A Reliable Car

Shopping for a car can be a hassle. There are seemingly unlimited choices between makes, models and years. But if you’re looking for a reasonably priced used mid-sized sedan, the 2010 Camry may be a good fit. Along with the Toyota name, the 2010 Camry brings a few new changes in the engine and design. Although it lacks the power and performance of other cars in its class, the 2010 Camry bridges the gap with its legacy of reliability and Comfort. The performance of the car is the biggest drawback. The base engine has been improved from the previous year’s 2.4-liter engine to a 2.5-liter, increasing the horsepower to 169 from 158. With a change in engine from the previous year I expected the car to feel like it had more power. The acceleration is decent; however, it is truly lackluster past about 50mph. The slow throttle response, compared to other sedans in its class (Accord, Sonata, Etc.), worsens the issue by adding to the time it takes to get power to the wheels. The lack of power makes it difficult to pass other cars at higher speeds. It doesn’t seem like any changes that were made to the engine had any effect at all.
The exterior lighting is another area that could benefit from improvement. Certainly the headlights are bright enough to pass safety standards, but it doesn’t take long to notice reduced brightness due to the oxidation of the lenses. The protective film and materials used for the headlight lamps gets cloudy after only two years of exposure to the elements. Reduced visibility can cause unsafe driving conditions at any time of the day. There are other factors that influence how fast headlight lenses oxidize. If you can keep your car in a garage, away from UV exposure and rain, the headlights will retain a cleaner appearance longer. Headlight oxidation can be fixed with a restoration kit, but it shouldn’t need to be done so soon.
Toyota’s Camry has a long-standing record of being a top-selling quality vehicle. Since owning it I’ve noticed that I don’t have to do much when it comes to maintenance. The transmission shifts swiftly between gears, as if new, even past 100k miles. The engine has remained sound and free of trouble through the years I’ve had it. If you can do it yourself, just changing the oil and a few filters will practically guarantee staying away from the dealership’s notoriously high repair cost. With a few additional fluid changes this car hasn’t given me a single problem. The low ‘True cost to own’, cost of the car plus maintenance, is my favorite feature for this car.
The Camry comes with all the same standard features that most cars have, such as power locks and windows, Bluetooth stereo and cruise control, to name a few. What makes it stand apart is its spacious interior and soft leather seats, depending on the model. There’s plenty of headroom and leg space to accommodate a larger person in the front and still seat up to three people in the rear comfortably. The downside of the 2010 Camry’s seats is the rear portion. In previous models, and in most sedans, the rear seats fold down. In this year’s model, they do not fold down but they do recline. Because of this longer items that would fit in most other cars will not fit in the Camry. Reclining seats may increase the comfort of the seat, but the versatility is surely limited with the non-folding variant. The 2010 Camry provides comfortable and smooth feeling ride in addition to reliability. It accommodates both the driver and any passengers with a quiet luxurious cabin interior. The low maintenance cost puts the icing on the cake by keeping more money in the pocket of the buyer. I’ve had no regrets with the purchase of this car and if you can look past its few faults, it promises to deliver on a positive driving experience.