The Woman Behind the Wheel

Camry continues to offer comfort, reliability

So, imagine the Toyota dealership near you is a lot like a restaurant. You’re hungry so you walk in, take a seat and study the menu a minute or two and then make your choice. You want something dependable and basic. Nothing too heavy. Nothing too sweet. Nothing too light. You want comfort and dependable quality and you want a little flavor. But you want it well-made. You want all that comfort, dependability and quality served up with a little flair.

You’ll have the house-special macaroni and cheese, please.

The 2010 Toyota Camry is the mac and cheese of cars. Not the blue box, lonely bachelor, add boiling water and go, kind of mac and cheese. This is the good stuff, and no wonder it’s a favorite.

The newest Camry is able to defend its position as the best-selling passenger car in the country – because, like a time-tested recipe – the car is consistently well-made and hard to imitate. It doesn’t disappoint. It serves up a satisfying experience time after time.

The week I drove the Camry 2010 XLE, with a distinctive exterior color called “Spruce Mica.” I put it to work in the variety of ways most people use a car. I drove my daughter to school and back. I drove when I went to lunch with a group of friends. I bought groceries and filled the trunk with bags. I picked up a friend’s mother at the airport and she doesn’t travel light. We got the biggest bag in without a problem.

And then, I drove it just for fun. I buckled into the driver’s seat, turned on some music, tuned out the little voice in my head saying I should be home writing, and pulled out onto the highway looking for a little solitude and some fall color.

The ride – like every ride I had in this car – was smooth and surprisingly quiet. The sound system packed a punch. And I liked the way the seats held me upright and in front of the wheel. And, an adjustable steering wheel always gets extra points with me.

I tried to pick at the car, to find something I didn’t care for or that disappointed me, but honestly, I couldn’t find a lot.

The interior is a bit plain, but I couldn’t argue with the layout. Everything was where I expected it to be.

All in all, I wasn’t disappointed with the dish. At the end of my test, I was a believer. This car deserves its reputation for hitting the spot with drivers.

The 2010 Camry, if you can pardon the metaphor one more time, is comfort food – tasty, satisfying and well-prepared – on four wheels.