Toyota’s Camry saloon offers power and reliability with minimum fuss

You might not know it, but it got a whole host of updates earlier this year and I got to take it for a week-long spin last month.

There’s a whole new grille with a tasteful chrome surround, a few new wheel designs, revised taillights and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility is now standard.

My top-spec Platinum model includes a 360-degree camera system, a new 9-inch infotainment screen, heated and ventilated front seats and lane assist has been added to the safety system.

Not to be confused with their (slightly smaller other saloon) Corolla, both cars feature hybrid drive, but this model uses a 2.5ltr petrol and electric motor set-up similar to their RAV4.

The Camry’s large dimensions mean that there is bucket loads of space inside and the build quality here makes it feel like a top premium model.

The updates and changes are everywhere but are more subtle on the inside compared to the exterior.

Storage is excellent with a large cubby space under the centre armrest between the front seats to complement the vacuous door pockets.

My test car featured a wireless phone charger on the centre console, but I believe this doesn’t come in the lower models in the range. This also slides away flawlessly to reveal yet another storage area. There’s a generous 524 litres on offer in the boot too.

OK, but how does it drive? Simply put, it drives brilliantly. But, of course it does. The soft suspension combined with a long wheelbase means it cruises along beautifully. It helps that it is big, too, and remains grounded to the road.

Toyota offer a Sport mode for the e-CVT automatic gearbox that also allows you to gear change by shifting up and down. But genuinely, the standard hybrid set-up left to its own devices is perfectly adequate.

The system defaults to electric drive most of the time but when needed you have a lot of power at your disposal.

This is a huge help to the car’s fuel efficiency, which was a relief over the course of the week that saw lots of motorway driving with the efficiency figure remaining around the 6.5ltr/100km mark.

So how much does it cost? Irish pricing starts from €44,190 and the only choice of drivetrain is the petrol-electric hybrid system with front-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox.

That starting price is for the Sol model, while the only other trim level is the Platinum Edition, which starts from €47,470. It might not be a car that comes with oodles of wow factor but it is more than reliable, stylish, comfortable and is fuel efficient.