Editorial: Toyota Announces The Most Important New York Auto Show Debut

by Derek Kreindler

Published: March 27th, 2014

editorial toyota announces the most important new york auto show debut

This edition of the 2014 New York Auto Show just got a little more interesting, as Toyota announced it will show off a mid-cycle refresh for the current version of the Camry.

Although the 2015 Hyundai Sonata was expected to be one of the stars of the show, the Camry’s facelift will steal some of the thunder from the Sonata. Even if Toyota comes out with a few minor tweaks, the Camry’s standing as America’s best selling car will ensure that there’s plenty of media coverage for Toyota, and a convenient distraction from their recent billion dollar fine that was just paid to the U.S. government.

Toyota has both the will and the production capacity to go to serious lengths to defend the Camry’s title as America’s best-selling car. But a newly updated crop of challengers, from Ford, GM, Honda and Nissan ( not to mention the new Chrysler 200) are all looking to chip away at the Camry’s top slot.

Even though the Camry was the only mid-size sedan to sell over 400,000 units last year, the segment itself was up by just 1 percent, and sales this year have been down by 11 percent in a relatively flat market. According to Automotive News, the Nissan Altima has been leading the segment this year, and though it’s unlikely to wrestle the crown from the Camry by year end, it’s a sign that Toyota’s dominance is not what it used to be.

#NewYork2014 #Toyota #ToyotaCamry

Derek Kreindler

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7 of 135 comments

J.Emerson on Mar 27, 2014

Guys, it's fine. Toyota can totally afford to buy its way to the top of the midsize sedan segment. After all, they have hundreds of thousands of highly profitable pickups and full size SUVs to oh wait nevermind. Price leadership matters for Toyota in this segment, more than anyone else besides Honda.

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- Thornmark on Mar 28, 2014
  
  I think the Fusion will ultimately end up like the 2nd gen Taurus - fleet. Because Ford has all that capacity and the Fusion fails to win any competitive tests. I remember reading that Ford assigned the new Fusion the same depreciation rate as the Accord - to me that's something that has to earned and the Fusion hasn't come close. As for price, the new Altima is pure KMart blue light special - I just wonder if all those cheap Altimas sold to the credit-impaired won't come back to haunt them like it did to Mitsubishi. But it sure is moving the metal. The ultimate test is time - GM, Ford and Chrysler have had disposable names for their products w/ a few exceptions. Camry and Accord have been around for 30 years so I expect to see them in 10 years. The others, not so much.
  
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- Thornmark on Mar 28, 2014
  
  I think the Fusion will ultimately end up like the 2nd gen Taurus - fleet. Because Ford has all that capacity and the Fusion fails to win any competitive tests. remember reading that Ford assigned the new Fusion the same depreciation rate as the Accord - to me that's something that has to earned and the Fusion hasn't come close. As for price, the new Altima is pure KMart blue light special - I just wonder if all those cheap Altimas sold to the credit-impaired won't come back to haunt them like it did to Mitsubishi. But it sure is moving the meta I l. The ultimate test is time - GM, Ford and Chrysler have had disposable names for their products w/ a few exceptions. Camry and Accord have been around for 30 years so I expect to see them in 10 years. The others, not so much.
  
  Like
- Thornmark on Mar 28, 2014
  
  I think the Fusion will ultimately end up like the 2nd gen Taurus - fleet. Because Ford has all that capacity and the Fusion fails to win any competitive tests. I remember reading that Ford assigned the new Fusion the same depreciation rate as the Accord - to me that's something that has to earned and the Fusion hasn't come close. As for price, the new Altima is pure KMart blue light special - I just wonder if all those cheap Altimas sold to the credit-impaired won't come back to haunt Nissan like it did to Mitsubishi. But it sure is moving the meta I l. The ultimate test is time - GM, Ford and Chrysler have had disposable names for their products w/ a few exceptions. Camry and Accord have been around for 30 years so I expect to see them in 10 years. The others, not so much.
  
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Ddr7 on Mar 27, 2014

It's not such a bad car, I drove a rental 2014 SE as my Mazda 3 was in warranty service, to be honest, I almost leased one as I was in the market for a new car to replace the 2011 Mazda, at the end, I leased the Accord Sport, it felt so much better than the Camry, again, I don't think anybody makes bad cars anymore but in each segment you need to test them all and I thought the Accord felt the best, I just love the S mode, it feels so responsive for city driving, al in all, the CVT is just great.

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Zip89123 on Mar 27, 2014

I'm looking forward to the 2015. I hope the XLE gets the SE body, I hope all models get Sirius XM standard, and I hope the V6 stays and a CVT doesn't make a debut.

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Wheeler on Mar 29, 2014

Ah yes, a refresh...following so much negative feedback about the hard on the eyes body design. Perhaps they will not only apply a new face, but possibly even turn the tail end, right side up. Couldn't they steal a designer or two from Nissan or Mazda, when no one is looking?

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