Toyota is desperate to make a success out of its revamped 2012 Camry and the new year is starting well.

Generally speaking, critics have given the new Camry good if not great reviews. Now Consumer Reports has chimed in.

The magazine has rated the updated Camry Hybrid tops among family sedans. The magazine says the “Camry has a nicer interior, more responsive handling, and better fuel economy than previous models.”

I am in complete agreement. But then, the previous Camry had a cabin filled with hard plastics and the handling was uninspiring – and that’s being kind. Sure, sure, it sold well, especially in the United States where it has been the best-selling passenger car for several years and American tastes lean towards big, boring, soft-riding sedans.

But on pure merit, buyers had better options than the old Camry. Toyota has surely known this for a while, which explains much about the 2012 Camry.

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