Ah, yes. Another mysterious, darkened teaser image from an automaker. This time, though, it’s a big deal because we’re pretty sure this is the next-generation Toyota Camry. That’s right, the legendary midsize sedan is coming back, even as Nissan plans to can the Altima in 2025 and the Mazda 6 got sent off to greener pastures. There’s hope yet for the ever-reliable Camry.
Details aren’t scarce so much as they are completely absent. The cryptic tagline “A New Dawn is Coming” and the shadowy image (don’t bother brightening it, we already tried) are the only two clues provided by Toyota. The automaker did not confirm that this is indeed the ninth-generation Camry, but looking closely at the image, we’re left with few alternatives.
There are some Camry giveaways in the highlighted details. Compared to the existing Camry, the way the headlight joins the hood, front bumper, and front fender looks very similar. Meanwhile, the side mirrors and roof shape are identical. The car in the teaser is certainly some sort of sedan, and the evidence points to it being a next-generation Camry rather than an Avalon revival or a new model. The bumper shape also somewhat matches a supposed teaser in a Toyota Financial Services video that the company previously denied being the next-gen Camry, though the headlights don’t match.
The current Camry has been in production since 2017 and has existed largely unchanged since its debut. It was one of Toyota’s first products built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), representing a colossal update for the Camry at the time. I sampled one earlier this year and thought it was rather sweet to drive, and had the mechanical fundamentals to keep up despite aging technology.
Even with a carryover roofline and mirrors, this will likely be called a next-gen Camry, rather than a refresh. Here’s the truth: Modern mechanical engineering, and global platforms in particular, have given the raw parts of a car an extremely long lifespan and serious versatility. A more recent example of a heavy refresh considered a new car is the 2024 S650 Ford Mustang. While it’s largely based on the previous S550, enough has changed that Ford clearly considers it a generational step for the pony car. For a more direct comparison, the new Honda Accord is also largely based on the old one. When the base engineering is good, why change it?
I’m sure we’ll find out what this teaser is soon enough. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a new Camry, I suggest waiting and seeing.
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