Review: Toyota XV70 Camry (2017-on)

Overview

Released in Australia in November 2017, Toyota XV70 Camry was a mid-size sedan. Manufactured in Aichi, Japan, the front-wheel drive Toyota XV70 Camry was available with 2.5-litre petrol and 3.5-litre V6 engines, mated to six- and eight-speed automatic transmissions, respectively. Furthermore, the XV70 Camry range consisted of Ascent, Ascent Sport, SX and SL variants (see table below).

Please note that the Toyota XV70 Camry Hybrid has been reviewed separately.

Toyota XV70 Camry: 2AR-FE engine

Carried over from the XV50 Camry , the 2.5-litre 2AR-FE four-cylinder petrol engine had a die-cast aluminium engine block and aluminium cylinder head, double overhead camshafts, roller rocker arms, four valves per cylinder, variable intake and exhaust valve timing (Toyota’s ‘dual VVT-i’), an Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS) and a compression ratio of 10.4:1.

For XV70 Camry models with the 2AR-FE engine, the six-speed U760E transmission had:

• A ‘Drive Mode Select’ function which enabled the driver to select from three drive modes; and,
• Downshift throttle blipping for smoother downshifts.

For Camry SX and SL variants, gearshifts could be initiated via the steering wheel gearshift paddles.

Toyota XV70 Camry V6: 2GR-FKS engine

The Toyota XV70 Camry V6 was powered by the 3.5-litre 2GR-FKS engine which had a die-cast aluminium alloy cylinder block, a forged steel crankshaft with five balance weights, forged connecting rods, aluminium alloy pistons, an aluminium alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), four valves per cylinder actuated by roller rockers, exhaust-gas cooling and a compression ratio of 11.8:1. Key features of the 2GR-FKS engine included:

• Toyota’s ‘D-4S’ fuel injection system which combined direct injection with traditional port injection for more precise air/fuel mixing under low and medium load conditions;
• For the intake valves, Toyota’s ‘Variable Valve Timing – Intelligent Wide’ (VVT-iW) which included a mid-position camshaft lock mechanism that can retard intake valve timing. VVT-iW enabled the 2GR-FKS engine to start in the Otto cycle, switch to an Atkinson cycle for low-rev operations (i.e. shortened compression stroke by delaying the closure of the intake valves during the compression stroke and a longer expansion stroke by delaying the closure of the intake valves until the end of the expansion stroke) and revert to an Otto cycle at higher engine speeds for greater power; and,
• For the exhaust valves, variable valve timing (VVT-i).

For the Toyota XV70 Camry V6, the 2GR-FKS engine was mated to the eight-speed UA80E transmission which provided direct lock-up from gears two through eight to eliminate power loss from the torque converter. In ‘M’ mode, the transmission also provided downshift throttle blipping for smoother downshifts.

Dimensions and body

The Toyota XV70 Camry was underpinned by the ‘Toyota New Generation Architecture’ (TNGA) which was shared with the Toyota C-HR and Toyota XW50 Prius . Called the GA-K platform for the Toyota Camry, this platform provided a lower centre of gravity, hip point, shoulder line, roof line and bonnet height. Compared to the Toyota XV50 Camry , the Toyota XV70 Camry was 90 mm longer (at 4905 mm), 15 mm wider (1840 mm), 25 mm lower (1445 mm) and had a 50 mm longer wheelbase (2825 mm).

Significantly, the body of the Toyota XV70 Camry achieved a 30 per cent increase in torsional rigidity relative to its XV50 predecessor – this was achieved through:

• The increased use of ultra-high-tensile steel and hot stamping materials (which also reduce mass);
• At key junctures, laser screw welding with a greater number of weld points;
• A special urethane adhesive where the windscreen and rear window meet the body;
• Additional gussets for the centre pillars;
• Closed cross-section construction for the front suspension tower brace;
• A new rear body frame of annular construction; and,
• Additional braces for the rear suspension which improve lateral rigidity.

To reduce mass, the XV70 Camry had thinner body panels for the roof, bonnet, boot lid, doors and front fenders. Kerb weights for four-cylinder XV70 Camry models ranged from 1490 kg to 1560 kg, while kerb weights for the XV70 Camry V6 ranged from 1595 kg to 1630 kg.

To reduce interior noise, the XV70 Camry had:

• A thicker dash silencer mat across the entire interior firewall;
• A special vibration-damping coating that was applied over a wider area of the underfloor;
• Greater coverage of noise-proofing material for the interior’s ceiling; and,
• To reduce wind noise, a newly-designed rain gutter molding and a reduction in the step at the bottom of the windshield.

Suspension

The Toyota XV70 Camry had MacPherson strut front suspension and double wishbone rear suspension. The rear suspension had separate spring and damper units, with the dampers inclined forward to reduce longitudinal low-frequency inputs. Furthermore, the dampers were positioned forward of the axle line and the coil springs behind to maximise luggage space. To reduce high-frequency road inputs, all arm joints had bushings and the trailing-arm bushings were specifically tuned to reduce road shock.

Steering

The Toyota XV70 Camry had rack-and-pinion steering with speed-sensitive, electric power assistance. To reduce the XV70 Camry’s centre of gravity, the electric motor was mounted on the rack housing.

For the Camry Ascent and Ascent Sport, the steering gear ratio was 13.7:1 and the steering wheel required 2.71 turns from lock-to-lock. For the Camry SX and SL, however, the steering ratio was 13.8:1 and the steering wheel required 2.64 turns from lock to lock.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Toyota XV70 Camry included dual front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

As standard, the Toyota XV70 Camry was equipped with the following active safety technologies –

• Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB): operated at speeds above 10 km/h and used a windscreen-mounted camera and millimetre-wave radar sensor to detect vehicles on the road ahead. If a collision risk was detected, a buzzer would sound and an alert would be displayed in the multi-information display. Furthermore, Pre-Collision Brake Assist would prepare the braking system to provide additional braking force when the brake pedal was applied. If the driver did not react and the probability of a frontal collision with a vehicle was extremely high, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) would be initiated to reduce vehicle speed;
• Active Cruise Control (ACC): used the same millimetre-wave radar as the pre-collision system to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead. If necessary, the system could slow the car until stationary and accelerate back to the pre-selected cruising speed when the road ahead had cleared;
• Lane Departure Alert (LDA): used the camera on the windscreen to monitor the vehicle’s position within lane markings on the road surface. If the Camry was about to depart from its lane without the turn indicators having been applied, a buzzer would sound and a warning would be displayed in the multi-information display. If the vehicle continued moving outside its lane, light steering force would be applied to assist the driver to bring the vehicle back on course. LDA included a Sway Warning System that monitored driving behaviour for signs of fatigue. If detected, a buzzer would sound and a message in the multi-information display would recommend that the driver take a break from driving; and,
• Automatic High Beam (AHB): used the windscreen-mounted camera to detect the lights of coming vehicles or traffic ahead. If detected, the vehicle would switch the headlights to low beam to avoid dazzling other road users. Once the road was clear, the headlights would revert to high beam for maximum illumination.

The Toyota Camry SL was further equipped with –

• Blind-Spot Monitor (BSM): used radar sensors on the rear corners of the vehicle to detect nearby vehicles in adjacent lanes as they moved into the driver’s blind spot. If detected, the driver would be alerted by illumination of LED indicators in the door mirror on that side of the vehicle. The LED indicators would remain illuminated for as long as the vehicle remained in the blind spot. If the driver operated the turn indicators with the intention of moving into the path of the other vehicle, the LEDs would flash rapidly; and,
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA): used the rear radar sensors to detect approaching traffic when the vehicle was reversing out of a parking space. If detected, the driver would be alerted.

ANCAP safety rating

In ANCAP testing , the Toyota XV70 Camry received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 36.16 out of 37. In the frontal offset test, protection of the driver’s head, thighs and feet were rated as good, though chest and lower leg protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). Maximum points, however, were awarded in the side impact and pole tests.

Brakes

The Toyota XV70 Camry had 305 mm by 28 mm ventilated front brake discs and 281 mm by 10 mm solid rear discs.

Features: Toyota XV70 Camry Ascent

Standard features for the Toyota XV70 Camry Ascent included 17-inch x 7.5J alloy wheels with 215/55 R17 tyres, a six speaker sound system, 3.5 mm auxiliary and USB inputs, a seven-inch colour touchscreen, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, ‘Toyota Link’ connected mobility system for smartphone integration, a driver’s seat with power lumbar adjustment, air conditioning, bi-LED headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, a reversing camera, 60/40 split-fold rear seats, remote central locking, power mirrors and windows, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, a 12 volt accessory outlet, an electric park brake, a 4.2-inch Multi Information Display (MID), ‘Optitron’ instrument illumination, a trip computer, an alarm and immobiliser.

Features: Toyota XV70 Camry Ascent Sport

Compared to the Camry Ascent, the Camry Ascent Sport added satellite navigation with an eight inch colour touchscreen and SUNA live traffic updates, a power adjustable driver’s seat (slide, recline and vertical adjustment), dual-zone climate control air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, ‘premium’ steering wheel and gear lever, stainless steel scuff plates, proximity key (i.e. keyless entry) and push-button start, and a seven-inch colour Multi Information Display (MID).

Visually, the Camry Ascent Sport could be identified by its ‘sports’ front grille with matte finish, side skirts and sports rear bumper. As standard, the Camry Ascent Sport was fitted with a temporary spare wheel.

Features: Toyota XV70 Camry SX

Compared to the Camry Ascent Sport, the Camry SX was further equipped with 19-inch x 8.0J alloy wheels with 235/40 R19 tyres, sports suspension, a wireless mobile phone charger, sports leather accented seats, steering wheel gearshift paddles and two additional USB charging points (rear). The Camry SX could be identified by its ‘sports’ front grille with high gloss finish and rear lip spoiler.

Features: Toyota XV70 Camry SL

The range-topping Toyota XV70 Camry SL was distinguished by its 18-inch x 8.0J alloy wheels with 235/45 R18 tyres, leather accented seats, ventilated front seats, driver’s seat memory settings, power adjustable front passenger seat, ten-inch colour head-up display (HUD), rain-sensing wipers, power adjustable steering wheel, electrochromatic rear-view mirror, panoramic glass roof, and ‘intelligent’ ambient illumination for the console and footwell. Visually, the Camry SL could be identified by its high-gloss front sports grille.

Brochure

• Brochure: Toyota XV70 Camry (November 2017)

Related links

• Toyota Australia: 2017 Toyota Camry Press Kit (November 2017)
• Toyota Australia: 2017 New-Generation Toyota Camry Preview Press Kit (June 2017)
• Toyota USA: Ready for Launch – The Countdown Begins for the 2018 Toyota Camry (June 2017)
• Toyota Australia: Toyota Reveals New Model Camry (January 2017)
• Toyota USA: All-New 2018 Toyota Camry (January 2017)