The 2008 Camry the long-standing best-selling car in the U.S. was extensively restyled and upgraded for 2007, and it's unchanged this year but for some cosmetic exterior and interior choices. The archrival Honda Accord is consistently the second-best-seller, but Honda claims it's No. 1 among individual buyers as opposed to rental and other fleets. Other midsize sedan competitors include the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Saturn Aura and Volkswagen Passat, to name a few. The Camry trim levels, in ascending value, are CE, LE, sporty SE and premium XLE. The Camry Hybrid, detailed in a separate report in the Cars.com Research section, falls somewhere between the SE and XLE in terms of standard equipment. You have to pony up the cash for the more expensive trim and pay an additional premium for the hybrid aspect. Someday hybrid technology might be a drivetrain option on any trim level, but not until costs come down dramatically. Among the few changes for 2008 is the replacement of the Titanium Metallic exterior color for Classic Silver Metallic. The current-generation Camry's nose is blunter and sportier than the version it replaced in 2007. The tail recalls the full-size Avalon sedan, and the fenders have shoulders that give the trunklid a hump a style introduced on recent BMWs but executed better by other manufacturers, including Lexus on the GS sedan. The grilles distinguish one trim level from another. The CE's is black, the LE's is body-colored, the SE's is black with body-colored surround and the XLE's is body-colored with chrome accents. The SE also has rocker panel and front fascia extensions and larger wheels. A spoiler is optional on this trim level only. Fog lights appear on the SE and XLE. The standard wheels are 16-inch steel, and alloy rims come in 16-, 17- and 18-inch diameters as standard or optional equipment.
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