Posted on 11/22/2006 1:33:53 PM PST by kiriath_jearim
DETROIT -- The redesigned Toyota Camry, the hottest-selling car in America, is the winner of Motor Trend Magazine's 2007 Car of the Year award.
The award, announced Wednesday, went to all Camry variations, including the hybrid, because the car is innovative yet has a broad appeal, magazine Editor-in-Chief Angus MacKenzie said in a statement.
"The Camry is the one car rival automakers all wish they could build. It offers something for nearly everyone -- performance, efficiency and roominess -- at a price point most Americans can afford," MacKenzie said.
The Camry beat 26 other models that were totally new or redesigned in the year prior to Jan. 1, 2007, the magazine said. Japanese automakers had 10 cars in the field, with six U.S. models, five from Korea, four from Germany, one from the United Kingdom and one from Sweden.
MacKenzie said the Camry won in a very strong field.
"There have never been more choices available to American car buyers. That is a fact of life in the 21st century," he said.
Through October, Toyota sold 350,481 Camrys this year to lead all cars in U.S. sales. The No. 2 car in sales is Toyota's Corolla at 330,995, according to Autodata Corp.
Staffers at the magazine evaluated the vehicles on their innovation in engineering, design, safety and technology; their performance and quality; and whether the vehicle delivers value to the consumer.
This is the first year the Camry has won the award.
Among competitors for Car of the Year were the Chrysler Sebring, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, Kia Rondo, Honda Fit, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Volvo C70 T5 and the Volkswagen Rabbit.
Last year's winner was the Honda Civic. Last month, the magazine named the Mercedes-Benz GL450 its sport utility vehicle of the year.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
I gave serious consideration to a new Toyota Camry. Then I bought a Cadillac CTS.
roominess?!
All Toyotas are great.
Toyota -- boring, but very reliable.
The new Camry is a nice, if bland vehicle (I say that as a Honda Accord blandmobile owner), but I can't think of anything particularly innovative about it. You want innovation, go look at Mazda, or Subaru, or Daimler Chrysler or Audi or one of those outfits that has interesting new engine technologies.
I'm amazed at how big Camrys and Accords and such have gotten.
They almost qualify as boats in my book.
but,but,but...doesn't everybody in the US own a huge gas guzzling SUV?
Just another ugly boring jellybean shaped rice burner.
"I'm amazed at how big Camrys and Accords and such have gotten. They almost qualify as boats in my book."
****
The same with Toyota Tacomas....almost as big as Dodge Dakota. The Ford Ranger is about the only truly "compact" pickup left.
I doubt there's enough difference between a Hyundai Sonata now and a Camry to justify paying more for a Camry right now.
Ummm, that's the point really. If it were cutting edge, American, and/or exceptional in any way we wouldn't be talking about it as the car of the year.
"Just another ugly boring jellybean shaped rice burner."
They get about 33 MPG of rice.
I have owned several cadillacs, and the Toyota Avalon is nicer than any cadillac I have ever owned. The Avalon Limited, at about $36,000 with navigation, is all the car anyone could want, plus 31 mpg from a 268 hp six.
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