So as I am looking for a new daily driver to retire my 07 F-150 with 170k miles, I just started test driving cars today. Honda and Toyota products (and their luxury brands) of course. The 2023 Toyota Camry felt actually horrible and sluggish with the 8 speed automatic transmission, nothing like my mom's 6 speed 2017 Camry that's super smooth. What is it with salesman at the Toyota dealers not knowing anything about their product? I asked if the Rav4 had a 6 speed or 8 speed transmission and she kept saying they only have 4cylinders (sigh). Hilariously she was on her phone the entire time I was driving it. So forget a new Toyota I guess. I go over to the Acura dealer and boy the salesman went over the new TLX like a hawk, was super nice and spent two hours with me going on a test drive and all the features. The downside with Acura is that I felt like the amount of buttons and massive entertainment screen will just break. I just want to get in a car and go down the road without all the lane assist BS and junk coming on the screen. With that being said, what would your go to sedan be with a $35k budget? I'm trying to skip CVT is possible and the big screens in the middle that have to be turned off every time you turn on the car!
I own a '21 Camry SE (same generation as the '23) so I can share my experience. The transmission that comes with it is a smart transmission. I noticed acceleration was sluggish after I first got the car (brand new). But I drove a little aggressive the first couple months, and the transmission actually learned my driving style and adjusted itself. Now I only need to tap the gas pedal a little and acceleration is actually zippy.
Well I'd still get the Camry they run forever. You just get used to those Maltese speed transmissions. They drive differently. And they generally do have economy or sport settings if you like them to be zippy or you put them on a sports setting
If it were me, I’d get either an Acura Integra or a Honda Civic (manual transmission preferred).
They have been sized up since 25+ years ago, and aren’t as tiny as they used to be. They seem to be approaching the size of Accords and Camrys of 25+ years ago.
The Integra had a better user interface than the TLX, imho. It’s basically like the Civic. I agree, the TLX is too complicated.
But as a recommendation, I’d say Camry. Tried and true.
