The Toyota Camry competes for best-selling car honors in America. A tremendous success as a midsize family sedan, the Camry is technologically advanced, stylish and reliable. Revisions for the 2007 is evident in every corner, updates include a roomy interior, additional luxury-oriented features, an available 268 hp V6 mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission, and a gasoline-electric hybrid model that earns EPA fuel economy estimates of 43/37 mpg city/highway. This engine gets power from a 147 hp I4 engine plus 45 hp electric motor with an ultra-small inverter, a compact battery and a transaxle. The power of the electric motor is used in combination with the gasoline engine or individually.

It’s not only the exteriors and the interiors which get a makeover, the engine, transmission and handling receive changes. The Camry is launched in five trims viz., Camry CE, LE, the sporty SE, the premium XLE and the Hybrid. The 2007 Camry gets a basic warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles.

The hybrid gets an electric motor that pumps out 45 hp that adds to the 158 ponies of the gasoline engine. With this combination the engine makes an estimated EPA of 43/37-mpg city/highway.

The extended edge of the door panels look like rocker panels. There are some changes in the rear too. The deep crease separates the huge bumper into two parts and the taillamp is also redesigned. Standard wheels now measure 16 rather than 15 inches, and the Camry SE has 17-inch aluminum wheels and summer performance tires (all-season tires are an option).

The base sedan comes with SBRP215/60R16 94V all-season tires, dual color-keyed power adjustable exterior rearview mirrors, power windows with driver side one-touch down, rear window defroster, dual sunvisors, intermittent windshield wipers, front and rear color-keyed bumpers and front air dam.

Added features on the XLE and Camry Hybrid is a ventilation system that uses "Plasmacluster” ionizer technology that helps reduce airborne mold spores, microbes, fungi, odors, germs and bacteria inside the passenger cabin. Lot of wood-like material is used inside the door panels and in the cabin to make it look elegant. The top XLE model’s backrests recline 8 degrees more than the others.

Power delivered by the combination of the four-cylinder engine and the electric motor in the Hybrid is nearly same as the V6. Camry Hybrid’s acceleration, brakes and clutch operations are performed by wires and not through the conventional method. This drive-by-wire method replaces the hydraulic assembly connecting the pedal to the throttle and brakes. It also reduces the weight and space in the engine compartment considerably.

The Hybrid’s battery recharges through the generators that run against the disc or the drum when the brakes are slammed. The Hybrid functioning is seamless; the phase when the gasoline engine is assisted by the electric motor is not felt. It synchronizes smoothly without complaints making the technology a welcome.

The Camry earns “good” rating in the IIHS frontal-offset testing.