Camry gets Motor Trend's Car of the Year

[mustang84]

Surprise, surprise

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.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15833397/

[Variance]

Can't say this was much of a shock.

I also can't say it's totally undeserved.

[Camino LS6]

I can't keep any response rational, let alone civil, so I think I'll just let this one slide by.

[grandmarquis]

reason #2,194 why M/T is irrelevent.

[Sixty8panther]

reason #2,194 why M/T is irrelevent.

218640[/snapback]

Amen.

BTW: to anyone who thinks the new nose is sporty or interesting

take a look at it in profile, it's more of a pig snout than Tundra's.

[blue-bowtie]

[the_yellow_dart]

Amen.

BTW: to anyone who thinks the new nose is sporty or interesting

take a look at it in profile, it's more of a pig snout than Tundra's.

218642[/snapback]

It is a pig snout, and that does bother me. To be honest though, the rest of the design has really grown on me. The hood and trunk both have some interesting creases, and this is definately not the put-you-to-sleep Camry design we've seen in the past.

Apparently the interior still needs work (according to my friend), and the ride still puts you to sleep (same).

Toyota has scored a few points in my eyes though, for at least trying to design a car and not a bar of soap.

[NOS2006]

You know what? That's okay. Live this one up, Toyota, because it's the last COTY you're going to win for a awhile...

[79VetteZ06]

You know what? That's okay. Live this one up, Toyota, because it's the last COTY you're going to win for a awhile...

218666[/snapback]

[Dragon]

I don’t want to like it, I REALLY don’t’ want to like it, but I do. Unlike its predecessor and the Accord, this one actually has some style. Though I don’t like that specific grill. I prefer the 3 bar body coloured one or the black honeycomb.

[Flybrian]

For reference, some past MT COTYs...

[FAPTurbo]

Meh... What would you expect to win? The Chevrolet Impala?... the Ford Crown Victoria?...

Then again, I'm a little surprised the Ford Fusion didn't win.

[siegen]

I'm not surprised. It is a substantial car in the market. I can't say that it was the most deserving, but I honestly don't know. It does offer a hybrid model, which obviously scores some points.

[79VetteZ06]

Honestly, there was no other real competitor to the Camry. So I think it was a choice of default.

[Drew Dowdell]

Here was it's competition.

Chrysler Sebring, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, Kia Rondo, Honda Fit, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Volvo C70 T5 and the Volkswagen Rabbit.

Out of this group, the Camry did deserve to win. The only cars that stood a chance were the Aura and Altima.

[Drew Dowdell]

More COTY winners:

Was there really nothing better in 1972?

And last, but certainly not least....

remember, if you're driving one of these, you're a winner.

Edited November 22, 2006 by Oldsmoboi

[Flybrian]

Out of this group, the Camry did deserve to win. The only cars that stood a chance were the Aura and Altima.

218771[/snapback]

This is true. I'd imagine a Aura Green Line and Altima hybrid available for the 2007 model year would've made it a tough competition.

This also explains the Ridgeline's win last year for trucks. Really, what new came out for 2006 in the truck market?

[siegen]

Out of this group, the Camry did deserve to win. The only cars that stood a chance were the Aura and Altima.

218771[/snapback]

Meh...

Really, what new came out for 2006 in the truck market?

218781[/snapback]

What truly new offering has ever come out in the truck market?

[CARBIZ]

The Citroen SM was a truly innovative car for its time. I remember a roommate of mine had a friend with one. Very neat car. The K-car we can all laugh at, but at the time it was a pretty decent car AND it saved Chrysler - so that would qualify it for a COTY.

The Camry is just, well - a Toyota. Bland, boring and certainly not groundbreaking.

The Citation was a horror (we now know) but, again, it was a roomy, American car built for Americans.

[FAPTurbo]

Meh...

What truly new offering has ever come out in the truck market?

218799[/snapback]

Avalanche?...

Ridgeline?...

[Flybrian]

Yeah, the Avalanche was pretty revolutionary.

[Z-06]

Now that is the perfect choice. Thanks MT for finally realizing the best car of 2007. Let us ORGY people to celebrate.

[cletus8269]

isnt this coming from the same people that thought a honda deserved to be truck of the year? if it is i have no further comment.

[Chevy Ryan]

Don't forget the 1991 MT car of the year, the Caprice. I love GM, but come on. That thing was hideous until the 94 Impala arrived. Motor Trend has become so anti-domestic, they should rename it Import Trend. What do you expect from an auto rag based in La La Land? Angus Mackenzie should go back to Australia. The import rhetoric has gone way up since he arrived. Car & Driver isn't much better, but I think being based in Michigan gives them a little less bias. At least they rip Toyota for being the king of bland.

[carstar]

well the 08 malibu should be the 2008 coty.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I love how Motor Trend went from the ONE magazine that held out hope for Detroit (Which is why they were a joke--- we all know the snobs that read the rags don't drive domestics... Domestic drivers are idiot neanderthals that aren't edjumacated enough to read) to the BIGGEST import humping agency in the business with the big "staff change" Guess they're trying to reach the 'younger' audience, which exclusively drives and aspires to imports. (As they've been told to do)

Anyway, F**K it.... The Camry was a sure winner, since it is on the right side of god afterall... At least, according to the media and Toyota PR. And since it didn't have any competition.

But I'm sure we'll hear about this forever... I can see the ads now: "Toyota Camry. The americanist, american built american favorite american driven american car there is in america." So do the american thing and buy imported america!!! (To quote the article from "The Economist")

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

well the 08 malibu should be the 2008 coty.

218987[/snapback]

Keep dreaming.... It'll be the 2008 Corolla.

The days of Detroit getting the respect it deserves are over. Detroit is finally completely out of style, and now the mags aren't affraid to do what they've been wanting to do for years, yet haven't because sentiment was divided... That is; cast the domestics away, for good. Do you honestly think CR has kept 1 and only 1 domestic on it's list for the past however many years now because they actually liked the car?!?!?! Yeah right...

Oh and BTW, I'll bet anyone here BIG MONEY that the Camry will be NA COTY as well.

[siegen]

well the 08 malibu should be the 2008 coty.

218987[/snapback]

Keep dreaming.... It'll be the 2008 Corolla.

219005[/snapback]

I don't know about you guys, but I've got my money on the '08 Accord. :AH-HA_wink:

[GMman]

These are the same geniuses that made the ridgeline 2006 truck of the year.

[siegen]

These are the same geniuses that made the ridgeline 2006 truck of the year.

219011[/snapback]

I hear an echo...

[Guest YellowJacket894]

For reference, some past MT COTYs...

:rotflmao:

While I was in Miami, they stole my rental car, because apparently, they didn't have enough time to load up a gun and shoot me. On the street, there was a Lexus, a BMW, and my car; the rental car: the Plymouth Horizon. Here's a math problem for you, don't ponder it too long or your head'll explode, but how many drugs would you have to consume, in what period of time, to be on the street and go... 'Well, I gotta have the Horizon! Are you kidding me? I've never driven a car that's aqua!' So I called the police, I told them, 'They've stolen my rental car, a Plymouth Horizon.' And the officer said, 'They must have taken it for a joyride.' 'Hey. I don't think you're listening, asshole. The car is a Plymouth... HORIZON! It is not a joy - to ride!' We're talking about a car that goes 45 miles per hour with the wind! If you actually turn off the air conditioning you can supercharge the little f@#ker to 48.

When ever I see a photo of that car, I can help but to think of that joke and wonder exactly what Motor Trend puts in the office brownies.

As for the Camry becoming the Car of the Year, I'll admit, there really wasn't much in the mid-sized sedan segment for it to go up against. There was the Altima and the Aura (and you know MT won't let the Aura get the award because it has a GM badge on the side) and not much else.

[MyerShift]

Yuck. That car is so ugly. I would take the Sebring over this ANY day. That's saying a lot.

[Regalguy01]

Well the last GEN was absolutely nauseating so just about anything would have been better. Overall the design is a little jazzier, but look what it had to start with. The tailights are, well, I dunno. I can't put my hands on it but they just don't seem to fit the car and are oddly integrated into its rear. The grill is very nasaly and snoutish as others have posted. And don't get me started on this cars platform mate, the Lexus BS, oops I mean, ES. My wife asked me if I would let her trade her 03' ES on this current. I told her, ''only if you plan to live in it too ''

Edited November 24, 2006 by Regalguy01

[Sixty8panther]

isnt this coming from the same people that thought a honda deserved to be truck of the year? if it is i have no further comment.

218975[/snapback]

Ouch, burn... oh it's a DEEP BURN!!!

And don't forget it's a UNIBODY truck based on a fu*king minivan!

...did I mention the floorboards are "reinforced" with balsawood?

I wish Honda would just concentrate on making ATV, Generators

motorcycles and lawnmowers. Leave cars & trucks to the adults.

[aaaantoine]

This just in...

"Yankees win the World Series."

"Another Disney movie slated to end 'Happily Ever After'."

"The Simpsons producers have agreed to go for another season."

"Bush refuses to pull troops from Iraq."

"Honda resale values are the highest in the industry."

"Chevy makes trucks."

So... Why am I not surprised?

[Sixty8panther]

Youssa funny guy Quad-A.

[lakefire]

mt has gone down hill since c van tune left

[gm4life]

I am not suprised that it won, but the Aura or Fit deserved the win in my book. I think that for someone looking for a pig-faced, Toyota it is just fine. Once again taking no risks and appealing to the vanila crowd. The fact of the matter remains the interior sucks compared to the new Malibu and the exterior is just werid. I mean overall the car has is OKAY, I really tried to like it, but I just can't. Oh well let them have it this year, Honda will have next year with the Accord or the new Malibu. At least a deserving Chrysler 300C got in in 2005. Let Japan have some glory hopefully in the next years, it will be gone. I bet the Chevy Silverado gets truck of the year!

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

The only new, 2007 model-year car that I can think of that broke any new ground whatsoever is the Dodge Caliber-but its interior, standard equipment, color selection, and and platform dynamics are all crap from what I hear (I've seen the interior and I didn't like it at all, just slightly more than the abominable one of cousin Jeep Compass). Saturn Aura and Sky are very nice, but are more of improvements on existing themes-Camry, I suppose I can see why it won-it looks slick in SE form, and the Hybrid is more commonfolk-intended than the Honda Accord Hybrid.

[Northstar]

I don't know about you guys, but I've got my money on the '08 Accord.  :AH-HA_wink:

219009[/snapback]

I'd say the four front runners are the Malibu, Accord, Corolla, and CTS. I guess the G8 could even be thrown in.

[regfootball]

Here was it's competition.

Out of this group, the Camry did deserve to win. The only cars that stood a chance were the Aura and Altima.

218771[/snapback]

oh cmon, the new altima is far better than the new camry. WTF?

the camry doesn't even have a sporting model. clearly this just shows MT is not an enthusiast mag. they are clearly pandering to the masses and to the money.

Edited November 27, 2006 by regfootball

[bdubsee]

...did I mention the floorboards are "reinforced" with balsawood?

219408[/snapback]

Balsa worked for the C5 Corvette.

Also, what EVERYONE seems to be forgetting is that a COTY/TOTY award from a magazine is a marketing contest - it's not about the hardware. The choice is largely made on the greatest potential return to the awarding magazine (i.e. advertising dollars). The Camry was the best choice because it was the most profitable choice.

Please don't be so naive as to think that these rags are informational or auto news related.

Edited November 27, 2006 by bdubsee

[ponchoman49]

How totally predictable! After all these same morons chose the but ugly Prius as COTY in 2004. Thats why they chose the Camry, because it has a hybrid version for the tree saving humper bunch that makes up Import Trends staff these days! It's funny but so many people in the consumer write up section of Edmunds, Yahoo and MSN have made complaints in one form or another on the 07 Camry from it's quirky, i'll shift when i'm damn good and ready transmission, to it's poor interior fits to break downs, small trunks, soggy handling etc that I find it hard to believe that Toyota Trend didn't at least get a little daring and chose the Altima which is a more impressive car than the bland Camry any day of the week! 90 percent of the Camrys I see on the road are LE 4 cylinder automatics with gray haired old folks behind the wheel. Guess that explains why they chose the new Camry; because they couldn't see how ugly it really is!

[CARBIZ]

The trouble is that when old people become REALLY old and want to trade in their Buick or Oldsmobile, their importing humping spawn are badgering and cajoling them into buying a Honda or Toyota.

I see it all the time: a 75 year old woman wants to trade in her 2000 Cavalier, which she has had since new, loves and has had no problems with, but her 30+ year old kids (who are probably leasing an Accord or Mazda) convince her that Chevrolet is crap and Japanese is better. What is she to do?

[regfootball]

The trouble is that when old people become REALLY old and want to trade in their Buick or Oldsmobile, their importing humping spawn are badgering and cajoling them into buying a Honda or Toyota. 

  I see it all the time: a 75 year old woman wants to trade in her 2000 Cavalier, which she has had since  new, loves and has had no problems with, but her 30+ year old kids (who are probably leasing an Accord or Mazda) convince her that Chevrolet is crap and Japanese is better.  What is she to do?

220591[/snapback]

yup, that's entirely true.

[siegen]

How totally predictable! After all these same morons chose the but ugly Prius as COTY in 2004. Thats why they chose the Camry, because it has a hybrid version for the tree saving humper bunch that makes up Import Trends staff these days! It's funny but so many people in the consumer write up section of Edmunds, Yahoo and MSN have made complaints in one form or another on the 07 Camry from it's quirky, i'll shift when i'm damn good and ready transmission, to it's poor interior fits to break downs, small trunks, soggy handling etc that I find it hard to believe that Toyota Trend didn't at least get a little daring and chose the Altima which is a more impressive car than the bland Camry any day of the week! 90 percent of the Camrys I see on the road are LE 4 cylinder automatics with gray haired old folks behind the wheel. Guess that explains why they chose the new Camry; because they couldn't see how ugly it really is!

220551[/snapback]

The trouble is that when old people become REALLY old and want to trade in their Buick or Oldsmobile, their importing humping spawn are badgering and cajoling them into buying a Honda or Toyota. 

  I see it all the time: a 75 year old woman wants to trade in her 2000 Cavalier, which she has had since  new, loves and has had no problems with, but her 30+ year old kids (who are probably leasing an Accord or Mazda) convince her that Chevrolet is crap and Japanese is better.  What is she to do?

220591[/snapback]

yup, that's entirely true.

220596[/snapback]

You know, if you guys stopped using so many stereotypes and exaggerations, your arguments might actually be worth reading and responding to.

[CARBIZ]

I am sorry to offend you, siegen...excuse me, please. I only work on the floor EVERY day, and have I mentioned (again) our company owns a Toyota store, too. Yes, I am exaggerating and stereotyping...if that is what you want to call it.

Just like I was accosted by a Future shop (Chinese) employee a few weeks ago (I( I was wearing my dealer logo) and he stated, matter-of-factly, that he was Asian (duh!) and that "we" buy Japanese cars.

Yeah, another stereotype.

We ARE seeing a lot of seniors switching to the imports BECAUSE their offspring are persuading them to. That is a fact. I see it a lot.

Maybe things are different in your area, but that is the way I see it around here.

[siegen]

I am sorry to offend you, siegen...excuse me, please.  I only work on the floor EVERY day, and have I mentioned (again) our company owns a Toyota store, too.  Yes, I am exaggerating and stereotyping...if that is what you want to call it.

  Just like I was accosted by a Future shop (Chinese) employee a few weeks ago (I( I was wearing my dealer logo) and he stated, matter-of-factly, that he was Asian (duh!) and that "we" buy Japanese cars.

  Yeah, another stereotype.

  We ARE seeing a lot of seniors switching to the imports BECAUSE their offspring are persuading them to.  That is a fact.  I see it a lot.

  Maybe things are different in your area, but that is the way I see it around here.

220606[/snapback]

"importing humping spawn"

"her 30+ year old kids (who are probably leasing an Accord or Mazda)"

This is what I'm talking about. Not your own observations working in the auto industry.

[FAPTurbo]

Yeah, the "Import Humping Spawn" deal just doesn't sit right with people, and can send even more people to imports.

Besides, why would some R-tard at Future Shop even mention that he buys imports out of the blue like that?

He works at Future Shop for Chrissake.

[Robert Hall]

"importing humping spawn"

"her 30+ year old kids (who are probably leasing an Accord or Mazda)"

This is what I'm talking about. Not your own observations working in the auto industry.

220608[/snapback]

Case in point..last year, my 75 year old mother wanted to trade in her 43k mile '96 Explorer...I didn't push BMWs on her (she wouldn't enjoy them the way I do) or Jeeps, and she went and bought a Navigator, because she and my late father always liked and had good luck with Lincolns (she also has a '98 Town Car). She's been happy with her purchase..

I'm not sure about 'import-humping spawn', but I'm a 30-something fan of BMWs and other European marques, my 40-something sister drives Mercedes and Jeep products, but my 50-something brother sticks with Fords..

Edited November 27, 2006 by moltar