Built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture it shares with the Prius, we chose to stick with standard 4-cylinder power, prioritizing fuel economy over the V6’s grunt. 

The I4 rates 28-City, 39-Highway, and 32-Combined; yet so far we’re averaging just 28.6. But we do expect that to climb, as we’ve only burned through a few tanks of Regular at this point, at just 920-miles. 

So we’ll see over the next year, if its 206-horsepower is enough to satisfy our power-hungry staff. 

206 is actually three more than the base Camry, thanks to our XSE’s dual exhaust system. The XSE is the sportiest Camry yet; with very aggressive bodywork, smoke tinted lenses, and gloss trim. And, it’s quickly becoming a very popular item at Toyota dealerships. Hmmmmm… maybe Camry buyers aren’t just appliance shopping after all. 

Toyota has been trying to change the Camry’s narrative for a while now; infusing more and more luxury and excitement into their family staple with each new generation.

Two months with our long term 2018 Camry and we have to say they’ve made significant progress.

GREG CARLOSS: “Our XSE uses the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and we think most Camry prospects will be pleased with the power. The new 8-speed automatic transmission can be slow to downshift for passing. But, the smooth upshifts, and light steering make it a breeze to drive around town.”

GREG CARLOSS: We’re already closing in on 5,000 mostly highway miles, and our mileage has jumped way up to 35.3 miles-per-gallon. Every one of them has been pleasurable and increasingly entertaining. 

The Toyota Camry is not immune to the well-documented decline in sedan sales in the U.S. Yet, it remains the #1 selling car in America, as it has for about 16-years now. 

And we’re finding out why, having accrued almost 7,500-miles in just 3-months’ with our 2018 XSE. With its 206-horsepower 2.5-liter I4 and 8-speed automatic transmission; we’re enjoying those miles more than we have in any Camry before.

In fact, the fun only stops when we stop for fuel, at which time we’ve been dealing with a sticky fuel door that doesn’t like to open right away. But after a bit of metal massaging, it seems to be working much better. 

Fortunately for us, those stops are few and far between; with a 35.4 miles-per-gallon average so far.

As for another one of our family transporters, the 2018 Toyota Camry may not have the space of a minivan; but long distance comfort for four, and five in a pinch, is in ample supply.

We test so many crossovers these days, it’s easy to forget how useful sedans can be. This Camry has really reminded us why Toyota has sold so many of these over the years. It has space, it has comfort, it has great fuel economy. Now, some on our staff have admitted to missing the more commanding ride height of a crossover, but that’s just a matter of preference.

Yes, despite what you may have heard, there are still plenty of families that make do with a 4-door sedan; at least for one of the cars in their driveway.

We’re just over 9,000-miles, from these last four months of driving this 2.5-liter 4-cylinder XSE; and the 34.7 miles-per-gallon fuel mileage continues to impress, as does the overall driving experience. 

Saying goodbye to one of our long-terms is never easy, but that’s what we must do this week with our 2018 Toyota Camry mid-size family sedan.

“It’s been a relatively short run in this Camry XSE, but a good one for us. We love the styling and the  sporty-er suspension really backs up the look. Quicker transmission shifts would be a nice upgrade, but as far as a daily driver, the Camry is as solid as it gets, and it’s pretty entertaining too.”

Just routine maintenance was all that was required during the Camry’s 7-month stay with us. And, over 12,500-miles, the 206-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder delivered a very good 33.4 miles-per-gallon. 

Best part of all, the improved ride-and-handling came without losing any of the comfort and practicality we’ve come to expect in Camry. We’ll miss it for sure…

This 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI has been significantly upgraded over the ‘21 GLI that we had in our fleet a while back, but sliding behind the wheel has been just like getting reacquainted with an old friend.

Just like in the last GLI we had, we’re rowing our own gears and loving every second of it and that’s not necessarily a given these days with how good automatic transmissions have gotten. But this setup is well-suited for daily driving. The shifter precisely glides into its gates and the light clutch pedal keeps our left legs from getting tired in stop and go traffic. But just to keep from getting too fatigued, we tend to stick to the back roads in this thing.

Mostly commuting duty these last few weeks, means only about 1,000-miles added to our total, which now sits at 4,500-miles in just 2-months’ time. With 228-horsepower on tap, and that tight 6-speed manual transmission to manage it; the GLI is fun from the moment you hit the start button, with a great 30.8 miles-per-gallon average along for the ride.

There’s a raspy exhaust note too, which sounds great running through the gears, but can get tiresome when steady cruising for extended periods of time.

We like driving here at MotorWeek. That explains how we’ve been able to accumulate 6,000-miles in this 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI in a bit less than 3-months.

It’s a true joy managing all of its 228-horsepower with the smooth and steady 6-speed manual transmission. And we even managed to improve our MPGs this go-around, bumping our average up to 31.9 miles-per-gallon.

The fuel economy we’re seeing in this GLI is due in-part, of course, to the engine, but I would argue it’s also because of things that have nothing to do with how much gasoline we’re using. Things like the suspension and seat comfort. My point being, is that this car is such a great cruiser that we’re taking it on longer highway trips, which is boosting our fuel economy despite our less eco-minded back road escapades. Regardless, it’s a real “have your cake and eat it too” scenario.

While not overly flashy, the interior of this latest Jetta is well laid out, controls are logically placed, and the infotainment system is easy to use. All things that help you focus on driving, which is something we plan on doing as much as possible with our remaining time with the GLI.

It’s been a minute since we gave you an update on our long term 2022 Kia EV6; but believe me, we’ve been racking up the miles.

In fact, our digital odometer now rests at a solid 6,100 miles, reflecting the 2,000-or-so additional miles of pavement we’ve seen in the last two months. We’re happy to report no changes in our total range, still enjoying the full extent of 274 miles on a 100-percent charge.

It may not be as rowdy as the souped-up GT, but our Wind e-All-Wheel-Drive is still good for a few thrills. It switches between rear- and all-wheel drive depending on our needs, be it to save a little juice or kick performance up a notch.

One of our drivers wondered if it could use some stickier tires. Not that the stock rubber is awful by any means, but they figured a grippier compound would elevate the EV6 even more. That’s something you can change if you really want to– but more importantly, the things you can’t easily change about the EV6 are not only solid, but downright impressive.

For 20 years, automakers have been blurring the line between cars and SUVs. And now with this EV6 I’m not sure there’s much line left to blur. And honestly, that’s ok because now more than ever we really do get the best of both worlds. This EV6 can cruise with a family of four just as well as it can carve up a back road. And that’s really a side-effect of the all-electric platform which creates a low center of gravity and limited intrusion into the cabin.

Beyond that, our EV6 continues to swoon us with its handsome body and paint job. Though, over time we’ve become a little annoyed by the charging door light that shines outwards instead of on the port itself, which would make low-light plug-ins a little easier. But this is a small complaint; one we certainly aren’t getting worked up over, especially with the soothing sounds of nature playing from the stereo.