First look: New Toyota Camry makes Middle East debut


Simon Wilgress-Pipe
  • English
  • Arabic

Toyota has released the latest version of its Camry in the UAE, and the brand is citing it as by far the most advanced model in the lineage so far.

The new arrival sits as the car’s ninth generation and it has been upgraded with a sleeker, more assertive body shell, a re-engineered suspension and braking system, plus an improved safety suite.

The vehicle is traditionally used by taxi companies in the Emirates, but there are plenty in private hands as well.

In fact, the Camry is one of the UAE’s most popular cars, nudging traditional favourites such as the Nissan Patrol and brand sibling the Land Cruiser when it comes to the total number of units sold annually. As The National reported last year, two retired Emirati friends opted to set out in their trusty 2013 Toyota Camry on the road trip of a lifetime across Europe, covering more than 19,000km.

Stylistically, the new Camry’s trademark hammerhead design has been freshened up, and now all models feature LED headlights and taillights.

The car has been fitted with Toyota’s 2.5-litre 4-cylinder hybrid engine capable of producing 230bhp, but a similarly sized petrol version with slightly reduced power is also available.

It is also now possible to zip along in purely electric mode just by flicking a mode button. There are three drive options – normal, sport and eco – according to situation and driver preference. Trim variants come in the form of the E, XLE and GLE.

The Camry’s enhanced tech includes a new voice control system that allows those inside the cabin to alter vehicle set-up, audio levels, navigation and smartphone functions without having to touch anything.

A 7-inch digital cluster and 8-inch multimedia screen are now standard on the E and XLE models, while the GLE combines both of these in a comprehensive 12.3-inch unit.

Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 package is also now standard across the board. Features include pre-collision with pedestrian detection warning, radar cruise control, lane departure alert, lane tracing assist and automatic high beams.

Now, you also get a wireless charging pad, alongside the usual USB ports. The 2025 Camry has a baseline price of Dh109,900 and is available now.

In the US, the Camry is the best-selling sedan and will be available with only a hybrid powertrain from 2025, the company announced. The hybrid EV will combine a four-cylinder 2.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors to deliver more power.

The decision was influenced by compliance with tougher US fuel economy rules, as well as “the performance we were able to get out of the hybrid”, David Christ, head of the Toyota brand in North America, told Reuters.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Based: Gaza
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

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Guillermo Vilas - 659

Manuel Orantes - 501

Thomas Muster - 422

Rafael Nadal - 399 *

Jose Higueras - 378

Eddie Dibbs - 370

Ilie Nastase - 338

Carlos Moya - 337

Ivan Lendl - 329

Andres Gomez - 322

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Monster

Directed by: Anthony Mandler

Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington 

3/5

 

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Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: August 16, 2024, 12:42 PM`