The 2015 Toyota Camry continues its previous generation’s success as America’s best-selling car, but with a minor cosmetic change. Through four trims and three engine styles, the 2015 Camry offers enough versatility to attract different customers without making the car-buying process overwhelming.
Key Points
- All 2015 Toyota Camry trims offer remarkable reliability and ease of use. Standard on all trims is a 2.5L four-cylinder engine that outputs 178 horsepower, putting it behind the competition.
- The V6 available for the XLE and XSE trims offers much better performance with 268 horsepower.
- The base LE trim doesn’t offer anything fancy. However, with leather-trimmed seats, HD Radio, bigger wheels, and a sportier look, the XSE trim provides excellent value for the price.
- The fuel consumption rate for the standard engine is 28 mpg combined, which is lower than other four-cylinder engines in the same price range. But fuel consumption for the V6 engine rates better than the competition.
2015 Toyota Camry Offers a Driving Experience Similar to the Previous Generation: Quiet and Uneventful
The previous generation of the Camry was known for operating smoothly and quietly. The 2015 Toyota Camry delivers minor enhancements to the previous-gen.’s formula with a firmer unibody and a 30-percent increase in under-carpet sound deadening.
Although wheel tracks are slightly wider and front springs are stiffer by a small margin, there are little to no noticeable improvements in the 2015 Camry’s handling.
All 2015 Toyota Camry trims and engine configurations are front-wheel drives as standard. Like most of the cars in this class, the 2015 Camry does not offer an all-wheel-drive configuration.
The Camry has always been famous for its excellent safety standards. Extended length in the side curtain airbags improves the occupants’ safety in the 2015 model. The 2015 Toyota Camry earns the highest score in most crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and an overall perfect safety rating of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Although cars in the affordable midsize sedan segment are plenty, only a few can hold themselves against the Camry’s higher-end trims. The 2015 Honda Accord and the 2015 Nissan Altima are two prime competitors of the 2015 Camry in terms of reliability, ease of use, price, and engine configurations.
Although the Honda Accord provides a plug-in-hybrid layout and some unique features, such as a blind-spot camera as standard in mid-level trims, the 2015 Toyota Camry ranks #1 in the midsize car segment, according to J.D. Power.
2015 Toyota Camry’s Base Trim Offers the Essentials, but Higher Trims have Better Value
Toyota offers a variety of options and specs through four different trim levels: the LE, SE, XLE, and the XSE.
The base LE trim does not offer anything fancy; it comes with the necessities for an easy-to-drive, reliable car. The infotainment system features a 6.1-inch touchscreen display, an AM/FM CD player with a Bluetooth connection available, and the sound system consists of six speakers spread in the cabin. You can expect to find a used 2015 Toyota Camry LE at a dealer with about 90,000 miles for around $16,000, per Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Pricing.
The SE trim offers a sportier experience, some nice interior touches, and convenient features, making it more of a practical choice over the base LE trim. A sportier exterior design, 17-inch wheels, An eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, and a leathered steering wheel are some noticeable differences from the base model. The 2015 Camry SE should have a typical listing price of around $16,500.
The XLE model adds a luxurious touch to the 2015 Camry. With leather-trimmed seats, HD and satellite radio, and voice recognition as standard, the XLE trim radiates elegance quite a bit more than the base trim. What’s more, the XLE trim comes with 17-inch alloy wheels with Super Chrome paint. Expect to spend about $17,800 on a 2015 Camry XLE.
Last but certainly not least, the XSE trim is a mixture of the sportiness offered in the SE trim and luxurious features. Featuring 18-inch Super Chrome wheels, sport leather-trimmed seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control, the XSE provides the best value for its price range. You can find a 2015 Camry XSE on the market for a typical listing price of around $18,100.
The standard engine across all trims is a 2.5L inline-four paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission stays the same for V6 engine configurations and is only swapped with a CVT for hybrid models.
Toyota offers a handful of packages and options for the 2015 Camry. The Advanced Technology Package, for instance, offers lane departure alert, pre-collision system and dynamic radar cruise control, and automatic high beam. A moonroof and adaptive cruise control are two optional features that attract our attention.
2015 Camry’s Different Engine Configurations Ensure Versatile Options are on the Table
All 2015 Toyota Camry trims come with a 2.5L inline-four gasoline engine as standard. It outputs 178 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque, meaning the Camry’s four-cylinder engine takes its time in acceleration. The 2015 Toyota Camry’s standard engine comes with EPA-estimated fuel consumption of 28 mpg combined (25 city/34 highway), which is lower than its competitors.
The hybrid layout available for the LE, SE, and XLE trim levels produces 200 horsepower and 1156 lb.-ft. of torque. The performance is similar to the standard engine, but thanks to its electric motors, the 2015 hybrid Camry’s EPA-estimated fuel economy is 40 mpg combined (42 city/38 highway).
If a slow and uneventful driving experience isn’t your cup of tea, a 3.5L V6 engine is available for the XLE and the XSE trims, giving a sporty kick to the 2015 Camry. Capable of producing 268 hp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, the V6 engine provides decent acceleration and a more responsive driving experience. What’s more, EPA-estimated fuel consumption for the 2015 Camry’s V6 is 25 mpg combined (21/30), which is relatively better than most of the competition.
Both the inline-four and the V6 configurations are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that does the job but is far from being perfect. The hybrid model, on the other hand, powers front wheels through a continuously variable transmission system (CVT). Though CVTs generally provide a smoother driving experience, the lack of upshifting and downshifting makes the driving experience even more dull and unexciting.
2015 Camry Base Trim’s Engine Doesn’t Offer Anything Eye-catching, but the V6 XSE Holds its Own Against the Competition
Although all trims of the 2015 Toyota Camry offer a remarkable combination of comfort, interior space, and reliability, the base trim doesn’t do very well compared to the competition. The 2015 Nissan Altima base trim, for instance, provides a better fuel consumption rate, better interior design, and more luxurious features.
However, thanks to a sportier driving experience and enhanced standard features, the 2015 Toyota Camry XSE V6 offers an excellent value for its price.
Photos: Toyota
