In its home market of Japan, Toyota has decided to discontinue the Camry nameplate. The four-door sedan has sold over 21 million units globally in 43 years of its lifespan, with 1.3 million of those in Japan.
However, it appears that Japanese domestic buyers simply aren’t interested in the midsize sedan anymore, as only 6,000 units of Camry left the dealership floors in Japan in the whole of 2022.
Related: How the Once Lackluster Toyota Camry Became a Bestseller in USA
Nowadays, the local market has tended to favor crossovers & SUVs more, leaving the saloon body type in the dust. According to Nikkei Asia, Toyota dealers have already been informed that the Camry will no longer be produced for domestic consumers after this year. Sales are being phased off, and the majority of dealers have already ceased processing orders.
Outside of Japan, however, the Camry will continue to be sold in and developed for more than 100 international markets. The demand for the saloon is still strong enough to support another generation, with 600,000 units sold globally last year. As per the latest reports, the next-generation Camry is slated to make its debut somewhere in 2024.
Related: Next Gen Toyota Camry and RAV4 to be Unveiled in 2024
The current XV70 which debuted in 2017 is the 8th generation of the global Camry model that sits on the TNGA-K modular platform. It remains a popular option in many markets. In the USA, the Camry is ranked as the best-selling car for 15 consecutive years, from 2001. The Middle East is another region where the Camry is quite well-liked. Moreover, production will continue in China, where many people still view the Camry as an aspirational automobile.
Author’s Input
Smaller cars (including kei cars) are quite popular in Japan as opposed to sedans due to a shortage of parking spaces and higher taxes on larger cars by the Japanese government. In fact, Honda also had to discontinue the Civic sedan in Japan in 2020. Moreover, the Corolla sold in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) is exclusively a shorter version of the standard Corolla sold in the rest of the world. While the Camry’s similarly oriented brother, the Crown, will continue in sedan, SUV, and crossover configurations, the Camry moniker is apparently no longer required for Toyota Japan.
Camry in Pakistan
In Pakistan, Indus Motor Company (IMC) the assembler and distributor of Toyota cars offers the Camry XV70 as a CBU import. It is currently priced at PKR 47,559,000 (4 crores 75.59 lac) and is likely to stay alive in our country.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
