Before the midsize SUV, the aspirational car of choice was the midsize sedan. Sadly, that segment isn’t as strong as is once was with more brands discontinuing their entries in that class.
Locally, there is just one left, and that’s the Toyota Camry (the Mazda 6 is wagon-only now). It was recently given a heavy facelift in North America with a new exterior design language and an overhauled interior. Now, it looks like it’s coming to Southeast Asia.
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Per Autolifethailand, the heavily updated Toyota Camry will make its regional debut sometime in October 2024. While it hasn’t been confirmed by the manufacturer, the publication had previously been accurate with its launch forecasts in the past.
So, what can we expect? It is said that the version Southeast Asia is be getting will be the Taiwanese look. It differers from the North American and Chinese versions, namely with its bumpers, wheels, and lighting. The new Camry that just went on sale in Taiwan has a mix of both American and Chinese design features.
Inside, it’s similar to the North American and Chinese models. The redesigned interior has a new dashboard layout with a wider infotainment screen in the center. The instrument cluster also gets new graphics and displays as part of the 2025 update.
Under the hood, it is expected to be exclusively hybrid for Southeast Asia. It’s likely to use a similar arrangement to the RAV4 hybrid. That means a 2.5-liter Atkinson Cycle four-cylinder engine mated to a pair of compact electric motors. Combined output is rated at 225hp.
So, what are the odds of this model coming to the Philippines? As it is, the midsize sedan market in the country is on (very) thin ice. But knowing Toyota, we reckon it will still offer it here. After all, there are still folks out there who would rather have a midsize sedan over an SUV any day.
