The Toyota Camry has been America's best-selling car for years now and for 2009, Toyota apparently has invoked the if it ain't broke, don't fix it clause. After all, the Camry was redesigned for 2007 -- and then beat the competition to become our 2007 Car of the Year -- so its looks are still fresh and its technology is still relatively cutting-edge.



The biggest difference you'll notice on the 2009 Camry is that the CE trim level has been dropped. The entry-level Camry is now simply the Camry, with the LE as a mid-level package, the SE in sport trim, and the XLE as the premium brew. Of course, there is also the Camry Solara for those who want two doors and a drop top (the Solara coupe has been discontinued for 2009) and the Camry Hybrid for those looking to be even more eco-friendly or just to save at the pump via its 33/34-mpg city/highway mileage rating.

All Camry trim levels come with a base 2.4L four-cylinder engine that produces 158 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque and will get you 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway when mated to either a five-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual transmission. Opt for the extra eco-friendly PZEV-rated engine and you'll lose 3 hp and 3 lb-ft. Jump up to the 3.5L V-6, and you'll get 268 hp and 248 lb-ft on tap, as well as a six-speed automatic with manual shifting capabilities. The extra power won't cost you too much at the pump, though, since the V-6 nets 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, and the six and the four run on regular unleaded. The Camry Hybrid mates the 2.4L engine in 147-hp trim to a 40-hp electric motor, for a total of 187 hp running through a continuously variable automatic transmission. On hot days, an "Eco" button will scale back the A/C output to maximize fuel mileage.

The Camry, LE, XLE, and Hybrid ride on 16-in. wheels in steel for the Camry and LE or aluminum for the XLE and Hybrid, while the SE picks up 17-in. six-spoke aluminum wheels. The SE also gets a firmer ride and sits almost a half inch lower than the other models in an effort to make it sportier. The entire Camry range comes standard with Anti-lock Brakes and Brake Assist, with Vehicle Stability Control with integrated Traction Control optional. The Hybrid gets a special Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system to help keep it on the road.

The options list for the 2009 Camry is rather short, but that's largely because the standard feature list is so long. Standard on all models is A/C with a pollen and dust filter, power windows, locks and mirrors, body-color mirrors, cruise control, automatic halogen headlights, a tilting/telescoping steering wheel, vehicle immobilizer, and a six-speaker, 160-watt stereo with CD player and auxiliary input jack.



The LE trim adds remote keyless entry and an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat. The range-topping XLE model ups the ante with a Plasmacluster ionizer that kills bacteria and spores in the air on its way into the cabin, dual-zone climate control with steering-wheel controls, 440-watt JBL sound system with Bluetooth, a power moonroof, foglamps, leather seats, and faux wood trim. You'll also get rear seats that recline up to 8 deg. The Hybrid model is similar in trim to the XLE, but also gets Smart Entry and Smart Start systems that allow the driver to keep the key pocketed and simply get in and drive.

Options include the aforementioned power moonroof, leather seats, and the Smart Entry and Smart Start systems on lower trim levels as well as heated front seats, rear spoiler, and voice-command DVD nav system. Combining the nav system with the JBL audio system on SE, XLE, and Hybrid models adds an in-dash four-CD changer.

In addition to plenty of space for five passengers, the Camry also can hold a good amount of gear. The base Camry has 15 cu ft of trunk space, while the SE and XLE get 14.5 cu ft. The Camry Hybrid uses some of that cargo area to house the hybrid hardware, resulting in a 10.6-cu-ft trunk. Warranty coverage is standard Toyota -- a 3-year/36,000-mile comprehensive warranty, 5-year/60,000 powertrain warranty, and 5-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion-perforation coverage.

Pricing for the Camry is competitive. The base model with a four-cylinder engine and manual trans starts at $19,145 while the V-6 automatic XLE runs $28,695. The Camry Hybrid drops in slightly below the XLE at $26,150. Reasonable pricing such as this is part of the reason why the Camry continues to reign as the king of family haulers.

Toyota to launch hybrid sedan Prius in India

Toyota Motor Corp plans to introduce its hybrid sedan Prius in India as an answer to soaring fuel prices and growing concerns over emissions, a top official at its Indian joint venture said.

"We are preparing to bring Prius into the Indian market though we have not set any timeline yet," Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd vice-chairman Vikram Kirloskar told IANS in an interview.

"In the run-up, we have to develop skills to service it and make spare parts available across the country," he added.

The 2008 version of Prius has been adjudged the most fuel-efficient midsize carUS. Sold in over 40 countries across regions, the hybrid variant has also been rated as the third least carbon dioxide emitting vehicle in Britain. in the

Kirloskar described Prius as a "great car" but admitted it was "expensive upfront".

"In the long-run, it is economical, with higher mileage and lower maintenance cost. We are confident of its acceptability in the Indian market as it runs both on electricity and fuel."

Positioned between Toyota's Corolla and Camry in the luxury segment, Prius uses an all-electric compressor for cooling. Classified as a super ultra low emission vehicle, the eco-friendly car can be propelled by either petrol and electric power.

"We are aware that Honda is launching its hybrid variant in the Indian market soon despite high import tariff. We can also do it with due preparation. As I said earlier, we have to gear up to service such a premium car by training our personnel and stocking enough spare parts with the dealer network," Kirloskar said.

As the first commercially mass-produced gas-electric hybrid, one million Prius vehicles were sold by April worldwide, including 592,000 units in the US and 315,000 units in Japan.

In India, Toyota Kirloskar already markets Corolla and Camry in the premium segment, besides Innova in the multi-utility and Prado in the sports utility segments.

Corolla and Innova are manufactured at its Bidadi plant, about 40km from India's technology hub of Bangalore, while Camry and Prado are shipped from Toyota's production facilities in Japan in completely knocked down form and assembled here.

"Though we entered the Indian market over a decade ago, we chose to be in niche and premium segments. As a marketing strategy, we first introduced Qualis, which was a run-away success in the multi-utility segment," Kirloskar said.

"We launched Innova by discontinuing Qualis and yet maintained market leadership in the segment. In the second-hand or used car market, Toyota brands commands highest price even today because of their value and durability," he said.

Denying that Toyota "missed the bus" or lost market space to global rivals such as Honda, Hyundai, Suzuki, Ford and General Motors by not being present across segments in India, especially in the dominant compact segment, Kirloskar said there was enough room to grow in a developing country where the automobile industry was maturing.

In the passenger car segment, the combined installed capacity of Indian automobile sector is about two million as against Toyota's annual worldwide capacity of 10 million units.

"With the Indian economy poised to grow over eight-nine percent, we see immense potential to grow, thanks to increasing purchasing power, higher aspirations among the generation next, better road connectivity and migrant-driven urbanization," Kirloskar said.

Toyota Kirloskar is setting up a second plant with an upfront investment of Rs.14 billion ($329 million) at Bidadi to manufacture a range of models, including its long-awaited compact car to take on dominant players like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors.

With an installed capacity of 100,000 units per annum, the new modular multi-platform plant is set to commence production in 2010.

The small car will be different from Toyota's existing models in the same segment, as it is being designed exclusively for the Indian market, Kirloskar said.