Got a RM 200k budget and don’t need an SUV? The Toyota Camry should be your first pick

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The great aspect about SUVs, more than the elevated driving position and sense of safety, is the peace of mind during uncertainties.

Let’s say you’re heading out of town on a short getaway via unfamiliar roads. The roads may have been badly deteriorated or perhaps the place of interest is only accessible by going off trail. In an SUV, you’d be confident that it can tackle the path with ease.

But here’s the thing, more often than not, a regular sedan can do it as well. Take it from this writer who has driven his hatchback riding on lowered aftermarket suspension briefly off road through the woods of Jerantut in Pahang. It’s just that there’s an element of anxiety involved.

An SUV is like a 200m water resistant watch, you won’t take it diving but it’s comforting to know that it can handle more than a splash. So the question you have to ask yourself is, do you really need an SUV with its added ground clearance and off-road capability that you may never utilise?

Like for like, an SUV is more expensive than an equivalent-sized sedan. Having a budget of around RM 200k for a brand-new car does reflect the relatively successful position in your life, but good value proposition appeals to everyone. Money is money, why spend more when you don’t have to? A sedan then, is still very much relevant.

That brings us onto the Toyota Camry, currently priced at RM 219,800. Before you say “top up a bit more” to get a BMW 3 Series or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the starting prices for both are now above RM 280k, so ‘a bit’ doesn’t quite cut it anymore.

Also, going for the compact executive sedans instead of the Camry means you’d be sacrificing space, comfort, and advanced safety features like adaptive cruise control (ACC).

And it’s not like you’re getting more power in return, the Camry with its 2.5-litre naturally aspirated Dynamic Force engine makes 209 PS, while the typical entry variant of a compact exec makes circa 180 PS.

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The engine feels keen to get going and will happily rev to its redline, which adds a sense of engagement. The 8-speed automatic transmission may not be the fastest of its kind, but it operates smoothly and is hardly noticeable during daily driving.

Its shift mapping is intuitive and has proven reliable in all circumstances. Should the mood take you, you can use the paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel and switch to a more aggressive mode via the Drive Mode selector.

The Camry is also ahead of the compact execs when it comes to advanced safety. The Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5+ suite of ADAS features:

  • Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with stop-and-go function
  • Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
  • Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), which reduces fatigue on long distance drives on straight roads by keeping the vehicle on the centre of the lane.
  • Pre-Collision System (PCS) Detection or AEB, which detect bicycles (daytime only) as well as pedestrians (day and night).
  • Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) with automatic braking function to avoid a collision with another vehicle while reversing out of a parking spot.

You’re also not losing out on premium features. The Camry gets power reclining rear seats that is operated the control panel on the centre armrest. This is a Lexus-level feature. With this, it allows the rear seats to recline by up to 8 degrees, creating a noticeable difference in comfort.

It feels akin to an upgrade to business class, which is precisely the luxurious experience that a Camry should provide. The air-conditioning is tri-zone that allows individual temperature control for the driver, front passenger, and rear passengers.

The 9-inch infotainment system supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a plus a 360-degree parking camera. Audio is fed through a 9-speaker JBL sound system, which sounds great.

That’s because in developing the audio system for the Camry, JBL spent hundreds of hours to develop and fine-tune the speakers to achieve the perfect sound reproduction in a moving car.

Also read: JBL explains why audio quality in the 2022 Toyota Camry is so good

Most impressive of all to this writer, the Toyota Camry serves as evidence that a car can offer excellent handling without sacrificing comfort.

Ride quality is simply excellent and the seats are among the finest available. And yet, it makes no concession in the driving experience with a great driving position, well-calibrated controls, and superb body control.

Don’t just take our word for it, visit your nearest Toyota dealership and test drive the Toyota Camry to try it out for yourself.

We think you’d end up booking one if you appreciate great driving dynamics, ride comfort, and premium features. It’s rare for a car to satisfy both the driver and passengers, but the Camry manages to do just that.

Also read: Review: 2022 Toyota Camry facelift – ‘Top up a bit more’ to get a 3 Series? Don’t bother

Source: Got a RM 200k budget and don’t need an SUV? The Toyota Camry should be your first pick

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