People and cars are a funny thing. For the enthusiast, there has to be something in a car that causes a burning passion. The masses though aren’t very passionate. The masses didn’t get Andy Warhol. They didn’t get the Sex Pistols. The masses did get Celine Dion and Dynasty.

Selling cars to the masses isn’t all about setting leading edge style, it is about selling masses of cars. Toyota knows this.

Toyota’s venerable Camry has never been a visual icon, rather it has always had a pleasant shape that fits well with the current generation of competitors. Not too progressive, yet not too bland. The current model fits the mold perfectly. It is a little more swoopy looking than an Accord, yet not so risky as the new Maxima or Mazda6. That is not to say the Camry doesn’t look current, just not cutting edge. Designers have included all the prequisite details needed in today’s market. Attractive curves, jewel like lamps, fog lamps and chromed dual tailpipe tips. In fact they have also included a few other bits of chrome here and there in places that are a bit more tasteful that some others in the segment.

The last few Toyota models we’ve driven here in The Garage have been from the Lexus stable. Call me spoiled, but I was actually disappointed when I first sat in the Camry. Not that it isn’t attractive, it just seems to be worlds away from the feeling of the GS350 we drove a couple of weeks ago. The dash layout is pretty standard, with nothing resembling a Warhol creation attached to the dash. The seats look great and are clad in attractive leather. Oddly, the front seat heaters have only one setting: Minus 20 or less. They come on faster than most and would be most welcome for those early hockey practices in January, but are a little too toasty for a mid October snow squall.

Speaking of winter in Ontario, no review of a family hauler in The Garage would be complete without the 3 hockey bag test. The 09 Camry is only the 2nd sedan we’ve tested that we could honestly fit 3 full hockey bags in the trunk. Of course Dad’s stick needs to poke through the armrest pass through in the back seat but it shows that a sedan really can be as useful as a minivan for family life.

Out on the road, the Camry continues the mainstream theme. The car is quiet and stable on the road at pretty much all speeds. The cabin is well insulated from road and wind noises and not a single creak or rattle was heard. The Camry is motivated by a 3.5 liter V6 mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission that puts 268 horsepower through the front wheels. With that much power, one might think the Camry is a sporting machine, but remember that it is tuned for the masses. The Camry seems happiest when driven in a calm, sedate manner. It seems happiest cruising at about 110 kmh, where all the good little commuters attempt to stay. Step hard to the right pedal and the Camry almost seems to surprise itself when it comes to life. Indeed, there is so much power to the front wheels that the traction control has it’s work cut out keeping the all season P215/60R16 tires attached to the road. With this much go, it seems like there is some passion just waiting to be found and exploited.

Surprisingly, the 6 speed allows the Camry to get great gas mileage. We managed to achieve 9.1 L/100 km in combined city and highway driving, which is right smack dab in the middle of the government ratings. Its very rare that we come anywhere close to those numbers, so kudos to Toyota for generating some great real world economy and decent horsepower.

The Camry has always been a car for the masses and the 2009 edition certainly continues this tradition. The average Camry buyer isn’t about passion, they are about getting where they are going in comfort and relative style. They are about Toyota’s legendary quality. They are not a passionate crowd, but they are a crowd and Toyota has built a sedan that suits them just fine.

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes for Toyota to find that passion that is lurking within the Camry. Stiffen up the springs and mount some shiny 18 inch wheels with sticky rubber to cope with the power better. Through on some tasteful aero bits and install some sports seats. Call it the Camry GTS. It won’t appeal to the masses, but you might find some families that want a little more Sex Pistols on the way to the arena.