A combination of incongruous or contradictory terms is called an oxymoron, like “jumbo shrimp”, “dangerously safe”, “almost pregnant” and “sporty Camry”.

The Camry SE features aerodynamic add-ons that tack on some flair to the car’s familiar shape. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

But oddly enough, as a whole, the car makes sense. A typical Camry is renowned for its comfortable, marshmallow ride, numb steering and lack of driving excitement. But the SE version of Toyota’s mid-size sedan seems to keep it out of the boring zone, if only by a small margin.

And yet, Toyota sells so many copies of the Camry every year, so we must realize that driving dynamics isn’t everyone’s priority, and it shouldn’t be, either. But what does the sporty SE have in store for those who are looking at a Mazda6 or a Ford Fusion?

The Camry SE features aerodynamic add-ons that tack on some flair to the car’s familiar shape, including a front apron, a rear diffuser, side skirts and a rear spoiler. Personally, I wouldn’t take a Camry without them. But as much as they help give the car a sportier appearance, a competitor like the Suzuki Kizashi, which is devoid of any such items, still looks a lot sexier.

The cockpit has an industrial feel to it. In addition, the alignment of certain dash pieces leaves much to be desired, and it has been this way since the car’s 2007 model-year redesign. The mix of dark and light grey isn’t particularly exciting. Yet the switchgear is well thought-out, with big buttons and easy-to-handle rotary dials for the climate control system, so that partially forgives the monotony.

I just wish the driver’s seat cushion would lower down more, because my head gets tickled by the headliner while I drive; reclining the seatback would help, but that wouldn’t suit my usual driving position. The leather surfaces are slippery, and with little lateral support; you’re always moving around on the seat in corners or clinging on to the steering wheel.

The cabin’s mix of dark and light grey isn’t particularly exciting, yet the switchgear is well thought-out. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Rear-seat space, however, is very good; three adults can sit across with very little pushing and shoving. Trunk space, at 425 litres, is also excellent.

Rear-seat and trunk space are very good. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

I also wish you could get Bluetooth without having to opt for the Leather and Moonroof Package. Oh, you can get a dealer-installed BLU Logic module, but it doesn’t include wheel-mounted buttons. The sound system USB port is also something that would be nice to have outside of a $3,130 option group.

Under the hood is Toyota’s recently-introduced 16-valve, 2.5-litre inline-4 that develops 179 horsepower (10 more than in LE and XLE versions) and 171 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed automatic with manual mode is also included, since a manual gearbox is no longer offered in Canada.

Zero to 100 km/h takes 9.2 seconds, which isn’t bad, and one of the quickest in our recent  mid-size sedan comparison test. It doesn’t feel that quick during spirited driving, though, because the 6-speed automatic is slow to react, even in sport mode, for the sake of fuel economy. The traction control system will probably hibernate all summer long, as it will probably never be called upon when there’s no snow on the ground.

Speaking of fuel economy, the week-long test is resulting in an average of 9.1 L/100 km, which is more than acceptable.

At wide-open throttle, the engine gets somewhat noisy, but under more sedate driving, the Camry’s cabin is very quiet. The car’s ride is quite comfortable, obviously, and the SE’s so-called sport suspension surprised us somewhat; not by its stiffness but by the way it makes the car much more pleasant to drive. Note that we didn’t say “more exciting to drive”, as the steering still lacks the on-center feel that would entice us to go twisty-road hunting.

Our test car gave us an average of 9.1 L/100 km. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Base price for the 4-cylinder Camry SE is $27,755, and the aforementioned Leather and Moonroof Package on our tester brings the total to $30,885. For the price, a Suzuki Kizashi is smaller but more engaging than the Camry, if a sporty sedan is what you’re looking for of course.

The Camry SE costs $27,755; add $3,130 for the leather and sunroof. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Despite being five years old, the Camry still can hold its own in regards to the slew of fresher rivals such as Accord, Fusion, Mazda6, Legacy and Malibu. The new Hyundai Sonata, though, is a real threat for its obvious value and elegance.

The Camry SE might seem like an oxymoron, but the sportier setup on the car isn’t a bad proposition at all. If we had to choose a Camry and only a Camry, this would be the one we’d get.