by Chris Chase
In the mid-2000s, Toyota began offering its Camry family sedan in an SE trim conceived to change the public’s opinion of the car. Decades of sales had established the Camry as reliable and practical. With the SE version, Toyota wanted to show the car could be sporty, too.
The eighth generation of the Camry, introduced in 2018, expanded on the Camry’s more sporting intentions with an XSE package. It combines the SE’s more aggressive styling and firmer ride with luxury features from the upscale XLE model.
What’s New for 2020?
For 2020, Toyota has taken another step toward expanding the Camry’s appeal by adding an all-wheel drive option.
Along with that newly available AWD system, there’s also a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) package that is more serious about establishing the Camry’s sporting potential. Here’s the thing: AWD is only available with the four-cylinder engine, and the TRD model comes with the car’s optional V6. If you’ve been following industry trends, you’ll know that AWD has become a staple of the upscale sport sedan market. Toyota is using AWD to help the Camry stand out among family sedans, but only as a means to improve all-weather traction, and not for dry-road performance as it is employed by brands like Acura, BMW, and Audi.
Also, all Camry trims now come with Android Auto smartphone integration, following 2019’s addition of support for Apple CarPlay across the line.
Performance and driving feel
Toyota says the Camry XSE has a sport-tuned suspension, and the ride was indeed firmer than in a Camry Hybrid I reviewed last year. However, the chassis is still biased toward comfort with a suspension that allows some “float” over uneven pavement.
The Camry XSE feels like it corners a bit flatter than LE and XLE versions of the car. While cars like the Acura TLX and BMW’s sedans use AWD and torque vectoring to improve handling, the Camry’s setup is there just to improve grip on slippery surfaces.
A 2.5L four-cylinder engine provides good performance, but the Camry XSE’s acceleration doesn’t live up to its appearance. There’s a sport drive mode that makes the car more responsive, but it doesn’t actually add any speed.
If you want to move more quickly, the 301-hp V6 is the engine you want, but you have to sacrifice AWD to get it.
Toyota Camry fuel economy
Toyota’s fuel consumption estimates for the Camry with AWD are 9.5/7.0 L/100 km (city/highway), and my test car averaged 10.2 L/100 km in a week of city driving. A front-wheel drive model promises thriftier operation with estimates of 8.6/6.3 L/100 km (city/highway).
Toyota Camry XSE styling and appearance
I think the Camry XSE looks best from the rear, where a diffuser and quad exhaust tips make the car look like it means business. Meanwhile, the body kit wraps nicely around black-and-silver 19-inch wheels. My tester added some drama with an optional two-tone treatment that paints the roof black.
With the black roof, you also get the option of a red leather interior, which is a real highlight. It’s well done and strikes a delicate balance in projecting an upscale image without being garish.
Interior comfort and design
The Camry’s XSE trim doesn’t change the car’s strong interior design. The red leather seats are the same supportive, comfortable ones you get in any Camry. There’s good space for four adults, but the panoramic sunroof cuts into front-seat headroom. Taller people may find it easier to settle into the rear seats.
Trunk space is generous, and you control secondary functions through a combination of the 8.0-inch touchscreen and some hard buttons. Less-expensive Camry models get a 7.0-inch display; my tester’s 8.0-inch unit worked well and presented a straightforward control layout.
Features and value
The Camry XSE adds some features not included in the SE trim. Before you get in the car, you can use the remote engine starter and passive keyless entry.
Once inside, there’s a panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a power front passenger seat (a power driver’s seat carries over from SE trim), dual-zone climate control, and ambient lighting.
High-tech additions include navigation, wireless smartphone charging, a garage door opener, and satellite radio. The Camry XSE is also the cheapest version with a heated steering wheel.
Toyota’s standard suite of safety features comprises automatic high beams, forward collision detection with automatic braking, radar cruise control, and lane departure alert with steering assist.
All Camry models also come with LED headlights and taillights, heated front seats and side mirrors.
Camry XSE pricing starts at $34,990, and the AWD version sells for $36,650. If AWD is what you’re after, you can get it for $30,290 in the SE, and $29,850 in the more basic Camry LE.
A Nissan Altima comes standard with AWD across its range, starting at just over $28,000. The top-end Altima Platinum is also less expensive than both the Camry XSE AWD and the comparably equipped (but plainer-looking) XLE AWD.
Conclusion
The Toyota Camry’s XSE trim brings an appealing combination of a sporty appearance and upscale features. Its only failing is that it lacks performance to back up its eye-catching styling.
2020 Toyota Camry XSE AWD
Rating 3.8/5
Vehicle category: Mid-size sedan
Engine: 2.5L four-cylinder engine; 206 hp, 186 lb-ft torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, AWD
Notable standard features (LE trim; MSRP: $26,620: Apple Carplay and Android Auto, 7.0-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane keep assist, automatic high beams
Notable options (XSE AWD trim, as tested; MSRP: $36,650): 19-inch wheels, heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, navigation, power front passenger seat, wireless smartphone charging, dual-zone climate control. Fuel economy estimates (L/100km, city/highway): 9.5/7.0