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Changes in the 2018 Toyota Camry
John Goreham's picture
By John Goreham Aug 3 2017 - 10:52am

Why the 2018 Camry Is So Different From Past Camry Cars

The 2018 Camry is on an entirely new platform and here is what changes.
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Some model years of Toyota Camry are just simple refreshes, others are more dramatic. Such is the case for the 2018 Toyota Camry. New for 2018, the Camry is not just restyled, but it will ride on an entirely different platform from other Camry cars of the past. Here is what that matters to buyers.

2018 Toyota Camry Improved Handling, NVH
Only with a new platform can engineers make radical improvements to the structural rigidity of a car while still reducing weight. The New Camry will benefit from a new platform in numerous ways. Noise, vibrations, and harshness, or NHV, are the terms engineers use to describe these and the new Camry will be better than the 2017 in all of these ways.

Safety of 2018 Toyota Camry
Toyota is moving its line towards included active safety on every trim. For 2017, the old Camry had not yet joined its RAV4 and other siblings with standard active safety. For 2018 every trim has standard active safety, which means every Camry should be an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus. The 2018 Camry is not yet tested, so we will update readers when it is. A new platform means the New Camry will be designed for the future testing not even included by IIHS, such as passenger side small frontal overlap protection. We expect the 2018 Camry to be a safer car now and for the future.

Size Changes, 2018 Camry
The Camry bucks the trend in the auto industry by not growing in size. It doesn't have to. Unlike many competitors like Honda, Mazda, and Subaru, Toyota already has a larger car, the Avalon, for buyers who want a large car. For 2018, the new Camry actually gets just a smidge smaller inside. Most buyers will hardly notice, and since the Camry is already considered a roomy midsize car it should not be a detriment to buyers looking for a true 5-seat car.

2018 Camry What Are People Saying?
For an overview of what reviewers think of the new 2018 Camry, please see our story: 2018 Toyota Camry's New Look Has People Talking

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Comments

Mark Day wrote on August 3, 2017 - 7:04pm
Many things to like about the new Camry - especially the 301 hp V6, without turbocharging. Went to dealer today for a test drive but only 4-cylinders in stock, and a waiting list for the single Camry V6 in transit to dealership. Also interested in the standard active safety features - if not too intrusive.
John Goreham wrote on August 4, 2017 - 7:04pm
We assume you will be keeping the RAV4 V6 as well!
Mark Day wrote on August 4, 2017 - 7:41pm
"We assume you will be keeping the RAV4 V6 as well!" Two of 'em - we call them RAV 1 & RAV 2 - his and hers, both 4WD Limited. I could be persuaded to trade IF the Camry V6 drivetrain was available in the current RAV4. Or possibly if AWD was made available in the Camry, preferably a hatchback version. Would like the active safety features for the spouse.
John Goreham wrote on August 5, 2017 - 9:42am
Thumbs up Mark. Those are keepers!
Richard Smith wrote on August 3, 2017 - 8:42pm
There is so much great information provided to the 2018 Camry driver with the real NAV package called Premium Audio that the vehicle is denuded without it. No 2018 Camry hybrid or 4 cylinder can have Entune Premium Audio. So if I buy or if you sell me a 2018 Camry 4 cylinder or hybrid I give up : (1) You can program speed limit of the street you are on on head up display but again only on 6 cylinder. speed limit on head-up display for every street not available if not 6 cylinder so I give this up if I buy anything but 6 cylinder. (2) route guidance with 4 routes with traffic only works on 6 cylinders (3) tire pressure per tire is provided on my 2016 XLE 4 cylinder with NAV. What do you need on 2018 Camry same NAV you can’t have on 4 cylinder ? (4) weather map is part and partial to NAV as well - can not see weather coming if you don’t have NAV – so I have to load an app to do weather map included from HD radio if I buy NAV ? (5) NAV auto updates with DCM but that only comes with 6 cylinder 2018 Camry. (6) NAV traffic is programmed to primarily use HD radio so have to use an app and cell data minutes to have NAV and how integrated would that be with the 4 routes to work for example on 2018 Camry ? (7) cell phone and its minutes freed-up not having log into Toyota app and log into Scout GPS and run those apps on my cell phone with all those minutes of data if I buy embedded NAV but that only available on 6 cylinder for 2018 Camry. (8) I give up Android Auto and CarPlay iPhone because I can't have those either. Sure give up a lot to buy 2018 Camry worst of all is having to buy a 6 cylinder. (9) If you add driver assist package with the 10” head up display and have dynamic imbedded Navigation you can program next street coming up at next intersection so if I buy a 4 cylinder 2018 Camry I give this up too. (10) You also are provided elapsed time gadget on head up display but again only on 6 cylinders 2018 according to Toyota’s “strategy.” (11) You get 7” instrument panel display with Premium Audio not 4.2” but if you buy Camry Hybrid 2018 or Camry 4 cylinder – the 2 new engines for 2018 – you don’t have this option to buy Premium Audio because Premium Audio is NAV and only comes on 6 cylinder 2018 Camry. (12) You get 8.2” head unit display center of vehicle not 7” if you buy Premium Audio but you can not buy Entune Premium Audio on ANY 4 cylinder or hybrid 2018 Camry and that is what embedded integrated dynamic navigation is the Entune Premium Audio only available on 6 cylinder 2018 Camry. (13) You can not drive from Atlanta to Miami - that's right - have to stop and buy gas if you want all these features you can't have because a 2018 Camry 4 cylinder base model can get 41 mpg and it is 656 miles to Miami from Atlanta but you can not buy integrated embedded NAV on a 2018 Camry unless you buy a 6 cylinder. The hybrid 2018 Camry also can not be optioned with Entune 3.0 Premium Audio. Scout GPS is not free but $ 5 month unless you love ads then it is free with ads. Got it ?
John Goreham wrote on August 4, 2017 - 7:02pm
These are all excellent details. Thanks Richard for checking in. What car did you choose instead?
Tony wrote on August 4, 2017 - 11:03pm
Richard I have no idea, but it sounded kind of negative. Anyway I get new one when the old one has done all it can do. Every 10 years and I give it to a kid in the neighborhood. Always nice to get the newest stuff. I would have guessed however that by now your Nav would just be a big screen that runs off of your phone. Like it's just a screen and the phone is the brains. There should be a docking and charging station that keeps it stable like a phone into a tape deck. Anyway. Just a thought.
Graham wrote on December 5, 2017 - 2:09am
Thanks for the detail Richard. I agree that Toyota will lose a lot of customers (like me) over their fumbling of the NAV options and lack of support for Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. I too won't buy a 6-cylinder Camry - just sucks the fuel, and the 4-cylinder engine has lots of power. Funny how Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Honda, Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. all support Apple CarPlay for navigation, but Toyota wants to go it alone with some private NAV system.