Spotted: NEW Toyota Camry 2.0 VVT-iW Model in Malaysia

On our day drive with the Toyota Yaris today, we encountered something we did not expect: a 2-litre equipped, lower spec Toyota Camry! This is confirmed as a just a development unit that will not go for sale. But if you’re interested in the details of what we saw, here they are:

The new Camry was first shown in Malaysia at last year’s Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS 2018). Since the preview, only the Camry 2.5V model has been offered on sale here. With a price tag of RM189,900, many potential customers of the new Camry may find it a tad too pricey.

The ‘V’ spec is Toyota nomenclature for ‘top spec’, whereas ‘G’ is reserved for mid-to-high spec models. This 2.0G is clearly positioned below the 2.5V. It comes with smaller, more conventional looking 17″ 10-spoke rims wrapped in the same tyres as the 2.5V but in a smaller size (215/55R17 vs 235/45R18).

Front

From the front, it’s apparent that the 2.0G Camry is a lot less premium looking than its 2.5V brother. The LED Daytime running lights seem to be gone, replaced by some halogen reflector lighting. We weren’t able to verify if the bi-LED headlights are still present, But there are projectors still present. The same bumper returns. What seems most apparent is the absense of active safety equipment. A traditional Toyota logo appears instead of a fancy radar logo. The other Toyota Safety Sense equipment seems absent as well.

Rear

Looked at from the rear, a few big changes can be seen. There’s only one exhaust exit here as opposed to 2 on the 2.5V model. The tail lights also seem to be less sophisticated than the 2.5V Camry’s. It appears that traditional bulbs are being used instead of LED ones for the reverse lights and turn signals. Importantly, we still see 4 reverse parking sensors and a reverse camera.

Interior

Inside, it seems virtually unchanged from the 2.5V. You still get the same leather seats, steering wheel and trim pieces. The final production version could be specced differently from pictured, so do take note of that.

Engine

According to our source, the 2-litre engine in the Camry is carried over from the previous model. It’s the 6AR engine, and features VVT-iW technology, meaning it runs on both the Otto and Atkinson cycles, depending on whether maximum power or maximum efficiency is required.