Toyota Camry

This is the section where I'm forced to admit liking cars that perhaps weren't as good as they made out, or fell foul of a drubbing by the mainstream motoring media.

It isn't that I disagree with the opinions of others, it's just in spite of the overwhelming weight of opinion, for some reason, I still like the car.

First subject is the Toyota Camry. It's a car that hasn't been on sale in the UK since 2004. I was present on the last media launch the UK was invited to, just outside Monaco in 2001.

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We were told is was probably the last chance for Camry in the UK, but were reassured that this model was a big step forward compared to the previous version.

There was to be no diesel. The UK would be taking a 2.4-litre four-cylinder and a 3.0-litre V6, both petrol.

By this time Lexus had become reasonably established as an alternative to mainstream luxury cars, and we knew the kind of technology and resources the Toyota Empire had access to.

We were told the automatic transmission (an option on the 2.4 GLS and CDX and standard on the 3.0 CDX) would be a four-speed gearbox.

Lexus models at the time came with five-speed automatic transmissions. When questioned, one of the Japanese executives at the press conference said that the four-speed gearbox suited the characteristics of the engine better.

He was, of course, lying to us. The Camry was designed for the North American market, and customers liked to keep things simple. Simple and cheap.

And the Camry had been the best selling car there for years, so why change a successful formula?

We drive the cars on some pretty demanding roads, and its comfort-oriented chassis and light steering meant it wasn't much fun hustling the car on twisty roads.

But it was well finished and had a subtle sturdiness about it. It was comfortable, would seat five adults, and wasn't unattractive. It was also a very reliable car, and easy to live with.

Market analysts in the UK suggested the Camry would suffer steep depreciation. In fact there were so few sold that Toyota was able to keep most cars within the main dealer network over the first few years of its life.

It meant that even in 2005 or later, there were used cars at three or four years old with asking prices of about 50 per cent of their original price.

They were mostly sold to older customers with low annual mileage, which meant that to someone who wanted a comfortable and roomy car that promised years of hassle-free motoring, a used Camry would be a rare and attractive find.

In North America, and some other markets, the Camry is still a strong seller. It now looks more purposeful, and to my eyes at least, is an attractive car.

It is available as a petrol-electric hybrid, and I believe is a car that there might have been a small but significant market for in the UK for several years. You want a hybrid? You have a choice of small Hondas or Toyotas at less than £20,000.

You want something bigger? Well, your next stop is the Lexus GS450h at £43,035 on the road. There is a vast gap int he market in the UK, that will be filled in the coming years by French diesel-electric models.

So the window of opportunity for Camry is now closing. And I don't think there will be another one, which to me, at least, is a shame.