2002 Toyota Camry

Since our last report, we've nearly doubled the miles on our One-Year Camry, thanks in part to a trip to Oklahoma and back by shooter Newhardt and numerous weekend trips throughout California and Nevada. Our 15,000- and 20,000-mile services came and went (consisting of oil/filter changes and tire rotations) at a total cost of $133.25. To date, we've had but one little mishap: A semi kicked up a cardboard box on the highway, smacking the Camry head on. Coming to a stop off the road, our driver heard a "clunk" and got out to check the nose. Evidently, the impact jostled the passenger-side foglamp from the fascia, dropping it to the pavement. Snapping it back into place, our editor was back on the road with nary a scratch to the lens. At the 20,678-mile mark, we began noticing some vibration during braking, so we'll have that looked at during our next service visit. So far, our Camry is more than living up to its reputation as a reliable and consummate family hauler.

"Toyota has made an art of hiding complexity within simplicity to create perfection for the average commuter."--Scott Mead