2015 Toyota Camry: Up Close

Just three years after Toyota redesigned the Camry, the family sedan has gone under the knife again for 2015. The result is a car with all-new styling that actually looks all new, and it seems to be in direct response to the increasing prevalence of bold-looking competitors like the Ford Fusion and Mazda6.

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The new front end is the most daring element of the 2015 Camry, which debuted at the 2014 New York International Auto Show.

A huge lower grille connects with a thin chrome upper treatment that forms a Toyota version of Lexus’ signature spindle grille. It’s sure to elicit strong opinions from shoppers, especially the mesh-style opening in the new performance-oriented Camry XSE model. That in itself is a big departure for the Camry, which long has been known for its understated looks.

The new lines carry through the rear, which is much less angular than the outgoing Camry. The rear roof pillars are about the same size as the outgoing model’s, but Toyota designers managed to make them look a lot thinner by finishing a significant portion of them in piano-black and chrome trim. It’s a neat trick that works to good effect with the rest of the design updates.

The cabin gets design tweaks like a newly styled center console, but the interior retains the overall appearance of the prior version. The XSE trim’s leather and suede front bucket seats are comfortable, and the door trim has soft-touch surfaces.

Backseat passengers have to make do with hard upper door plastic, and the seating area doesn’t feel quite as roomy as the backseat in the new 2015 Hyundai Sonata, which also debuted at the show. The Camry’s backseat is still comfortable, but it doesn’t have quite as much legroom.

The Camry was the best-selling car of 2013 by a healthy margin, but midsize-sedan competitors have been picking up sales at a faster pace, reducing the Camry’s sales lead. Toyota appears to be banking on new exterior styling to keep the Camry on top of the midsize-sedan pile. Let us know in the comments if you think that’ll be enough.

Cars.com photos by Evan Sears

2015 Toyota Camry Photo Gallery (24 photos)

2015 Toyota Camry: First Look