Overview & Reviews

Until recently, driving a hybrid car required some sort of sacrifice, whether in terms of space, performance or anonymity. However, in the case of the Camry Hybrid, one could argue that Toyota has given the buying public a hybrid that demands few or no sacrifices.

If judged only on its merits as a competent midsize sedan, the Toyota Camry Hybrid would score well. We've found that it shares all the attributes that make the conventional Camry one of the best-selling family sedans out there: a comfortable and quiet ride, more than adequate power, lots of amenities and plenty of room for five. That its fuel economy beats that of most compact cars and its price is well within the normal range for an average midsize car are just icing on the hybrid cake.

Current Toyota Camry Hybrid
The current Toyota Camry Hybrid features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. Combined output comes to 200 horsepower and it's routed to the front wheels through a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT). The EPA estimates combined fuel economy at an excellent 40 or 41 mpg, depending on the trim level.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid is offered in LE, XLE and (late introduction) SE Limited Edition trim levels. Standard feature highlights for the LE include keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, full power accessories, Bluetooth, a touchscreen display and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port. The XLE adds a power driver seat and an upgraded sound system. The SE Limited Edition is essentially an XLE with sporty styling cues and the sport front seats of the non-hybrid Camry SE. Main options include a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a premium audio system, a navigation system and a smartphone integration system.

It should be noted that halfway into the 2014 model year, the Camry Hybrid saw a few minor changes. These include the aforementioned new trim level, the rearview camera becoming standard across the board and a renaming of the car's infotainment systems.

Inside, the Camry's new interior benefits from roomy seats, admirable outward visibility and well-placed controls. What the cabin design lacks in cohesiveness, it makes up for with generally good materials quality, especially the handsome stitching on the dash and door panels of upper trims. Toyota's Entune system is also praiseworthy in the way it easily adds enhanced audio, information and navigation features, although the touchscreen's virtual buttons can be a little frustrating to use at times.

While fuel economy gets top billing here, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is still pleasant to drive. Its hybrid powertrain is quite smooth in its operation and provides quick acceleration. Handling is unremarkable and the steering is quite light and uncommunicative, but for most buyers this will likely be a non-issue.

Used Toyota Camry Hybrid Models
This latest Toyota Camry Hybrid was redesigned for 2012, as was the conventional Camry. As such, it benefited from the same generational upgrades, such as a much nicer interior and new electronics features. Fuel economy and power are also considerably better than they were with the previous-generation hybrid. Note that these Camry Hybrids lack a few minor updates of the current version, including the addition of the SE Limited Edition trim level, the rearview camera becoming standard across the board and a renaming of the car's infotainment systems.

That previous, first-generation Toyota Camry Hybrid was produced for the 2007-'11 model years. While it shared much of the same advantages of the current car, it suffered from a rather small trunk, disappointing interior materials and inconsistent fit and finish issues. Additionally, its fuel economy, while high, was not as good as the current model's.

This Camry Hybrid was powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine working in concert with an electric motor. Power was sent to the front wheels through a specialized CVT. The gas engine produced 147 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque, and the electric motor added another 40 hp, yielding 187 maximum hp. Fuel economy was quite good for the time, checking in at an EPA-estimated 33 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined.

For most of the first generation's production run, standard features included 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless ignition and entry, a power driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a trip computer and a six-speaker sound system. Main options were a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power passenger seat, a navigation system and a premium sound system.

Changes were slight over the years, with revised front-end styling, a new instrument cluster and unique upholstery made of silk protein and synthetic fiber being introduced for 2010. In 2011, the alloy wheels were downgraded to steel wheels with plastic covers.

On the whole, the Camry Hybrid presented a complete package. It was roomy, comfortable and kept up to date with the latest features. And thanks to the Prius, Toyota has shown that its hybrid powertrains are able to meet consumers' expectations of durability and reliability. Our only suggestion would be to also check out the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which eclipsed the Camry Hybrid in terms of economy and interior design for the final two years.

User Reviews:

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  Car Saved My Life - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By MK in NS - May 9 - 3:00 pm

  After an accident where an oncoming car spun out and into me I was thrilled and disappointed that it was our TCH that I was driving-we have two other Toyotas. The car did everything that it was designed to do. Only the airbags necessary deployed and the front end, including hood, crumpled as it was supposed to. I walked away with minor injuries. LOVE this car so much that when it was written off we bought a 2009. It had more than 100,000kms on it with no problems at all. Cant imagine a better vehicle.

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  Quietest car I have ever owned - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Easy Ed - April 27 - 7:00 pm

  I came from a Lexus ES 300 and I very seriously looked at the ES 350. The ES 350 was $8,000 more and was not as smooth or quiet as the Camry Hybrid. The ES has 90 more HP, but the Hybrid accelerates smoother and almost as strongly as did the ES. It is much quieter. I of course love the 36+ MPG that Im getting on regular gas. The big short fall is the lack of memory seating and trunk size. The Bluetooth phone works great.

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  Typical Toyota - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Hank Inman - April 27 - 4:16 am

  We had to wait more than 2 months for our car, and we didnt get leather or sun roof that we ordered. The dealer tried to get us to have an aftermarket company do the job. We declined. We just wanted the car... period! When it finally arrived, the dealer botched several things, but ultimately, getting the car was the ultimate goal. We are extremely pleased with our Camry Hybrid. I love the car! After all, its a Toyota.

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  2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Hammerstein - April 24 - 8:13 am

  Picked up a used (28500 miles) 2009 Camry hybrid for the size and mpg. Quickly learned the sweet spots (`35 mph) and (`72 mph) that results in incredible mileage. Feather the gas peddle and try to keep the car operating on battery power alone for as long as you can. I read most of the review on this site and agree with those who post excellent gas mileage. I drove a couple hundred miles and easily got close to 40 mpg! Ride is soft and comfortable and will be great for the family. It drives straight and has a lot of features that made this car the perfect choice for us. The car is certified and I purchased and extended warranty, so am very well protected.

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  Go BUY one - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By YoungJC - April 18 - 4:46 pm

  I am very happy with this purchase and got exactly what I expected in buying a Toyota: Quality. The car is rated for 38 highway and 40 city, and what do I get? I have averaged 40.1 miles per gallon over the last 4100 miles. Toyota really put together a sweet package in the new Camry.

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  Mileage & Paint - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By LAW - April 17 - 6:30 pm

  I love my Barcelona Red Metallic TCH, however, the paint leaves much to be desired. It seems to chip down to the bare metal with the slightest touch. This is my 3rd Toyota and never had this problem before. My mileage started at 40 mph/hwy and 27/city. After 9000 miles, it is now 37/hwy and 23/city. I dont like the fact its getting lower. I thought once a car was broken in, the mileage would get better.

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  Hybrid Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Tim T - April 11 - 8:30 pm

  This is a blast to drive. The body style is outstanding, we added the Toyota rear spoiler, and get lots of positive comments from people. Right now we are getting combined City/Hwy 41 miles per gallon. The car drives smooth- has plenty of power. I was crusing on the Hwy yesterday at 70 mph and geting 42.5 miles per gallon. The ride and handling are outstanding. Everytime we stop someone walks up and wants to know how we like it, when we tell them we are getting 40 plus it knocks their socks off. This car makes driving fun again and economical.

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  Fussy driver has little to complain of - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By G Carter - March 26 - 10:23 am

  My wife and I usually burn less than 6l/100km, sometimes as little as 5.2l/100km on a weekend trip. Excellent fuel economy. It is not slow, it has plenty of acceleration. The ride is very smooth but I would prefer it be firmer to improve steering responsiveness. The fact there are no gear changes adds to the smoothness of the ride. Moving off when the light turns green is not noticeably different than other cars with an automatic transmission, even if the engine was not running during the red light. Plenty of room, comfortable for four adults, no bad seats in the house. In the first year of use, I have had no problems to report except my wife could let me drive it more often.

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  Best car ever - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By gabe - March 25 - 3:36 pm

  Hands down the best car I have ever owned. I wouldnt trade it for anything on the market right now. This is the smoothest, best-looking and unbelievable car out right now. I cant believe Toyota has gotten this good. If you want a car that knows how you drive and tells you how to improve it then look no further. Wow.. unbelievable! This car is the real deal for 2007. I got sick of hearing all about technology that is coming soon. What I needed was that right now. I get 37 mpg average right now. A little bit of the window sticker but I can handle that. Everyone should rush to Toyota and drive this before they decide to buy anything else.

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  Cool ride - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By chip - March 25 - 1:43 am

  Wow, after owning a BMW that kept having all kinds of little annoying problems, this car fills the bill for me.