2023 Camry SE rental review

[2strokeNorthstar]

Rented a 2023 Camry Se. 4 cyl non hybrid. Drove about 1800 miles in 5 days.

Good -Nice car and great Mpg. 32mpg average over highway, traffic, city, slow twisty mountain/coastal road combo. 4cyl had plenty of power for general driving 8 speed Trans was very nice. Not like others that seem to endlessly shift and hunt for a gear. It is smart enough to be in the correct gear almost always. Adaptive cruise worked very well. Lane keeping assist was good on big highways but seemed to sway on small 2/4 lane roads or if the lanes were not the ideal width.

Bad - seat headrest. I'm 6' and sit pretty upright due to back injuries. Everything was fine except the headrest. The pitch your head forward and I still have neck pain 2 days later. Everyone in the car had the same complaint. Front and back seat. I had a similar issue with a Kia Soul a few years back but was able to remove the headrest. I couldn't on the Camry. Any adjustments didn't help. I would NOT buy the car for this single issue. I could not comfortably own it. The dash and center console also seemed massive and unnecessary. A waste of space IMO. Infotainment was OK. Need to plug in phone to display maps and only the old USB port was able to connect. USBc available only for charging. Odd. Navigating the Infotainment was not horrible but could be better. Less complex than Mazda.

That's it. Summary, The headrests ruined the car for me

 

[JavierH19]

Headrests in many modern cars suck. The headrest in my 2021 escalade is complete garbage. It's hard and has no tilt so I can't lay my head on it unless i slam myself back. But the headrest in my old yukon is plushy and can tilt forward a lot so i can actually relax my head on it and it is just a pleasure on long drives.

 

[PKFan]

We were in the market for a 2023 LE a couple of months ago. Showed up at the dealer (an hour away) ready to plunk down some cash. But the headrest issue was so bad that we walked away. Strangely enough, the 2023 XLE we now own is much better. I still think the headrest sticks out too much, but it is much less pronounced than on the LE. I suspect the nicer seats in the XLE provide more cushioning and ease the difference in distance between the back of the seat and the front of the headrest.

 

[Oillover]

Sorry to hear you didn't like the car due to the headrests.
We generally do long distance drives with late model rentals.

We've done 8-10 hour days with Camry's, Altimas etc. (stopping only for food/washroom/fuel).
What really elevated the enjoyment for us, was slightly reclining the front seats while driving.
I think they say that for every degree you recline the seat, you remove a certain amount of weight from your lower back and tailbone area.

 

[Tdbo]

That is not a new issue.
My Mustang is the same way.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Headrests are there for safety more than comfort.

 

[Hermann]

Headrests are there for safety more than comfort.

Ding Ding Ding, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Headrests are there for safety more than comfort.

Yes but there should be some adjustment to avoid actual pain.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Sorry to hear you didn't like the car due to the headrests.
We generally do long distance drives with late model rentals.

We've done 8-10 hour days with Camry's, Altimas etc. (stopping only for food/washroom/fuel).
What really elevated the enjoyment for us, was slightly reclining the front seats while driving.
I think they say that for every degree you recline the seat, you remove a certain amount of weight from your lower back and tailbone area.

I tried all kinds of tilt, recline, lumbar adjustment. The shoulders still are too far back vs neck. It was fine at first but the 8,10,12hr days in the car really make you find out what doesn't work. I have rented an Altima a couple times and the seat was fine. Same with a Mitsubishi Outlander, which is odd since they are supposed to be a low budget alternative.

 

[Blueshound]

I also rented a 2023 a couple weeks ago. I didn't experience the headrest issue but I'm 5'7" and have had that problem with other vehicles.

I did hate Atlanta traffic though. I can't understand how anyone could put up with it on a regular basis. Twice (!) I got honked at for stopping before a right on red. Just awful.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Spot on own toyos the head rests suck.

 

[CR94]

Spot on own toyos the head rests suck.

The 2014 Nissan Versa Note I test drove before I bought the Prius seemed even worse in that respect.

 

[Hermann]

Maybe that is the reason I found my Venza comfort index about 7/10. No pain just that never settled in feeling.

 

[Allaneddie]

I also rented a 2023 a couple weeks ago. I didn't experience the headrest issue but I'm 5'7" and have had that problem with other vehicles.

I did hate Atlanta traffic though. I can't understand how anyone could put up with it on a regular basis. Twice (!) I got honked at for stopping before a right on red. Just awful.

If you continue to follow the law as you do there will be more honking. I do as you do but I see lots of drivers treating a red light as though it is a yield sign.

 

[CKN]

Rented one for a couple of days in Florida. The access for getting in and out is terrible. Very low to the ground. A one hour shopping trip with multiple "short hops" getting in and out and it's painfully obvious why CUVs/SUVs are so popular.

The headrest BTW are fully adjustable. But not obvious how to do so and not intuitive. When you are over 6 feet-there are ergonomic issues every where.
Otherwise a very nice sedan.

 

[Pew]

Headrests in many modern cars suck. The headrest in my 2021 escalade is complete garbage. It's hard and has no tilt so I can't lay my head on it unless i slam myself back. But the headrest in my old yukon is plushy and can tilt forward a lot so i can actually relax my head on it and it is just a pleasure on long drives.

The Cx5 doesn't have adjustable tilt headrests either, only up and down. Makes it miserable for road trips.

 

[PF52]

Rented one for a couple of days in Florida. The access for getting in and out is terrible. Very low to the ground.

+2

Like I said in an earlier thread, the ergonomics are terrible. If I had to choose between, say, a 2002 or a 2022 Camry, I would take the 2002 every time. Much better entry-exit, better outward visibility, no squinty side windows, etc.