If I were a titan of industry who normally wears bespoke Savile Row suits, my choice of car would be clear.
I’d either be driving (driven in, if we’re honest) a buttery-smooth Rolls-Royce Phantom or a V12 Mercedes-Maybach superlimo if I were a bit of a maverick.
Climbing down (quite a few) more rungs on the corporate totem pole, we come to the executive who thinks nothing about wearing just a shirt and trousers and turns up to work punctually every day without complaint.
He or she would have a namecard that said they were the purchasing manager of a small engineering services firm, tucked away in an industrial estate in Woodlands.
The Toyota Camry would be the car for that person.
Camry’s 2.5-litre, which develops 206hp and 250Nm, pairs well with the 8-speed automatic gearbox.
Years the preserve of individuals who wanted to fly under the radar, the Camry has served as dependable, inoffensive transport for those who want a car that just does everything right.
Which isn’t to say that Toyota hasn’t tried to make the eighth-generation Camry better to drive.
In 2.5-litre guise, the Camry accelerates briskly with the transmission seamlessly blending its eight cogs together, kicking down responsively when you need it to.
Moving off from the lights is a fuss-free affair, with no awkward jumps or starts from the Camry’s transmission, making for a very relaxed driving experience.
But if you show it a set of bends, the Camry responds better than you expect it to, transforming into a decent corner-carver up and down the twisty roads of Mount Faber Loop.
It turns neatly and tidily into sweeping corners without much body roll and happily scoots out of them with plenty of grip from the 18-inch Bridgestone Turanzas.
Toyota could have made the steering ultra-light to make it an effortless one-finger twirler but decided to inject a reassuring heft to it, which correspondingly gives you confidence to point the nose exactly in the desired direction.
Activating sport mode, however, makes the steering unnecessarily heavy and is best used if you missed your gym workout after a long day in the boardroom.
Built on the same Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-K platform as the delectable Lexus ES, the Camry doesn’t have quite the same levels of refinement as its more prestigious sibling, but it’s darn close.
Much like the ES, the Camry’s ride quality is relaxed and refined, with its supple suspension easily soaking up expansion joints and speed bumps without the usual “thud-thud” jolt.
Torque writer Wong Kai Yi says the Camry’s ride is relaxed and pliant, with dampers that soak up undulations with ease.
But it’s not entirely a smooth operator.
Wind and tyre noise seeps into the cabin at expressway speeds, which I suspect boils down to Toyota shedding some sound insulation in the Camry to keep it from being too Lexus-like.
It’s not too problematic, though.
At least you won’t be distracted by other drivers’ horrendous road antics, which are kept at bay with the 2.5-litre’s standard fitment of Toyota Safety Sense which includes pre-collision detection, automatic high beam, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning with steering guidance.
Looking better than it has in years, the new Camry is like the uncle who ditched his Giordano for Uniqlo and bought some funky Adidas sneakers to match.
Crossovers and SUVs might be all the rage at the moment, but there’s something to be said about a honest-to-goodness sedan that ticks all the essentials.
It might have competition from the supremely stylish Mazda 6 and Volkswagen Passat, but the Camry’s blend of safety tech, competent handling and comfortable ride means the original king can hold its own against the young upstarts.
Toyota Camry review: No longer a fuddy-duddy
Toyota Camry review: Practical luxury
Toyota Camry 2.5 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type Inline-4, 16-valves
Capacity 2487cc
Bore x stroke 87.5mm x 103.4mm
Compression ratio 13:1
Max power 206hp at 6600rpm
Max torque 250Nm at 5000rpm
Power to weight 132.9hp per tonne
Gearbox 8-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 9.2 seconds
Top speed 210km/h
Consumption 11.2km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Double wishbones, coil springs
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Bridgestone Turanza T001
Size 235/45 R18
SAFETY
Airbags 7
Traction aids ABS, VSC
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4885mm
Width 1840mm
Height 1445mm
Wheelbase 2825mm
Kerb weight 1550kg
Turning circle 11m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $162,988
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Seamless drive, striking design, comfy and spacious cabin
– Gruff engine note, handling could still be better, pricier than expected
