There is no 2021 Toyota Camry Atara S. The Atara S was an Australian-market grade that ended when Toyota Australia retired the Atara nameplate for the 2018 model year, and it was never sold in North America. This article sets out the correct history of the Atara S, the engine it used, and the Camry that buyers could actually order in 2021.
Why There Is No 2021 Atara S
Atara was a Toyota Australia grade name used on the locally built Camry and Aurion from 2011. The Atara S sat one step above the entry trim, below the Atara SL, and shared the line with the sporty Atara SX. These grades were sold only in Australia. When the eighth-generation Camry, coded XV70, arrived in November 2017 as a 2018 model, Toyota Australia replaced the Altise and Atara names with Ascent, Ascent Sport, SX and SL. GoAuto’s launch report notes that the Ascent Sport replaced the Atara S. The Atara S, therefore, last existed on the ASV50 generation sold from 2011 to 2017. The “2021” in the search phrase points to a car that was never produced.
The Engine the Atara S Actually Used
The Atara S of that era was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, engine code 2AR-FE, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Toyota’s specification material for the model quotes roughly 133 kW (about 178 hp) and 231 Nm of torque from that engine, with a claimed combined consumption near 7.8 L/100km. A hybrid Camry was also offered in that period, using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, though the Atara S grade itself was the conventional four-cylinder car.
What Replaced the Atara S
For 2018 the Ascent Sport inherited the Atara S’s role. In Australia the new grade added a sportier body kit, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, and an 8-inch display with satellite navigation. Buyers who wanted more could step up to the SX, which added 19-inch wheels, a sportier suspension tune and sports seats. Each new grade sat slightly lower in price than the Atara model it replaced, which was a deliberate part of Toyota’s repositioning of the imported Camry.
The 2021 Camry That Took Its Place
The 2021 Camry was the facelifted XV70, sold in Australia in four grades — Ascent, Ascent Sport, SX and SL. Toyota Australia made its 2.5-liter hybrid available on all four grades for 2021, rated at 160 kW and about 221 Nm. The range was also offered with a 2.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder. Revised front styling, broader hybrid availability and updated multimedia were the main changes for the year.
- 2.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder: 152 kW and about 243 Nm
- 2.5-liter hybrid: 160 kW combined from the engine and electric motor
- Transmissions: six-speed automatic (gasoline), electronically controlled CVT (hybrid)
Specifications at a Glance
For context, the eighth-generation Camry measured about 1840 mm wide, 4905 mm long and 1445 mm tall, riding a 2825 mm wheelbase. The Australian SX and SL grades carried 19-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels respectively, while hybrid models used a smaller fuel tank to make room for the battery pack. Curb weight ranged from roughly 1495 kg for the base four-cylinder to about 1635 kg for the hybrid. The Camry was built in Japan and shipped to Australia after local production ended in 2017.
A Name That Never Reached 2021
Toyota has used many grade names for the Camry around the world. In Australia the sequence ran from Altise and Atara to Ascent, Ascent Sport, SX and SL. In North America it ran from CE and LE to SE, XLE and XSE. The Atara S belonged to the earlier Australian naming scheme, and no 2021 car carried it. A shopper looking for a mid-range 2021 Camry will find it badged Ascent Sport in Australia or SE in North America, both of which offer a stronger engine and more equipment than the original Atara S.
The Bottom Line for Buyers
Any advertisement for a “2021 Toyota Camry Atara S” describes a car that does not exist. Atara-badged Camrys were built between 2011 and 2017, and the name was retired for 2018. The engine specs often quoted for an “Atara S engine” belong to the old 2AR-FE four-cylinder, not to any 2021 model. Buyers who want an accurate picture should treat the Atara S as a used-car topic covering the ASV50 generation, and look to the Ascent Sport or SE for a current mid-spec Camry.
Why Toyota Australia Dropped the Atara Name
The change came with the switch from locally built Camrys to imported ones. Toyota ended manufacturing in Australia in October 2017, and the new Camry was built in Japan and shipped in. With the Aurion large sedan also discontinued, Toyota Australia simplified its naming to match other models: Ascent and Ascent Sport replaced Altise and Atara S, while SX and SL took over the higher and sportier roles. The Atara name, in use since 2011, was retired along with the local factory.
Atara S Versus the 2021 Ascent Sport
Buyers who remember the Atara S will find the 2021 Ascent Sport a more capable car. It rides the newer GA-K platform, offers a hybrid option and includes equipment the Atara S never had, such as dual-zone climate control, satellite navigation and a power driver’s seat. On paper the Ascent Sport is the true successor to the Atara S, while the SX continues the sporting role once held by the Atara SX.
For anyone researching the Atara S today, the practical takeaway is simple: treat it as a used-car subject covering the 2011 to 2017 Camry, and look to the Ascent Sport or SX for a modern equivalent. No 2021 model carried the badge.
