The Toyota Camry has been a staple of the Japanese automaker’s lineup for nearly forty years now. Even after all this time (and given the slump in sedan demand), they still sell well north of 300,000 units each year. Still, while this year incorporates no major styling changes, there is still room to broaden the midsizer’s appeal with all-wheel drive for the snow belt. That’s exactly what they’ve done here, and for the first time in decades (since the old All-Trac) you can get a Camry with power routed to all four wheels. But is it any good? In this video, Tommy tests out the Camry AWD system by putting it through TFL’s slip test.
At the heart of this new all-wheel drive model is the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine you’ll find in most standard, front-wheel drive trims. There is a slight change in power — albeit not a substantial one — from those versions. The 2020 Toyota Camry AWD manages 202 horsepower in SE Nightshade and XLE trims, and 205 horsepower in the XSE. Torque changes along similar lines, to 184 or 185 lb-ft respectively. You still get the same 8-speed transmission with the same gearing. The only change now is that the power’s making its way to the rear wheels as well.
What you won’t see, at least right now, is the meatier 301 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to this all-wheel drive system. Granted, that means you won’t get the same sort of gusto as you would in, say, a Camry TRD, but at least you should get more security in tough conditions. To see how well that works, check out the slip test below!
