that.

Never found the seats in the Camry to be uncomfortable. They feel about the same to me as the Accord's.

What year was the Camry you rented?

Keep in mind this was a rental, so I'm sure there's been quite a bit of abuse to it by renters which might explain the "poor to fair" handling and the "noisy and rough" engine.


not this again:paranoid::lmao::lmao:

I had a Camry SE for a week in Atlanta last month. The thing that really stuck out between my Accord and the Camry SE was how much better my car handled. Granted I have an upgrade rear anti-sway bar and more aggressive tires than a stock Accord, butI was expecting to be wow'd by the Camry SE. A friends Accord SE felt much more sure on the road, too. A "stock" Accord handles just as well as the "sport" Camry. :paranoid:

Otherwise, it wasn't bad. It was quieter. The ride was smoother. Interior materials were good. I like the Accords dash layout better. The buttons are bigger and easier to see/use. Not that I'm getting cataracts by any means but the Accord's interior just has better ergonomics.

i haven't been in the new gen of camry's yet, but i had the pleasure of a 5 week run in the last gen... i agree with most of the observations, so i'm guessing if it was a new gen one, that the general things haven't really changed much. ;)

i hated the handling. it was no fun to drive at all and felt all loosey goosey if you tried to push it in turns. i felt like i was sitting up way too high for a car! i hated the interior ergonomics. i couldnt' reach all of the controls for the cd player and all without significant leaning! :paranoid:

in general it wasn't the "right" car for me. however, it is definitely a good fit for others. those who want the japanese buick. :lmao:

i remember when i was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, i got to drive my uncle's 96 camry le. i have to say that the car had no road feel whatsoever. everytime you hit a bump, the car would sway up and down. the steering felt very numb and loose. this car did not connect the driver to the road, but instead left me wishing i was driving my aunt's infiniti i30 at the time that evening.

at least that car had a good feel to it and wasnt bouncy like that camry. i havent been in the new ones but from what im reading here, doesnt sound like the ride has changed much at all.

It was a 2007 with 8700 miles.

I agree with your observations. My girlfriend has the LE Camry and I have the LX Accord, so I compare when I drive/ride in them. The Camry drives very smooth, but at the same time I don't like it. I feel like the car is doing too much and I don't get the sense that I'm actually driving.

I also feel like the only reason why there is more leg room is because the seats set up higher. I know the roof is much taller on the Camry because it is harder for me to reach up there when I wash it. I feel like I'm driving a van when I come from my Accord (especially since I like my seat so low). When I am parked next to my girlfriend in my Accord I can see that she sits up much higher.

All of this means less handling for the Camry compared to the Accord. It is a great car if you prefer comfort and an easy drive over fun and performance that you will get from Honda. That car is just too vanilla for me, though.

i remember when i was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, i got to drive my uncle's 96 camry le. i have to say that the car had no road feel whatsoever. everytime you hit a bump, the car would sway up and down. the steering felt very numb and loose.

My buddy has the same year camry, drove it home form Atlantic City one night, man did this thing float and wander all over the place, just as you said, steering is numb and loose on center.

I test drove the v6 camry se auto before I bought my accord, not as bad but similar steering feel, wasn't impressed. I also hated the center console, it lights up light blue, pretty tacky, looks like glass waffle blocks with neon inside:thumbsdow

I do like the Camry SE's more aggressive exterior and wish Honda was not so conservative with theirs but in terms of the important things like handling and overall driving pleasure, the accord wins imo hands down.
Oh and one more thing that turned me off about the new camry, you can't turn off traction control.