Camry, Accord's Rivalry Continues With 2015 Models

The 'rivalry' between the Camry and Accord, two acknowledged leaders
in the car segment, continues as shown in the just revealed features
of their 2015 models.

Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have been a crowd-puller over the years.
They both belong to the midsize sedan group, which is the largest
selling vehicle segment in Nigeria and globally.

A prominent auto reviewer, the Car Connection, notes the sweeping
redesign in the 2015 Camry with a completely new look for the interior
and exterior, added noise insulation, and upgraded driving dynamics,
it insists the Toyota model faces stronger competition from the
recently refreshed versions of the Honda Accord.

Although the Camry has more than any vehicle won the Nigerian car of
the year in the last five years, the two have consistently made the
final nomination list.

The Camry was the third best-selling vehicle in the United States,
after the Ford F-150, with the Accord right behind it.

Exterior

An online auto journal, Digital Trend, says both the Camry and Accord
have a reputation for boring styling, but Toyota tries to change that
with the 2015 model.

The new Camry takes its styling cues from the Avalon and Corolla, with
bit of the Lexus.

According to Digital Trend, the most dramatic change is the yawning
chasm of a grille on SE and XSE models.

In contrast, the Accord is restrained and subtle. It's a handsome car,
but also a bit anonymous. The one thing it has over the Camry in the
styling department is an available coupe body style.

"Toyota really tries to make the 2015 Camry more exciting, and for
that it gets the nod here," it states.

The new Camry has an aggressive front-end appearance, with LED front
running lamps, LED auto-leveling lamps for the low and high beams.

The Camry has nearly 2,000 new parts compared to the 2014 model.
Toyota says that everything is new except the roof.

Interior

The new Accord and Camry feature simple, functional interiors with
now-obligatory centre-stack display screens for their respective
infotainment systems.

The Camry adds a 4.2-inch TFT display nestled between new Optitron
gauges, plus wireless smartphone charging in a compartment in the
center console.

Toyota's large central screen and buttons also looks easier to use
than Honda's split screens, and the (optional) French stitching gives
the interior a slightly sportier feel.

Engine

Buyers can choose between a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 178
horsepower with 170 pound-feet of torque and a 3.5-litre V6 with 268
hp and 248 lb-ft, both paired with six-speed automatic transmissions.

The Accord comes standard with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that produces
185 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque.

It is paired with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable
transmission.

It also has an optional 3.5-litre V6 that produces 278 hp and 252
lb-ft, with a six-speed automatic.
Performance

The Accord has been the driver's choice in the area of pleasant
driving experience. Auto experts note that Honda has always had an
uncanny ability to make its ordinary models more than ordinary.

But the Camry, which had been known as one of the most boring cars on
the road, tries to change the perception with the 2015 model. The
addition of a "sporty" XSE trim level for 2015 is meant to achieve
this.

The Chief Executive Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation, Mr. Akio
Toyoda, has promised more-exciting cars.

Toyota claims to have made some significant changes to improve the
Camry's responsiveness. While the existing MacPherson strut,
multi-link rear suspension layout is carried over into the 2015 Camry,
with a new calibration for the electric power steering and a re-tuned
brake-booster system to make it a better-driving car.

Safety

According to the Car Connection, the 2015 Camry offers more
active-safety features than before, including lane departure alert, a
pre-collision system with auto high beams, and a blind spot monitor
with rear cross traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control is also on
offer with that feature set.

The Accord sedan models feature a rearview camera to see more of what
is around the car when driving in reverse.

A small camera mounted at the top of the front windshield or, in the
case of the Touring model, a radar system mounted in the front grille
can detect the presence of vehicles in front.