All-new Toyota Camry debuts in SE Asia; PH reveal soon?
9th-gen Toyota Camry now in Singapore
It’s a good thing there’s still a market for executive sedans in the Philippine market, which means we can continue to appreciate cars like the Toyota Camry in a sea of crossovers.
After making its global debut in North America last year, Toyota’s midsize sedan has finally crossed the Pacific and made its way to Southeast Asia. Toyota has revealed the 9th generation Camry in Singapore, promising a higher level of refinement both in driving dynamics and its hybrid system.
Size-wise, the all-new Camry measures 4920 mm long, 1840 mm wide, 1455 mm tall, and a wheelbase of 2825 mm. This makes the 9th-gen model 35mm longer than its predecessor while the 5mm stretch in the wheelbase should open up a bit more space for the cabin and the compartment.
As seen on the North American market model, the Singapore-spec Camry sports the “hammerhead” design in front that was first seen on the latest Prius. The headlights are slimmer with C-shaped DRLs, and that design continues at the back with the taillights that are accompanied by a reshaped rear bumper.
Inside, the new Camry features two 12.3-inch screens – one for the digital instrument cluster, and the other for the infotainment system that pairs with a nine-speaker sound system from JBL. Other creature comforts inside include leather seats, tri-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, rear power seat recline function, a rear sunshade, as well as a rear armrest-mounted touch panel to control cabin functions.
Much like the current-generation Camry on sale in the Philippine market, the new model is powered by the A25A-FXS. It still has a 2.5-liter, Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine, but is now paired with two electric motors to produce a total of 228 PS. The hybrid system utilizes a lithium-ion battery and transfers power to the front wheels via a hybrid CVT.
The new Camry also comes standard with 8 airbags, and the latest Toyota Safety Sense that comes with a host of active safety systems like AEB, adaptive cruise, lane tracing, and auto high beam.
The Singaporean market may have had first dibs of the Camry in the ASEAN region, but it looks like the executive sedan could soon make its way to the country. We received information that Toyota Motor Philippines has already got approval for a passenger car with an engine displacement of 2487cc – the same exact displacement as that of the Camry’s A25A-FXS motor.
The Philippine International Motor Show or PIMS is usually treated by Toyota as a major event to introduce its latest models to the market. With a little over a month remaining, there’s a chance the new Camry could form part of TMP’s lineup of cars in the upcoming 2024 edition of PIMS, along with (possibly) the new GR Yaris.
