1 Dec 2011
An all-new version of Australia’s best-selling mid-size car, the Toyota Camry, was launched in December 2011 to take on rivals for both fleet and private sales.
Toyota dropped a number of the previous model variants, choosing instead to focus on the fleet-oriented Altise and the Atara that was designed to appeal to private buyers. The Atara came in three trim specifications – S, SX and SL.
The Japanese giant managed to keep the same price on the Altise and Atara SL as the previous model.
The Aussie-built sedan was again available only with a four-cylinder engine, leaving the Camry-based Aurion as a V6-powered family car rival for the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.
Camry’s 2.5-litre engine produced 133kW in the Atara, but 135kW in the Altise with its dual exhaust.
Fuel efficiency improved over the previous model with Toyota claiming a figure of 7.8L/100km.
The Camry was only available with a six-speed automatic transmission, the slow-selling five-speed manual having been dropped from the line-up in the previous model.
The family favourite scored well in crash testing with ANCAP awarding Camry a maximum five-star safety rating.
Four months after launching the seventh-generation Camry, Toyota Australia released the hybrid version, combining a 105kW electric motor with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that developed 118kW.
Fuel consumption was rated at 5.2L/100km on the combined test cycle – an improvement of 0.8L/100km on the previous generation.
The original Camry Hybrid sold in relatively modest numbers in Australia, mostly to government and fleet buyers, so Toyota reduced the entry price by $2000 to entice buyers.
The green machine was available in two trim levels, the Camry H and Camry HL (Hybrid Luxury).
