On March 6th, the brand-new 9th generation Toyota Camry officially hit the market. Amidst the intense price competition, with prices spiraling downwards, the Camry, as a benchmark model in the joint venture segment, launching its 9th generation undoubtedly intensifies the market competition. So, can the 9th generation Camry continue the myth of dominating the B-segment sales?
Recently, there's been a lot of buzz about prices. Firstly, the 9th generation Camry comes with a pleasant surprise in terms of pricing, showing a significant advantage over the 8th generation Camry. The 9th generation Camry offers a total of 9 models, with the petrol version priced between 171,800 to 196,800 CNY; while the hybrid version is priced between 179,800 to 206,800 CNY.
Looking at the prices, you can now get the 2.0 HEV intelligent dual-engine hybrid version for the same price as the previous 8th generation 2.0L petrol version. This makes it much easier to understand, very straightforward.
From a product perspective, the new car features a brand-new 2.0L fifth-generation intelligent hybrid system, equipped with the Qualcomm 8155 flagship chip for its infotainment system, and utilizes the comprehensively upgraded T-Pilot intelligent driving assistance suite. The interior boasts even more luxurious materials.
With these "four major strengths," the 9th generation Camry is poised to deliver a higher value experience for consumers, and indeed, it has put pressure on competitors in the joint venture market.
In terms of dimensions, the vehicle measures 4910mm in length with a wheelbase of 2820mm. Apart from a slight increase in length, the overall size remains the same as the current model. In comparison to overseas models, the domestic version uses a Huawei car system and is equipped with the 8155 chip. With this comprehensive upgrade, can the all-new Camry compete with domestically produced B-class cars?
Let's compare by selecting the plug-in hybrid camp's BYD Han DM-i and the extended-range camp's Changan Qiyuan A07. By comparing in terms of space, power, and configuration, it's evident that even the fully upgraded 9th generation Camry's top model is still lacking in technology compared to its competitors, not to mention the additional "add-on skills" such as charging and external power supply found in the two competing models.
Furthermore, although the 9th generation Camry has undergone a comprehensive upgrade, its design itself has attracted criticism. The modified appearance and interior introduced domestically have been referred to by many netizens as a "larger Corolla."
Despite the upgrades to the infotainment system, it replaced the physical buttons found in the North American version with touch-sensitive ones. However, each button's touch area is small, and there is no tactile feedback, making blind operation nearly impossible. The editor believes that this is a complete negative optimization, which may leave many traditional middle-aged potential consumers dissatisfied.
Epilogue
Before the launch of the 9th generation Camry, I took a look at the current sales charts and noticed that the monthly sales of the Camry are significantly higher than those of comparable Japanese joint venture models like the Honda Accord.
Overall, the 9th generation Camry shows great sincerity, with increased cabin technology and comfort tailored for the Chinese market, and its price is lower than expected. The Camry series can be considered a crucial model for Toyota in the domestic market.
In the past two years, there has been a trend of underperformance among joint venture B-class cars during generational transitions. However, sticking to the adage of "finding a general among the short soldiers," the 9th generation Camry has indeed made significant progress in all aspects compared to its predecessor and competing joint venture models. With its highlights, I believe the 9th generation will secure a place in the joint venture B-class car market after its launch.
