First of all, the top engine is more or less the same unit as in the
ES 330 and
RX 330, both Lexus models. Lay into the throttle and
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| The top engine, the 3.3-liter V6, is more or less the same unit as in the ES 330 and RX 330, both Lexus models. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
it really gets up and goes. The top engine makes 225 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 240 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm, which in comparison to its arch rival Honda Accord V6 is down 15 horsepower, with the Honda at 240, but up 28 lb-ft of torque than the Accord's 212. From a driving perspective this means that the Camry SE V6 offers a smoother, crisper takeoff than the Accord V6, better suiting its luxury bias, with less hills and valleys in the rev range, so to speak. In comparison to the 3.3-liter Camry's linear power band, the Accord engine is sportier, spinning more freely and producing more power up higher in the rev range. The result is a spirited 8.4 second zero to 100 km/h time for the Camry, and a somewhat quicker 7.4 second run to the same velocity for the
Accord. Again we're back to the reality that most Camry buyers don't really care if the guy next to them in the Accord can sprint to 100 one second quicker than them, what's a single
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| While Camry's arch-rival Honda Accord (shown) may be quicker off the line, the average Toyota buyer doesn't really care. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press, Canadian Auto Press) |
second in the space of a trip to the office after all? Even if you hit 30 stoplights, that's only 30 seconds difference so who really cares? Honda's buyers have traditionally cared more about such performance-oriented details, as trivial as they might seem to Camry owners, which is why the two brands often attract diverse customers. Of course there are other brands that produce very well made cars targeting the midsize sedan market other than Toyota and Honda, including the Chrysler 300,
Mazda6,
Nissan Altima and
Mitsubishi Galant, etc., but the Camry and Accord are just so much more significant than all the rest when it come to sales numbers that they warrant separate attention.
