Distance: 1,416km
Location: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick
Date: June 9-13, 2022
Up front: This is the “I’m in mid-level management in the government” car. It’s also the “we’re sorry we don’t have any upgrades left” rental car. It’s a mediocre machine with average comfort and good build quality with cheap materials. So cheap in fact everything hurt my eyes when the sun is out. The bonnet is creased to reflect sunlight from behind, the dashboard’s shiny plastics blinds drivers when the sun is on the side, and the gap between the roof and the sun visor leaves rays of sunlight shooting into the driver’s eyes from the front. Nothing else mattered because this car was not designed for safe operation.
In the back: As long as you’re asleep in the back you’re going to feel just fine. The ride is smooth without being bouncy, legroom is more than decent even for tall people, and the seats are supportive even in the rear bench. The cloth on the seats feel durable but comfortable and are firm enough to allow some ventilation through without being too stiff.
Driving: The Camry has never been a small car, but it’s always been easy to drive even in town. It was easy to park, easy to turn, and easy to navigate the narrow streets of Atlantic Canada. The headlights are too weak, the windshield wipers don’t go fast enough, and the seating position isn’t high enough to see over the hood, but it’s alright in cloudy, rainless weather. It feels faster than a Corolla and grips better at highway speeds, but I’d still drive a Prius over this.
