Toyota's Ride and Drive Event Recap: 2018 Camry and C-HR

Hey Yall!  This past Friday, myself and other media outlets were invited to Toyota's Ride and Drive event to experience the All-New 2018 Camry and 2018 C-HR.


As I mentioned on my Instagram, Toyota is my #1 favorite car brand.  I grew up having Toyota vehicles in family starting with my mom getting a 1994 Corolla.


It was like a stepping stone when it came to the Toyotas my family had when I was younger, starting with Corolla, Camry, then upgrading to a Lexus.


The Corolla was passed down to me when I was just getting out of high school, soon to attend college.  So much firsts happened in that car like it being my first car, my dad taught me how to drive in it, also my transportation to my first job at Hollywood Video!  So many memories!


The Corolla was 11 years old still going strong and never gave me any problems.  I drove that car for several years until I passed it down to my brother, and he too drove it for several years until he sold it.


Toyota leads the longest lasting brand with their reliable cars.

I drive a Toyota now, a RAV-4, and it's my baby!  My RAV-4 never gave me a single problem even with it being seven years old.  The girls are nearing the driving age, and I've been thinking about passing down my RAV-4 to them and upgrade to a Highlander for a bit more space.


Well, that's a bit of history of the many generations of Toyotas in my life.  Let me share about my time at the Toyota event.

I dropped the kiddos off to gymnastic camp, and I rode solo to Southbound restaurant for some lunch, networking and learning about some of Toyota's new car lineup.

The 2018 Camry has gone through a facelift with a new exterior design that is more sharp, edgy, abstract lines, masculine grille, sportier look.  Honestly, it's like a work of art!  Even the emblem in the back of the car got a new look too.  Camry doesn't look bland anymore.

So many interior options inside make the ride very enjoyable.  Camry sure has come a long way since their debut back in 1983.

After lunch, I had a chance to drive around in the 2018 Camry and boy is it like riding on a fluffy cloud, it's so smooth and so quiet!  Fantastic handling and picks up speed quickly, with enough space for my family of four and enough room to tow our stuff around.

Also, the 2018 Camry is fantastic when it comes to their safety features with forward and back collision warnings, lane departure warnings, ten airbags inside, and blind spot monitor.

2018 C-HR is like the new kid on the block, being Toyota's new small subcompact crossover vehicle.  When I first saw it, I thought it was a funky entry-level car for teen drivers, young millennials, couples living in the city.  But for me, too small.  Also, I felt like I seen this type of style car before like the Nissan Juke and Honda H-RV.  Toyota is a bit late to the party with their C-HR as far as design.

After taking a drive in Toyota's C-HR, Nissan and Honda have some competition because the C-HR is an incredible little car.  It may be small, but it's packing a lot of power.  But there are some downsides to it not having an Apple CarPlay, no all-wheel drive option, or factory navigation.  But there is a saving grace; the C-HR does have Bluetooth so you can connect your phone.

Although I spent a short time with both Camry and C-HR, it didn't take long for me to know that I enjoy them both, with me loving the Camry more.


I can't wait to share more of my love for Toyota with you all!  Stay tuned!


By the way, the restaurant Southbound is a must visit!  Southern food is so fresh and delicious.  And the farmhouse style rustic decor is so warm and inviting.  Great place to get together for some good eating with friends and family.

Have you ever had a Toyota?  If so, what is your experience with this brand?