Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. And that's probably why you don't know much about the MSRP of new cars these days.
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  2. Spent quite a bit of time evaluating the new generations of the Accord, Camry, and Mazda6 last year. I was considering replacing my 2013 GTI with a "family sedan" that I'd share with my soon-to-be driving teenage daughter and I wanted all the safety and driver assistance features that came with them. After totaling up the points on my spreadsheets the Accord 2.0L Touring came in first; the Mazda6 Signature in second; and the Camry V6 XSE in third. There's no question that the current generation Camry is a VAST improvement over the last generation but at least for me, it wasn't quite as impressive as its rivals. () Styling. Frankly, I think Toyota designers have spent too many hours watching 1930's movie serials. The Camry doesn't resemble Flash Gordon's space ship as much as the (hideous) Prius but the DNA is there, especially in the interior. Too many swooping lines and angles in place of simple, elegant design. In terms of looks, the Accord doesn't take any awards either but at least it doesn't look as seriously over-styled. In terms of styling I thought the Mazda6 was clearly the best. () Features. When I was shopping the Camry offered neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto. Apple CarPlay is finally there but Android Auto (my preference) is still missing. Even worse, Toyota offers integrated navigation ONLY in a $2600 optional package even in top trim XSE model. It's standard in the Accord. The Camry has an excellent set of safety and driver assistance features but no more and no better than its rivals. And comparing the quality of materials in the interior of the Camry versus the Accord and the Mazda6, especially in the rear seat, the Camry trails its rivals. () Engine/Drive Train. Toyota jealously guards its reputation for reliability. And for that reason they resist innovative engineering that might threaten it. In the case of the Camry (and other Toyota vehicles) that means 4 cylinder turbo engines are simply not available. I can understand that choice in larger, heavier vehicles such as crossovers but in the Camry it means the "performance" version of the vehicle is a naturally aspirated V6 rather than a smaller displacement turbo 4. It's a good engine and well tuned for fuel efficiency. And the difference in performance between the Camry V6 and the Accord 2.0L turbo derived from the Civic Type R is negligible or non-existent. But it also adds a lot of weight to the front end of the Camry. In fact, the Camry V6 XSE is up to 200 lbs heavier than the Accord with a 2.0L turbo 4 and that weight is sitting over the front wheels. The extra weight up front is bound to affect handling and it does. In fact, I'm not surprised to see that the Camry doesn't offer the adaptive suspension of the Accord. It's not simply a cost cutting measure. I suspect it stems from the fact that Toyota found it difficult to disguise the additional weight of the V6 over the drive wheels in a variety of driving situations. Better to look for the best compromise and leave it there. () Bottom line. When I considered the three family sedans I couldn't get over the over-styled Camry compared to the Mazda and the more satisfying "punch" of the Honda's 2.0L turbo engine. (It's VERY impressive.) Ultimately, though, I found I couldn't give up the performance and handling of my GTI so I replaced my MK6 version with a 7.5 version with all the safety and driver assistance features I was looking for. P.S. Joe, I realize you're in Florida and the curvy roads, especially those with elevation changes, are largely limited to rides at Disney World but your examples of how vehicles take curves on suburban streets says very little about handling.
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  3.  @MiguelRPD  On that point it's worth noting that by far the greatest source of "reliability" issues, especially in the first year or so after purchase, are infotainment systems and other components that depend on electronics. Toyota guards their reputation for reliability jealously. And that means they are reluctant to innovate in their designs, especially in terms of features that are dependent on electronics.
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