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The 2023 Toyota Camry isn’t a performance car. It doesn’t offer sizzling acceleration or knife-edge handling. In fact, it is exactly what we used to describe as a family car. But as Co-Host Chris Teague found when he drove the Camry for a week in and around Washington, D.C., the current Camry reminds all of us why we enjoy driving. Admittedly, it doesn’t offer the versatility of the ubiquitous crossover SUV, but it does offer a connection to the road that few crossovers can match.
The Camry hybrid’s 208 total horsepower certainly won’t blow anyone away. There are scores of cars that offer more. But that doesn’t factor in the almost instant torque available from its electric motor. Not only does it provide a quick boost of acceleration, but it also smooths out shifts so the Camry Hybrid provides a driving experience that nearly simulates an EV.
While Chris Teague was testing the 2023 Toyota Camry, Host Jack Nerad and the entire Nerad family were spending their summer vacation testing the mettle of the 2023 Toyota Sienna minivan. Every Sienna is equipped with a hybrid powertrain offering 245 combined horsepower, and it has all the benefits just described in relation to the Camry hybrid. The Sienna proved itself to be a substantial vehicle that can transport as many as eight passengers, and the Nerads found it a perfect vehicle for their sojourn at a northeast Texas lake house. Whether traveling the potholed roads of rural Texas or the most pristine Interstate pavement, the Sienna offered excellent ride quality, more-than-acceptable acceleration, and surprisingly good handling. We’ll tell you more about both Toyota “vacation cars” in this episode.
In the news this week, just as the auto industry is recovering from COVID-19 and parts shortages, a big strike looms that could derail all the progress. And nearly 100 all-new electric vehicle models are set to come to market in the next three years. But there’s only one problem, and we’ll tell you what that is in this episode.
We’ll take a long look at the electric vehicle market and the government’s plans going forward. Are the expectations realistic? Meanwhile, Tesla has rolled out a new incentive plan that could earn buyers some extra money. We’ll have more info on that.
Right now many folks want to know if this is a good time to buy a new or used car? Or should you wait? We have a great guest who has the answer to that question. Sam Fiorani is Vice President of Global Vehicle Forecasting at Auto Forecast Solutions. At the halfway point in the year, he and Host Jack Nerad are going to take a look at the industry to see if it’s a propitious time to jump into the car market
All that and more are coming up in this episode.
America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com
