The Latest Developments with the 2022 Toyota Camry
The bestselling passenger car in the U.S. isn't going anywhere. The Toyota Camry is now available with 18 distinct trim/powertrain combinations and new paint and trim options.
This model year refresh adds the existing Nightshade trim to the hybrid powertrain and an exclusive color to the Camry TRD: two-tone Cavalry Blue with a Midnight Black Metallic roof. The 2022 Camry starts at $26,320 for the front-wheel-drive version and $28,405 for the hybrid.
Toyota regularly sells more Camrys in the U.S. than it does of all Lexus models combined. In 2020, for example, it sold 294,348 Camrys and 275,041 Lexus vehicles, and the difference was even larger in 2019. Therefore, it's no surprise that the automaker is sprucing up the decades-long bestselling passenger car for the 2022 model year.
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| 2022 Toyota Camry |
The Latest Developments with the 2022 ToyotaCamry
A Couple of Updates for the Camry for the 2022 Model Year
The Camry is Toyota's most popular passenger car and has been for a long time. But the model has seen some recent competitors from Honda and Nissan jump into the segment, and if sales numbers are any indication, the Camry's days of domination are numbered.
Over the past two years, Camry sales have dipped 15.3 percent in the U.S. While it has remained the U.S. leader, it has been challenged by the Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Nissan Altima. Meanwhile, the Toyota Highlander gained sales as a result of some solid reviews and enthusiastic audiences at auto shows and the final season of the popular "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
2018 Toyota Camry's High Performance
"By 2020, the Camry is going to be a key pillar for us in terms of sales in the United States," said Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division, at a Camry media event at the Detroit Auto Show.
The company's development chief, Masato Katsumata, stated, "In order to make the Camry even more attractive, we've decided to introduce the most thrilling Camry ever."
As Toyota's press release notes, the 2022 Camry will be produced in the automaker's Georgetown, Kentucky plant. The addition of the Nightshade trim will increase the crossover's range of styling and performance choices.
New Trims and Paint Options
The five basic trim levels of the 2018 Camry are the SE, XLE, XSE, XLE V6, and XSE V6.
The 2020 Toyota Camry
In addition to new colors and wheel options, the 2022 Camry will get a new fog lamp grille that Toyota says is sleeker and more dynamic.
The new Camry Hybrid adds active and passive safety features, including automatic emergency braking, which Toyota says is capable of stopping the car 70% of the time.
Powertrain options for the hybrid include a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and an electric motor that powers the four wheels, for a total output of 206 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The battery pack is located underneath the back seat, so the front and rear seats can also be lowered and backrests electrically adjusted.
However, before you move on to a pre-owned or used Camry, be aware that the Hybrid will be discontinued for the 2021 model year.
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| 2022 Toyota Camry |
Although this specific Nightshade trim is exclusive to the hybrid powertrain, it's not exactly limited to the hybrid. The Camry Hybrid trim level only adds $2,420 to the price of the non-hybrid, FWD Camry. The hybrid only costs $2,480 with front-wheel drive, while the $3,190 hybrid with all-wheel drive is $2,740 more expensive.
But there's another, less expensive powertrain option for the Camry Hybrid, starting at $25,810. A hybrid version with the XLE V6 costs $27,980, and a hybrid version with the XSE V6 costs $31,140.
Still, it's important to know what the Nightshade trim means for the hybrid powertrain, because it's not something we can be sure we're getting.
The Camry Hybrid is a very popular model in the U.S., accounting for roughly 25 percent of Toyota's 2018 U.S. sales.
- The biggest differences for the Camry are a retuned suspension and steering, five additional cupholders, and a new instrument panel. The interior is now mostly black, save for black interior trim, and the gauge cluster is similar to the one in the new Avalon.
- 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid
- 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid Limited
- 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid Sedan
- Toyota 2020 Camry
- The head-up display can be configured to display the speed limit. However, most of the systems, including the blind-spot monitor, have been carried over. The Camry still has an 8.0-inch TFT display and with its segment-leading 9-speaker JBL audio system.
- Updates for the Hybrid
- Camry Hybrid models gain a new 12-speaker JBL audio system with AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM, satellite radio, and HD radio compatibility.
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| 2022 Toyota Camry |
The 2019 Camry L is now available in Midnight Black Metallic, which will be an exclusive color to the hybrid powertrain. Midnight Black will be available on the sporty RS package. (Fun fact: The camouflage versions of the next-generation Camry TRD are covered in Midnight Black.)
The 2020 Camry XLE Hybrid is now available with Valor Metallic paint. Toyota will soon introduce 18-inch Midnight Black wheels to the Camry Hybrid, available on the Touring trim. The top-of-the-line Premier trim will get a new XSE Color Package. This one includes a matching tinted, black, and glass Black Top Mica roof and matching black leather interior trim pieces.
Toyota will offer the Camry Hybrid with 16-inch, 10-spoke black chrome wheels. The trim level also gains pearl-white or black Shadow Mica paint.
Conclusion
The sporty Camry TRD Pro trim returns in 2022, and it can be optioned with either the four-cylinder engine or the V6. Power remains the same: 250 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque in the four-cylinder, while power is up to 305 hp and 295 lb-ft for the V6. Torque is up for all engines by 1-hp.
Toyota offered a fuel-saving manual transmission on the Camry TRD Pro. The automaker decided to offer the six-speed automatic option for 2022. The Toyota Racing Development (TRD) off-road suspension will continue to be part of the package, too.
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