2012 Camry Hybrid Offset Steering Wheel Oddity

Oh yeah? How 'bout you take a good whiff of these two photos. You'd put up with this junk two inch offset to the right wheel placement? Wanna see 4th Gen Prius laid out like this in 2 1/2 years, then we're stuck with that for 6 more years?

btw, this is not about showcasing Honda below, it's about calling out Toyota. No camera angle tricks here, shot straight on.

2012 Camry Hybrid XLE



2013 Accord EX-L

 

You want to compare America's top selling car with a Jeep Wrangler?

btw, It's not tragic; I don't own a 7th generation Camry and wouldn't consider it nor recommend it to anyone. And I'm guessing the typical Camry buyer is not much into an enjoyable twisty backroad drive in their car, just getting from point A to B. No wonder C&D typically gags on Camry but gives the nod to Accord.

 

Yes, the interior is same in all Camrys L, LE, XLE, Hybrid ...

and it is not a 1/2" offset, the right edge is offset two inches (2")

Why would you take whatever comes from Toyota in blind faith and not question it?

I suppose it's within industry specs, but I don't like it one bit. This is the new trend, to sit in one place and have hands shifted 2" right? The Honda wheel is exactly centered per vertical lines.

A tradeoff? For what, some component in the dashboard? 'Let's take one of the three most important controls (that has an explosive airbag in it) and shove it two inches right'.

 

Or maybe some planned obsolesence thrown in to boot.

 

Jan 24, 2013 Case# : 130124xxxx

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
19001 South Western Ave.
Dept. WC11
Torrance, CA90501

xxxxx
Union City, CA94587

To whom it may concern in Toyota product or technical support:

I’m a long-time Toyota owner, four in all, and currently drive a 2011 Prius. I went looking at a 2012 Camry XLE and found something I didn’t like: Steering wheel laterally offset about two inches right of the driver’s seat (see photograph. Btw, this is not ‘Photoshopped’)
This situation is the same in all 7th generation Camry models, L, LE, XLE, hybrid. I like my steering wheels well centered in front of my driver’s seat. Maybe a fraction of inch off is ok, but two inches? Too much!

This two inch steering wheel offset would be a ‘deal breaker’ for me; I would not buy a car with this. Don’t want my arms skewed to the right, or left.

I’m concerned about other interior design details. I’ve noticed Camry driver’s seat, power or mechanical, does not lower nearly as much as Accord driver’s seat, causing lack of extra headroom, at least for me (I have good headroom even in Prius).

I’ve noticed 2010 model year and later Prius gained the telescopic steering wheel feature, but it is not mounted in the car to come out nearly far enough to the tallest drivers. This is also noted by Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports in their reviews. There is plenty of driver’s seat travel in the new liftback Prius, but the steering wheel doesn’t pull out to accommodate that travel.

I still like Toyota but am concerned. As other brands are coming out with new hybrid cars, I’m looking at them too. Toyota still makes the best hybrids, now please make the best interiors with great attention to details.

Sincerely,

xxxx

 

Camry is not along in this steering wheel offset thing: Ford C-Max has it too, offset to the right. In my letter I mentioned Prius steering wheel not coming nearly close enough... scoot a C-Max driver's seat all the way back, pull steering wheel out, the wheel is still in the next county.

 

A guy named Luis from Toyota corporate just called to follow up on my letter above. He said they are forwarding the information and asked for any other input. He was very courteous.

The offset is subtle and it's not like the Camry is only car with it. C-Max hybrid has steering wheel offset that's probably worse. I don't like it, wouldn't buy a car with it, but to each his own.

 

Part of the reason why the car sells in such high numbers.