The Detroit Newspapers's view

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The words “Toyota Camry” and “vanilla” have become so synonymous that when I recently Googled the two, I ended up with 66,800 hits.

The theme was often the same among the entries. “Reviewing a Camry is like reviewing vanilla ice cream,” said one critic.

But those days of putting down the midsize Japanese family sedan for being too bland are over.

The 2007 Toyota Camry is not just a step up — vanilla with sprinkles or even Haagen-Daas vanilla. If the old Camry was vanilla ice cream, the new Camry is cr_me brulee.

Toyota designers have given the sixth-generation Camry an extreme makeover, blessing their once-plain product with the same gorgeous bone structure as the company’s upscale 2006 Lexus IS sedan. There’s also a pronounced, and appealing, family resemblance to the 2006 Toyota Avalon flagship sedan.

Toyota executives say that they carefully tracked the top reasons why consumers rejected the previous Camry.

“Purchase price” was the main reason consumers gave for bypassing Camry; unappealing exterior styling came in at No. 2. Undoubtedly, that will change.

The new Camry goes on sale in early March, with the hybrid version to follow a few months later. Initially, the hybrid Camry will be built in Japan and then Toyota will begin building them at its plant in Georgetown, Ky.

While the company has yet to announce prices on the ’07 model, the sedan is expected to start at around $19,000, including destination, which is where the current model starts.

I drove several preproduction versions of the new Camry, including the gas-electric Camry hybrid in mid-December. While it was a sampling and not an extensive test drive of any of the new models, my overall impression was positive and enthusiastic, especially if you are looking at the 2007 Camry through the eyes of a consumer. If you are a Detroit auto executive, the new version of the Japanese staple — total sales of the Camry hit 10 million worldwide in late October — will probably make you to want to jump out of a window.

That’s because the Camry now has a personality to back up its longstanding reputation for durability and reliability.

The Camry is poised to deal another crippling blow to midsize, middle-of-the-road Detroit products such as the Chevrolet Malibu and Dodge Stratus.

This is not to say that the new Camry is free of flaws.

The mid-level LE, the volume leader that makes up 60 percent of Camry sales, has no adjustable pedals, no lighted vanity mirrors and a rear seat that still needs some work, despite a slight increase in legroom.

Occupants in the rear will find no individual reading lights and no vents. And the cloth seats are a major disappointment. Even though the fabric is new, the material feels cheap and looks as if it came out of a Greyhound bus.

It’s a completely different story in the top-of-the-line XLE model, which has reclining rear seats (like the Avalon) and can be ordered with blonde wood and an olive-toned cabin.

That version looks like it would be right at home with a Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on its hood. In fact, it could pass itself off as a Lexus, with such amenities as a premium JBL audio system with Bluetooth for hands-free calling, special seat fabric and a moonroof.

If the Camry’s new looks are a major cause for celebration among Toyota fans, the car’s ride quality comes in a strong second.

While the overall length of the 2007 Camry is unchanged from the previous model, the wheelbase is longer by more than 2 inches and the track is wider, which gives you the feeling that the sedan is firmly planted on the road.

The new Camry is easy to park and maneuver.

Toyota has upgraded the wheels for all four Camry models, too. Gone are the 15-inch wheels previously standard on the LE. The sporty SE model gets aluminum 17-inch wheels with six spokes, while the other four trim levels get 16-inch wheels of either steel or aluminum.

The Camry’s base twin-cam 2.4-liter four-cylinder is carried over from the previous model, but it is upgraded to deliver 158 horsepower and 161 pounds-feet of torque. With this engine, buyers have the choice of either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Toyota skipped the clutchless manual shifting on the base engine, which may be disappointing to those seeking a sportier ride.

The four-cylinder engine gets an estimated 25 mpg in city driving and 34 mpg on the highway for models with a manual transmission.

The range of powerplants in the Camry also includes a new and potent DOHC 3.5-liter V-6 that churns out 268 horsepower and 248 pounds-feet of torque.

That’s a substantial leap from last year’s 3.3-liter six that made 210 horsepower and 220 pounds-feet. The V-6 Camrys use a new six-speed automatic transmission, Toyota’s first in a front-drive car, and this one does have clutchless manual shifting capability.

The V-6 gets an estimated 22 mpg in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway, compared with 21 and 29 for last year’s smaller, less powerful engine.

I had the chance to take a brief spin in the Camry hybrid at a course set up at Michelin’s test track. While it wasn’t enough time to judge the true fuel economy in this sedan, it was enough to get a sense that the acceleration feels pretty seamless.

Toyota says its newest hybrid has a net output of 192 horsepower and is expected to get fuel economy ratings of 43 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

It is equipped with a 147-horsepower four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that makes 105 kW.

The Camry hybrid is very low-key in terms of styling, unlike its Prius hybrid sibling.

It’s pretty difficult to distinguish it from the conventional Camry, inside or out. You’ll have to squint to see the modest exterior changes on the hybrid version of the Camry. They include headlight reflectors with a bluish tint, a grille with a metallic finish and LED taillights.

The 2007 Camry trumps the Ford Fusion, its chief competitor from Detroit, in terms of standard safety features — and even slightly passes its main sales rival, the Ohio-built Honda Accord.

All Camrys now come equipped with front side air bags and side curtain air bags that protect all passengers, as well as a driver’s-side knee air bag, another feature borrowed from Lexus.

Other standard safety features on the Camry include antilock brakes and two automatic brake programs that help the driver during a crash.

Vehicle stability control and traction control are options on all models except for the Camry hybrid, which has standard Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management, a more sophisticated form of stability control, as a standard feature.

After I drove the Camry, I stopped at my local bank and got into an animated discussion with the young bank teller, who told me he drove a Camry — and was anxious to test the new one.

The guy behind me blurted out, “Shame on you — talking like that and living in Detroit!”

No. Shame on Detroit for lagging behind the Japanese automakers like Toyota and products they make like the Camry.