The 2021 Toyota Camry TRD only comes in a single trim and starts at $32,260. A 3.5L naturally aspirated V-6 is standard with 8-speed automatic transmission. It borrows most of the features from the 2020 model and is the sportiest model of the Camry lineup. The exterior sees a few changes with a new bumper and grille at the front. There are new 19-inch TRD matte-black front wheels along with a dual exhaust with steel tips. There are 4- new color options available and some of the features like the LED headlights and the LED DRLS are retained. 

The interior sees some changes with a new infotainment display of 7-inch long with Entune 3. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard and Toyota offers better smartphone integration with Amazon Alexa. Other than heated and ventilated front seats, sofTex leather-trimmed seats, heated and powered side mirrors are all standard, along with that heaps of driver assistance and safety features like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist are all made standard for the TRD.

Which Trim should you buy?

The TRD trim is the best option out of the lot, it comes with a naturally aspirated V-6 without hampering the fuel economy much, provides a sportier ride, has a very distinctive look compared to the other trims thanks to the TRD spoiler, TRD exhausts, and the 19-inch TRD Alloy Wheels. Furthermore, a lot of advanced safety features are also added along with driver assistance features as standard which not only makes the car fun to drive but also lavish on the inside and comfortable to ride. Starting at $ 32,260, more options can be added to make it even better.

The 2021 Toyota Camry TRD comes in with a 3.5L naturally aspirated V-6 producing 301 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque coupled with an 8-speed Direct-Shift transmission makes the TRD the most exciting Camry to drive. There’s no All-wheel drive and no manual transmission on offer, but the rest is enough to awaken your inner enthusiast.

There are multiple transmission modes on offer along with paddle shifters. The TRD is tuned to offer better handling and sporty performance without having to sacrifice on the fuel economy view. The car does 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and a quarter-mile in segment thrashing 14.4 seconds before it maxes out at 135 MPH making it one of the fastest cars in its segment. This one is not a sporty version of a normal sedan with some aggressive styling, the Camry TRD does deliver impressive performance. 

The Toyota Camry TRD manages to run past the competitors in terms of raw performance mostly due to its flawless V-6 engine. Only the Honda does 0-60 mph faster mainly due to its lesser curb weight. The rest of the models are offered in I-4 engine configuration while Toyota is the only car offering a V-6 engine. Overall the TRD is the winner in terms of performance.

How well does the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD handle?

The Camry in itself over the years has provided exceptional handling and ride. The 2021 TRD adds to that by providing stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and a unique suspension. Not only is the TRD comfortable to ride but it is also extremely fun to drive. The rear anti-roll bars along with the sport-tuned suspension help the Camry take any corner with ease. The steering is also the best in class with great feedback and an extremely lightweight feel. 

Due to the sport-tuned suspensions, which are a bit stiffer, the Camry can be a bit firm in the cities, but overall the performance is better than the regular trim. An issue affecting the ride quality of the Camry is the excessive road noise creeping into the cabin. Otherwise, it is a sporty and capable machine that is engaging and fun to drive.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD Braking Performance

The Toyota Camry has impressive braking performance and definitely keeps up with the competition. The 3500+ pound sedan comes to a stop at 118 feet from 60 MPH thanks to a bigger braking setup installed on the TRD by Toyota. The number of advanced features, like forward-automatic emergency braking and collision warning, also helps the overall braking performance of the car.

The Honda manages to top the braking charts thanks to its very low curb weight. It is followed by the Nissan as it is slightly heavier than the Honda. The Toyota comes in a third spot while the Mazda finishes last. The Accord braked impressively and is the best one in the braking department.

As with the same powertrain from last year, the economy numbers from the TRD are also the same as last year. The car offers 31 MPG on the highway and 22 in the city, returning a combined average of 25 MPG. With a 15.8-gallon fuel tank, you can do nearly 500 miles on the highway with the TRD, however, given the performance of the engine, the figures from the Camry are quite impressive.

Here, the Altima is a clear winner and it is mainly due to the slightly underpowered engine. The other three cars, including the Honda and the Mazda, have very similar figures to that of Toyota. However, the Mazda has the biggest fuel tank while the Accord has the smallest, affecting the range in some way or other. The Nissan however, delivers the most range also which makes it the clear winner here. 

The 2021 Toyota Camry TRD doesn’t get a major overhaul on the inside compared to the 2020 variant and carries most of its styling. As you get inside, you’ll notice the aluminum pedals and silver accents that stand apart in the cabin. There are leather seats and leather inserts on the dashboard that makes the interior look more opulent. The car offers seating capacity for 5 and has the best-in-class room in the front-row with more than 38-inches headroom and 42 inches of legroom. Eight-way power-adjustable seats are standard along with heated and ventilated front-row seats. At the rear, there’s plenty of space for 3-people to sit along with a child latch for the rear middle seat.

The materials used inside are high-quality, however, a high disparity can be seen between the lower trims and the higher trims. Higher trims can get you wooden trims and different pattern inlays. Synthetic leather, heated and ventilated front seats, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, single-zone automatic climate control are all standard on higher trims. There is plenty of space in the interior with small pockets and spaces for your small items. However, the trunk only offers 15.1 cubic feet of space, not only low for its own class but low in general to move cargo around.

The Camry isn’t the most spacious car, it is clearly behind the Honda Accord in terms of the available room as well as Cargo Capacity. On the other hand, Mazda 6 suffers the most with the least amount of space for passengers and in the cargo as well. The Nissan Altima manages the most space in the front with more than 43 inches of legroom and 58 inches of shoulder room but suffers in terms of seconds row space as it comes with the lowest second-row legroom. Standout interior features in the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD are:

• Heated front row seats
• Leather Seating and Upholstery
• 8-way Power-adjustable driver seat
• Ventilated Front row seats
• Heated and leather-wrapped Steering wheel

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The car comes with a 7-inch touch screen with Toyota’s entune 3 that manages its infotainment system. This one could be upgraded to a 9-inch unit. Accompanying the central 7-inch display is a 4.2-inch multi-info display to suffice all of your needs. Along with that, a six-speaker audio system is standard along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is upgraded to a 9-speaker JBL unit in the 9-inch infotainment unit. Toyota offers further smartphone integration with Amazon Alexa. A Wi-Fi hot spot, USB ports along with USB type –C for the rear seats, Bluetooth connectivity, and SiriusXM satellite radio are all standard for the car.

Standard infotainment features in the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD include:

• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay 
• Amazon Alexa
• SiriusXM Radio
• 9-Speaker JBL Sound System
• 7” Touchscreen infotainment system with Entune 3
• USB ports and Bluetooth Connectivity

The 2021 Toyota Camry TRD borrows most of the design from the 2020 TRD trim except for a major design change at the front. The front bumper and grille have been redesigned to give it a more streamlined and natural look which makes it more stylish than the previous models. The TRD’s racing silhouette, sporty bumpers, and body kit will definitely appeal to any car enthusiast and will still intrigue a lot of us as it demands attention. The TRD trim gets LED headlights with LED DRLs, heated and power side mirrors as standard.

This year Toyota has provided newly designed 19-inch matt black alloy wheels which make it more appealing on the outside. The side view and the rear view of the car remain unchanged and the sedan is made available in 4 color options this year. However, what makes the TRD stand out from the other trims is the dual-cat back Exhaust, TRD gloss back pedestal spoiler, and a rear diffuser with pins striping.

The Mazda also offers the highest ground clearance while the Toyota and Accord come in second at 5.7 inches and 5.8 inches respectively. The Camry is one of the heaviest of the lot at 3575 pounds however the Mazda takes the spot by a margin at 3582 pounds. The Accord is the longest and the widest in the segment which translates to the best in class space followed by the Camry. Standout exterior features in the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD include:

• Automatic Front LED headlamps with LED DRLs
• 19-inch TRD black alloy wheels
• Powered and heated side mirrors
• TRD Cat-black Dual Exhaust
• TRD rear Spoiler

Toyota not only manages to load the Camry with tons of safety features but also performs exceptionally well in crash tests. The NHTSA gives a 5-star overall rating to the Camry while the IIHS mentions it as the top safety pick+ and it also receives the top rating “good” in all crash tests, and for its collision avoidance features, IIHS graded it “Superior”. Toyota also keeps many standard driver assistance technologies as standard in all trims.

Standard safety features on the car include Lane trace assist, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, Pedestrian Detection, Traffic Sign detection, adaptive cruise control, rearview camera, and automatic headlamps. We applaud Toyota for putting so many features as standard on all trims. Advanced Safety features on higher trims include Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic emergency braking, head-up display, and a surround-view parking system. With such options and safety features included, Camry is one of the safest sedans available in the market. Standout Safety Features in the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD include:

• Forward Collision Warning and Forward Automatic Emergency Braking
• Blind-Spot Monitoring
• Lane Departure Warning
• Rear Cross-Traffic alert and rear parking sensors
• Surround-View Parking Camera System
• Reverse Automatic Emergency Braking

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs. 2021 Honda Accord Sport 2.0T

The Honda Accord has been considered the best midsize sedan for a long time and the Honda Accord Sport just provides more to it. The Accord has better interiors, more space for the passengers, a bigger cargo, and even a better fuel economy. The Toyota does edge out from Honda thanks to its better safety and driver assistance features and a better performing V-6 engine.

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs. 2021 Mazda 6 Grand Touring

The Mazda 6 Grand Touring starts at a price higher than the Toyota and is more opulent to look at from the outside. It also offers a better average than the Camry, but the list ends there. The Toyota has better interiors, a better performing engine, and best in class safety and tech features at a lower price. 

2021 Toyota Camry TRD vs. 2021 Nissan Altima SR

The Nissan Altima SR is the only car in the segment that provides more features than the Toyota. The car starts at a very low price point, has excellent gas mileage and good quality interior as well. The car is a perfect value proposition sedan and has the most practicality of the lot. The Toyota Camry TRD manages to surpass the Nissan due to its powerful engine. The car also lacks in terms of overall performance due to softer suspension and a very slow CVT transmission.

The 2021 Toyota Camry TRD clearly stands out of the competition thanks to its affordable price, amazing practicality, and very enthralling sporty performance making it one of the best all-round sedans in the market. The lack of manual transmission and all-wheel drive may be a turn-off for some, however, being one of the best cars to drive in the segment, the car should definitely be on top of your list, the only car to come close is the Honda Accord which has a slightly better ride quality and comfort.