Toyota’s South Africa Motors’ success story is largely attributed to the Hilux and Corolla, but 20 years ago another model catered for slightly larger families who didn’t need a double-cab bakkie and could do with something a little more luxurious than a small saloon car. Essentially a replacement for the Cressida (many of which are still in service as taxis), the Camry did all of that and more on its way to becoming one of South Africa’s most popular cars in the 1990s.
CAR first tested a Camry for the February 1993 issue. The range-topping 300 SEi boasted a respectable features list that included speed-dependent power steering, remote boot and petrol-cap openers, electric windows and exterior mirrors, automatic air-conditioning and a radio/cassette player with a six-CD changer in the boot. The Camry’s quad-cam 3,0-litre V6 engine sent 138 kW and 255 N.m of torque to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.
