A Lexus Minus the "L"

Back in late 1994, when my father came home from car shopping and announced he had purchased a Camry, I couldn't believe it. I was only twelve at the time, but my interest in cars was already developing. I still remember picturing the Econobox Camry in my head and making the family's first comment: "You're kidding, right?"

A few days later when we went to pick it up, however, my opinion was completely reversed. Instead of the slow, ugly (Disclaimer: These were preconceptions of a 12 year old, I mean no offense to early Camry owners. I drive a '91 626, so I love slow, ugly econoboxes.) car I had pictured, I found a sleek, powerful, and luxurious automobile.

My Quick Ratings of the Car: A 1995 Toyota Camry V6 XLE

Body:
While it's tough to enjoy the looks of a car you see on the road thirty times a day, if you really study it, the '95 Camry is an attractive automobile. From the subtle body work to the attractive alloy wheels, it possesses an understated beauty.

Interior:
The interior in the Camry is amazing for a car in its price range. The leather seats are very comfortable. There is a large amount of legroom for the front two seats, and above-average room in the back. I was quite impressed with the premium sound system: AM/FM/CD/Cassette and 8 (I believe, could be wrong) speakers. There are power windows, power locks, and a power moonroof.

Engine:
The 3.0 liter V6 found beneath the Camry's hood is probably the perfect engine for this car. It produces 192 horsepower and either 200 or 210 lb/ft of torque (my memory fails me). This makes for a very spirited ride. According to Motor Trend, the 0-60 time is about 8 seconds, which is plenty quick for everyday driving.

One small problem with a (relatively) high output engine in a front wheel drive car is a little byproduct called torque steer. All this does is, under harder acceleration, pull the car a little in one direction. This is easily correctable with the steering wheel, but takes a little getting used to if you are unfamiliar with the action.

Other Notes:
The power steering takes absolutely no effort to turn.

Wind noise is minimal.

Engine noise is only intrusive at 4000+ RPM, and even then, it sounds nice.

Passenger-side power door lock quit working, unbeknownst to us, and caused the unfortunate loss of a rarely-used radar detector and my father's "Best of Cream" CD.

This car now has 100,500 miles on it, and is now in the hands of my sister. It has only undergone regular maintenance, and still looks and runs as good as the day we got it.