The Camry redesign had a secondary goal of wringing cost out whereverpossible. The yen strengthened dramatically during the car's development
period, and saving money was imperative to keep the Camry within reach
of American buyers.
Surprisingly, we can't see any cheapening. Many changes are even improvements.
The new bumpers, for example, are cheaper to build and install yet protect
up to 5 mph instead of 2.5 mph, as before.
However, it's not easy to see the savings on the Camry's window sticker.
The company says new Camrys are 3% to 4% cheaper than comparably equipped
1996 models. That may be technically true, but it is largely because antilock
brakes are now mostly standard instead of mostly optional at a relatively
high $1100.
Nevertheless, the new Camry is just what Toyota set out to achieve:
more of everything but still a Camry. It is more refined, better handling,
roomier and better equipped. The Camry holds its resale value well, and
its reliability means you probably won't have to see much of your dealer
until it's time for a new one.