STUD or DUD: Why Can't Toyota Make The Camry Look THIS Good?

If there is one vehicle on the road today that is the perfect symbol for "vanilla," and "conservative," it would have to be the Toyota Camry. While in 2011 the Camry clinched the number three spot for most sold vehicle in the U.S., we can't help but wonder how much better it would do if it just had a bit of sex injected into its look.

Well, here's the thing. It's not that Toyota can't do it. It just won't for our market.

Take a look at this product, which is offered for the Japanese domestic market, the Mark X -- specifically the G's variant.

That being said, we want to know: If Toyota were to offer the Mark X's styling in a Camry package would YOU believe it would be for BETTER or WORSE?

Is it a STUD or a DUD?


...For those unaware, the Mark X is a mid-size saloon that shares its platform with the Toyota Crown and the (previous) Lexus GS and is available exclusively with V6 powertrains and the option of rear- or all-wheel drive.

In its latest form, Toyota's designers came up with a newly styled front end sporting different headlamps that incorporate Bi-Xenon and LED daytime running lights, a new grille with a more pronounced "X" logo in the center, and a redesigned bumper...


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Steve - 8/28/2012 11:42:03 PM

+4 Boost

We have some wildly different opinions on what looks good. To me, this looks like a bag of hurt.

ceric - 8/28/2012 11:56:57 PM

+6 Boost

Ugly in my opinion.

irishmike - 8/29/2012 12:39:55 AM

+5 Boost

Yechh!!

Designer1 - 8/29/2012 12:40:43 AM

+2 Boost

Isn't the Mark X and Lexus IS built on the same chassis?

Holydude - 8/29/2012 2:04:54 AM

+5 Boost

Watch all the Corvette drivers go "Yechh", "Ugly", "bag of hurt", etc, etc...

JUGNU - 8/29/2012 5:23:19 AM

+2 Boost

Never seen headlights like that. I like that unique and sporty look. Also the bumper of the G variant is very aggressive and nicely done. STUD.
BTW the Camry is a mainstream family car and Mark X (previous badge--Mark II) has always been a niche product. Also Mark X is lot more expensive than the Camry.

Agent00R - 8/29/2012 7:41:24 AM

-2 Boost

We understand that; however, it's not like design elements aren't shared between products always...

DuDE - 8/29/2012 11:34:46 AM

+3 Boost

Its also RWD

M35MT - 8/29/2012 5:51:44 PM

+2 Boost

and RWD cars tend to look better as the sheet metal can wrap closer around the front-end of the car...this is why some A4's have a less than appealing side profile

Toyota clearly knows what they're doing, as the Camry sells, sells, sells...that doesnt always equate to sexy, sporty or stylish - if that were the case, I would expect Mazda to sell a hell of a lot more 6's

Willis - 8/29/2012 7:50:49 AM

+2 Boost

This looks awful. No elegance or class whatsoever. A total mess of a design.

Toyota has some nice looking JDM cars, but this isn't one of them.

curriescorner - 8/29/2012 8:51:24 AM

+7 Boost

It's a Camry. I'm not sure why people expect Lamborghini stying from a 30k economy car. Again, it's a Camry. It does what its supposed to do. If it looked like a Pontiac Aztec then I'd be complaining.

ThierryHenry14 - 8/29/2012 9:45:35 AM

+7 Boost

To answer the question, if the Camry looked like this ugly POS, then most of the Camry's target audience wouldn't buy the car. Its about making the car that looks conservative for their target market, the conservative daily driver.

Most of those who thinks the Camry is too conservative or bland are not in the market for a Camry anyway, so their opinion does not matter.

HughJass - 8/29/2012 4:29:52 PM

+1 Boost

The real Camry looks better. The pictures above must be of the 2015 KIA Optima. Those LF-A Concept/Nissan headlights are starting to look old.

Speaking of KIA, this is sort of funny in the sense that you barely see it in the news. Had it been Toyota, they'd be running this 24/7.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/27/police-cams-capture-womans-119-mph-stuck-accelerator-run-w-vid/

skytop - 9/1/2012 7:33:02 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota's cannot look that good because they are not Hyundai or Kia. Where almost all Toyota's are solid cars, they are anything but good looking.
People buy Toyota for the mechanicals and never for their appearance.