The vast majority of Toyota Camry grades sold in Australia consist of the Ascent.
The darling of fleet buyers, ride-share companies and taxi cabs alike, this is the entry-level model, and so, by definition, the least expensive.
Now, for the ninth-generation version, the Japanese-built but North American-focused mid-sized four-door five-seater family sedan gains a front and rear end restyle, an all-new dashboard, extra equipment and greater safety. Plus, the entire range is now hybrid-only.
However, the Toyota also now costs more. This means the entry price into Camry has jumped about 15 per cent, or by around $5000. That gap drops to about $2100 if we’re lining up new versus old hybrid versions of the Ascent.
As a result, the cheapest new mid-sized sedan in Australia is now the Mazda6 Sport. On the other hand, the next equivalently-sized hybrid sedan costs nearly $20,000 extra, and that’s the Honda Accord VTi-LX e:HEV.
Plus, the latest Camry Ascent is better equipped than before, with improved advanced driver-assist safety tech like ‘Autonomous Emergency Braking’ (AEB), keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, a 7.0-inch instrumentation display, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, USB-C ports, one year’s free access to Toyota Connected Services, LED headlights, auto-folding exterior mirrors, 17-inch alloys and, thoughtfully, a temporary spare wheel – a rarity in a hybrid nowadays.
Fundamentally, the Camry Ascent is much the same underneath as before, retaining its predecessor’s ‘Toyota New Global Architecture’ hardware, powertrain (hybrid-system aside), suspension (now retuned for comfort) and (albeit beefed-up) body structure. Carryover items include the Camry’s windscreen, roof and front doors.
Under the bonnet is a revised version of the old 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Mated to a new pair of electric motor generators, they drive the front wheels via an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), to provide more power and better economy than before. A lithium-ion battery pack is located under the back seat.
Result? On one hand, the Camry Ascent reaches 100km/h from standstill in a commendable 7.2 seconds on the way to a 180km/h top speed, and on the other, it averages an astonishing 4.0 litres per 100km, which translates to just 91g/km of carbon dioxide emissions.
Note, though, this Camry prefers 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.
Finally, Toyota offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with service intervals every 12 months or 15,000km, at $255 per service.