This car has serious potential to look good.
The back-end is "heightched" up too high and there is too much space between the tailights, which makes the backend not all that cute! But overall the car is nice, it needs a spoiler as a standard feature.
For such a large car, there needs to be more leg room for the backseat passengers. The 2001 Camry's have more overall cabin room for taller people.
I do not like the brakes on this bad boy either. Don't try to get your speed on and a car swerves in front of you, you'll be slowing down forever before you come to a STOP! Way too much floating going on with the brakes- don't like that one!
The sound system is wack! Can we get a little stronger bass? And can the volume go up like 10 more notches?
I don't smoke, but if I wanted to take up the habit, this car has no ashtray!
The rear seat cup holders should not be embedded in the cloth armrest - that means no drinking in my car!
And the #1 annoyance for me is... the driver side window! Tell me why I can't roll down and stop my window half way for a little breeze without some serious concentration and fine motor skills. You've got to be quick to flick your forefinger to get the window to stop rolling down at a certain point! Straight up backwards I tell yah!
Now, don't get me wrong, I looooovvvee my camry! It has a very luxurious interior, and the exterior's not too shabby either! I really like the headlights.
I love the comfort and room for the driver. I have long legs and can ride very happy in this car!
If you're shorter, there are a hundred ways to adjust your seating position if driving perched up with your breast bone all mushed into the steering wheel is what you do!
The armrest/console for the front seat passenger and driver is very wide and comfortable and roomy on the inside which is a plus!
I loooovvveee the cup-holders for the driver and passenger, you could fit anything in there! You could even use it as a French fries and drink combination holder, I'm tellin' you, it could be used several ways- very roomy!
HANDLING:
Can make a mean U-Turn; EXCELLENT!
Can hug a corner like a grandmother hugs a grandchild; PERFECT!
The steering is a little shaky at high speeds.
The brakes suck at high speeds.
And the whole swerving in and out of traffic at high speeds takes real practice, because this puppy could easily loose control with the flick of your wrist- I tend to drive just a little over the average speed limit...
I love Toyota's, always will, and would recommend this car to others, even you!
But make sure you REALLY test drive this baby if driving fast is your thing!
I strongly agree with your comment about braking at high speeds. We own both a 2001 Camry and a 2003 and I would buy another 2001 anyday just on the difference in braking.
To go even further with this I offer a personal story:
I live in Orlando, FL and was driving on I-4 about a year ago. A guy was passing me in the lane to my left at a pretty fast speed so I figured it was safe to time my lane change...when I made it this guy had like slowed down quite a bit (almost like he either saw a speed trap or was trying to exit?) and I realized it at the last second. Hit the brakes and I wasn't stopping--thought for sure I was going to rear end this guy... before I knew it my car was spinning out of control -- I spun off cross two lanes and into the right median. It is nothing short of a miracle that I hit nothing in the process--took some tread off the tires, but no damage to the car at all.
However, that should not have happened--those brakes did not perform like they should have and it could have cost me my life. Toyota needs to get back to a chasis like the 97-01 with comparable braking systems. Also, the standard tires that came with our '03 are cheap. "Goodyear Integrity" -- the car now has 27,000 miles on it and I balance and rotate (including using the full size 5th spare) the tires on schedule--they are almost needing replacement at 27,000 miles. I'm just hoping to get 36k miles and dumping this thing back to the dealer (we leased this one and bought the '01).
It wouldn't surprise me if the SE Camry's have much better brakes since they are 4 wheel disc, but again, I vouch for this comment about terrible braking at high speeds--it's very very true.
I agree with the writer and the commenter! The brakes on my 2002 Camry are horrific! And the guy who swerved off the road on I 4 in Florida, you must consider yourself a heck-of-a driver, because I would've hit the guy in front of me!
The brakes on the 2002 do need some enhancements.
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