NEWS photo Paul McGratt

The two-door Toyota Camry Coupe is new for 1994. Starting at $19,238, the coupe offers a standard 125 horsepower 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine, or optional 18€
horsepower 3.C-litre V6. Inquire about the Camry at Jim Pattison Tuyota, 1765 Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

For 1994 the

TEST DRIVE

THE TOYOTA Camry is one
of the most statistically reli-
able cars in Canada ... at
least according to thousands
of Canadian Automobile
Association members.

The Camry won the 1988, 1992
and 1993 Used Car Performance
Pyramid Awards, awards based on
owners’ reports of reliability and
number of trips to the service
garage,

The Camry’s price has been on
the upswing in recent years: base
sedans are now over $20,000,

However, there’s no doubt that
this is one of the best-built cars in

its class.

The manufacturing plant in
Kentucky where the coupe and
wagon are built has won a number
of product quality awards from J.D.
Power & Associates, an influential
U.S. research firm.

Camry sedans are built both in
Japan and the United States. but
future plans call for all North
American-sold Camrys to be
sourced from Kentucky.

For 1994, the four-door Camry
sedan and station wagon are joined
by a two-door coupe.

The coupe has the same dimen-
sions as the sedan and it uses the
same standard 2.2-litre four-cylin-
der engine and optional 3.0-fitre
V6. The base price of the coupe is
about $900 cheaper than the sedan:
$19,238 versus $20,138.

Since it has the same dimensions
as the sedan, the coupe doesn’t siac-
tifice rear headroom or legroom, a
common shortcoming uf many
coupes.

In fuct. as Japanese cars go, the
Camry coupe is a big car, bigger
than the Honda Accord, Nissan
Altima, and Mazda 626,

Interior room is quite generous
for five adults. One particularly
nice feature is the generous amount
of foot roam for rear passengers
under the front seats. The mount-
ings for the front seuts are posi-
tioned at the sides rather than under
the front seats. creating more foot
space. |

However, getting into the rear

seat of the coupe is more difficult
than with the sedan.

Even though the coupe's doors
are longer than those of the sedan.
you still have to flip down the front
seatback and squeeze in between
the seat and the body.

The passenger seat automatical-
ly slides forward to make getting in
the rear easier. but it’s stili nota
graceful affair.

Another important dilference
between the coupe and the sedan is
that the rear side windows are
fixed; you cannot roll them down.

All 1994 Camrys have a new
passenger-side airbag in addition to
the driver's side airbag as standard
equipment.

Other new safety features are
ALR seatbelts, which can feck in
one position in order to properly
secure a child's seat,

The Cam driving environ-
ment utilizes large, casy-to-see
instruments: big, well-marked
push-buttons for ventilation: and
slender. well-designed stalks for
lights and wipers. Important con-
trols illuminated for night use.

The Camry has a good-sized
trunk with a fat door, low loading

and standard fold-dowa rear

seats for hauling long objects.
Unlike some Japanese coupes
and sedans which are sporty in
nature, the Camry is a quiet, pleas-
ant family car with a soft ride, and
handling with more lean than you
might expect from an import
Steering effort is minimal, auto.

matic transmission shifts are often
imperceptible and both available
engines are relatively quiet and
smooth,

The Camry coupe’s standard
engine is a 125 horsepower 2.2-litre
four-cylinder unit mated to a stan-
dard five-speed manual transmis-
sion or optional four-speed auto-
matic.

With four valves per cylinder,
dual overhead camshafts, dual bal-
ance shafts, a fair amount of fow-
end torque. and a free-revving feel,
this engine rates as one of the nicest
four-cylinder powerplants in its
clas

The new engine is lighter, slight-
ly more powerful (188 horsepower
versus 185). and gets better fuel
economy. Ht remains a dual over-
head cam, four valve per cylinder

Price as tested $3 1.583

Base price $19,238

Type two-door, 5 passenger
coupe

Layout transverse front engine/
front wheel drive

Engine 3.0-litre V6, DOHC, 24
valves, multi-port fuel injection
Horsepower 188 @ 5,200 rpm
Torque 203 ft-lbs @ 4.400 rpm
‘Transmission four-speed auto-
mitic

sedan and station wagon are joined by a two-door coupe

unit with multi-port fuel injection.

An improved four-speed auto-
matic (ransmission is also new for
1994.

By the way, the V6 engine is
available only with an automatic
transmission. :

Fuel consumption with the V6 is
reasonable for a mid-sized car: 12.5
litres per 100 kilometres (22 mpg),
around town and 8.5-litres per 100
kilometres (33 mpg) on the high-

“way. At 100 km/h in top gear, the

V6 turns over at just 2.200 rpm.
The new coupe ts available with
a Sport option for those who want
more emphasis on performance. It
includes standard four wheel disc
brakes with ABS. a stiffer suspen-
sion, performance-rated 205/65VR
$5 Dunlop radials. front sport seats
alloy wheets, and rear spoiler.

Tires Dunlop P205/65R 15 all-
season radials

Curb weight 1.460 kg (3.219
Ibs)

Trunk capacity 422 litres (14.8
cu. ft.)

Fuel consumption City: 12.9
1100 km (22 mpg): Hwy: 8.5
100 km (33 mpg) :
Warranty Basic three years/
60.000 km; ‘powertrain five
years/100.00G km