2021 Toyota Camry TRD review: Flash with some performance sizzle

Forgive me, but I could not help but in the beginning be skeptical about the Toyota Camry TRD. Granted, the existing-era Camry is unquestionably the most intense-hunting a person to day and Toyota has been earning headway in developing more partaking cars with products like the Supra. But a effectiveness variation of the Camry? Definitely?

More visible flash

To give the Camry TRD more mindset, Toyota’s designers designed a entire body package that adds a black grille with mesh insert, front splitter, facet aero skirts, trunk wing and rear diffuser. If those people aren’t ample to warn other motorists on the street that they aren’t working with a usual run-of-the-mill Camry, then the pink TRD badges will make it apparent as day. The complete package rides on trick 19-inch matte-complete black wheels.

I have to say, this Camry TRD boasts some styling aptitude and mindset. The front stop appears to be like loads intense, and all the black TRD entire body extras distinction nicely with my test car’s Ice Edge paint. The complete thing functions properly with the Midnight Black roof for an impactful two-tone physical appearance.

Inside, the TRD exclusives include black SofTex-trimmed seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, pink distinction stitching, a TRD shift knob, TRD gauges, pink seat belts, TRD ground mats and aluminum pedals. I do want Toyota would have gone a person move additional and beef up the front seat facet bolsters. As is, you will find some help there, but a tiny more would be appreciated to retain riders far better nestled in put.

The rest of the Camry’s inside is on par with all the things in the midsize sedan course. The resources are wonderful with most significant surfaces wrapped and switched, even though the really hard plastics are nicely concluded. Passenger space in the two rows is generous and there are a lot of slots and cubbies to stash stuff up front. Unfortunately, people in the back again will have to make do without climate vents, a centre armrest or power points. Trunk space steps in at a roomy fifteen.1 cubic toes but carrying for a longer time goods in the TRD will be tough due to the fact the next-row seat backs do not fold down for the reason that of a V-brace put in powering for additional entire body stiffening. 

Up to date know-how

Like each individual 2021 Camry, the TRD receives a new floating touchscreen infotainment show that puts the controls a tad closer to passengers, and helps reduce glare on the rather small seven-inch display screen. Buttons and knobs flanking the display screen enable simple obtain to the generally made use of menus and stereo changes, even though the touchscreen’s layout is simple to navigate. Unfortunately, the procedure has a visible hold off when switching involving menus.

Conventional attributes include a 6-speed sound procedure, satellite radio, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot and the two Apple CarPlay and Android Car connectivity. If you are an audiophile, you can selection out your Camry TRD with a 9-speaker JBL audio procedure for an more $1,585.

On the lively basic safety front, the TRD gains normal blind-location monitoring and rear cross-targeted traffic warn for 2021 in addition to an improved Toyota Protection Perception 2.five Plus package. Ahead-collision warning can now decide up bicyclists and is far better at detecting pedestrians in lower-light scenarios. Adaptive cruise regulate, automatic unexpected emergency braking, lane-departure warning and street indication help are also bundled.

A far better performer

Enthusiasm comes from a silky three.five-liter V6 pumping out 301 horsepower and 267 pound-toes of torque. As competition have abandoned 6-pot engines in favor of turbocharged fours, I applaud Toyota’s determination to stick with a 6 for its seamless and linear power shipping and delivery. Throttle response is snappy at tip-in and lower-stop torque is appropriate, while surely not as muscular as drive-induced I4s in rival cars. From the center of the rev selection to the six,800rpm redline, while, the V6 pulls forcefully and seems sweet, emitting a astonishingly great midrange growl by means of a TRD cat-back again exhaust. 

An 8-speed automatic transmission routes power to the Camry’s front wheels and goes about its function in a seamless way. Gear modifications are constantly properly-timed and you will find zero hesitation to go down a cog or two when you need to have to get transferring. If you want to use the significant steering wheel-mounted paddles to manually orchestrate the gears, they are astonishingly responsive to downshift instructions. Behavior for upshifts is more erratic, while — speedy to answer at moments and hesitant at other people.

When pushed typically, the TRD’s drivetrain returns an EPA-approximated 22 mpg in the metropolis and 31 mpg on the highway. In blended driving, I noticed 25 mpg, matching the EPA’s combined gas economic system score.

The Camry TRD’s major modifications occur in the chassis department. Thicker underbody and aforementioned rear seat bracing increases the sedan’s torsional rigidity. A suspension overhaul provides distinctive shock absorbers, stiffer springs, a 50 percent-inch reduced experience peak and even larger antiroll bars. Perch all of that on 19-inch Michelin Primacy MXM4 all-year tires and you have you a tidy handler.

At corner transform-in, the TRD’s entire body squats slightly and confidently corners far better than any Camry I’ve ever pushed. You will find ample grip and composure to have a quite great time powering the wheel. Of training course, pushing the Camry really hard benefits in the front stop washing out in a gradual way. The trade-off to the firmer chassis is a small reduce in experience ease and comfort. Impacts from bumps are felt more than a normal Camry, but are in no way violent or uncomfortable. The progress group did an remarkable career balancing effectiveness and experience excellent below.

The brakes are also upgraded — and not only with pink paint on the front calipers. The TRD’s front clampers are two-piston units as an alternative of single-piston stoppers on non-TRD Camrys, and they clamp down on much larger twelve.9-inch rotors (up from twelve). They’re strong, scrubbing off speed in a hurry, while firmer pedal feed-back is on my want checklist. The steering is direct ample and acceptably weighted, in spite of a small dead location on centre.

How I would spec it

The Camry TRD starts off at $33,285, together with $1,025 for location. As for me, I would start out by checking the box for the two-tone Ice Edge paint and Midnight Black Metallic roof like my tester. It appears to be like fantastic and is value the $500 upcharge. Considering that I love my tunes, I would also get the $1,585 JBL audio procedure to have anything far better than the normal 6-speaker set up. And ultimately, $129 to give rear passengers simple obtain to a pair of USB ports is a no-brainer, bringing the bottom line of my ideal Toyota to $35,499. Which is more than my $34,312 tester, but I really feel the couple more niceties are value it.

A more entertaining Camry

When compared to the base auto, the Camry TRD is unquestionably a sharper specimen. The entire body package is just not garish, carrying out ample to visually pump this sedan up, even though the more boisterous exhaust and far better managing reflexes deliver a generate working experience that is without a doubt more enjoyable. There is, having said that, area for improvement — some tinkering to the steering and brakes would additional amp up this Camry. All things deemed, having said that, the TRD is a enjoyable surprise.