My girlfriend is still looking for a car to replace her aging 1991 Mercury Tracer. She is still seriously considering a Chevrolet Impala LS, but has taken the opportunity to test-drive a new Toyota Camry LE. The LE is Camry's middle-of-the-line model, situated between the budget CE and the upscale XLE. The Camry LE is priced around $21,000.

The Camry we tested was medium gray with a pale blue cloth interior. It was powered by the 194hp 3.0 liter V-6 mated to 4-speed automatic. It was equipped with a 6-way power driver's seat, power windows, and AM/FM stereo with cassette and CD.

The Camry LE's exterior styling is pleasantly conservative. It's look will offend nobody, but it's not a flashy car that imparts any sense of individuality on behalf of the driver. Fit and finish were very good with no visible defects. I like the way the taillights were restyled with a "starburst" pattern molded into the lens. Unfortunately, this Camry had the base steel wheels with tacky plastic wheel covers that do a poor imitation of sport wheels. I would highly recommend the optional cast aluminum wheels. They dramatically improve the car's appearance.

The interior is pleasantly laid out if a bit austere. Quality fabric and plastics were used. Unfortunately, the instrumental panel had a rather barren look. The gauges and controls were logically placed and easy to read, but a few wood and chrome accents would've helped immensely. It wouldn't hurt if Toyota threw in a few imitation wood accents. Fake timber doesn't look bad if it's well executed. A dealer-installed genuine wood trim package is available. This wood package almost gives the Camry's interior the look of a Lexus. I found the seats to be rather comfortable. According to the dealer, all Camrys are coming off the line with a built-in lumbar support. My girlfriend, who is a very small person at 5'1", felt very comfortable behind the wheel of the Camry, which is quite a bit larger than her old Tracer, and hardly noticed the size difference.

Other nice features were the fold-down rear seats with the trunk pass-through, cargo net, and a genuine full-size spare as standard. All manufacturers should follow Toyota's example and offer standard full-size spares. The 'donut tire' is an abomination that should best be forgotten like the double-nickle speed limit. The Camry had some notable safety features such as front and rear crumple zones as indicated by indentations inside the front and rear fenders. It also had a "drop-down" engine ala Saab and Volvo. It also featured plastic knobs beneath the hood that would melt in case of an engine fire causing the insulation to drop down and smother the flames. Another feature was hooks that would catch the hood to prevent it sliding through the windshield into the passenger compartment should the hood open or become detached in a front end collision.

The 3.0 liter V-6 was smooth and responsive. If I closed my eyes, I'd have swore I was riding in my Cadillac Deville. I'm not sure how well the four-cylinder engine would've performed in this fairly large car. The car shifted smoothly and steering was responsive without much of a torque-steer effect or a feeling of being over-assisted. The Camry's stereo was crisp and clear with large easy to understand controls. The A/C-Heater was effective and efficient.

The "patriotic" will also be satisfied with the Camry. I strictly drive American-made cars and am pleasantly surprised to see that at least most of the Camry, (approx. 60%) is made in the United States. I believe the transmission, engine and perhaps the radio are the only foreign components.

All in all, the 2001 Camry LE would make a nice conservative choice.