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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  Nu owner loving it - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By nuowner - November 15 - 4:13 am

  Bought a 2 weeks ago with 6,000 miles on it. High end vehicle. Loving it. 39+ mpg 650 mi first trip. Used cruise set at speed limit. Looks like 38+ in city driving so far. Easy to ease off and glide at 25-40 mph after well warmed on level or slight downhill. Disappointed in the lousy manuals, even the short one. Needs a GOOD manual for nav for a non-technical person like my wife. I have only begun to figure it out and have years of equipment and technical experience. Nav should have a "basic" mode for naive users like my wife. Horrible blue color bezel for the display panel! It looks nice in my gray interior - awful in others I saw.

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  Excellent Buy - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Sushrajiv - November 12 - 10:06 pm

  Never thought I would like it so much. Feels like a luxury car, handles like one too. Gas mileage is a big bonus and it depends a lot on the driving habits.

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  Over the Honeymoon... Still love it! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By HyMPG - November 2 - 1:33 pm

  Traded in my Hemi-powered 4x4 Grand Cherokee Ltd and what a difference! While lacking some of the creature comforts of the SUV, Im more than satisfied with the Camry, especially in light of the fact that Ive tripled my gas mileage. Had to drive 3.5 hours to get mine, as all dealerships in my area are sold out. Rumor has it Toyota is directing Camry hybrid batteries to the Prius, so production has been cut. Got 46 MPG during long ride home. The learning-curve to truly understand how to max MPG is steeper than expected. Small differences in driving style can really make a diff in MPG. Was averaging 34 MPG city/44 hwy for first 1000 miles, now getting 4-5 better. Best trip is 57.8 MPG.

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  Over 150,000 trouble free miles - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By philt5 - October 28 - 8:35 am

  I have driven my Camry Hybrid now for 4 years and 152,000 miles. The only time this car has been to the dealer is for regular fluid changes and a rattle in the dash when it was new. I am still on the original front brake pads. I changed the rear brake pads at about 130,000 miles. The car still drives like new. These cars are turning out to be extremely reliable if the regular maintenance is done. The dealer told me he has a Camry Hybrid taxi cab that comes in for maintenance and had 490,000 miles on it last time he saw it. No repairs, just maintenance. Lifetime fuel consumption averages at 37mpg with normal driving. Ill keep driving it and see how far it can go.

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  great car - 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Amanda Chandler - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Only thing I can say negative is that I can hear a lot of outside noise. I know theres a term for that but cant remember. Car is not very sound proof.

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  engineering marvel - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Ray - October 20 - 10:16 am

  The first thousand miles have been positive. Drives well, about 40 mpg, quiet, adequate power for any situation, engineering is a marvel, and the most important feature, it is a small contribution to solving our global warming problems. Only the ideologically moribund can deny it is happening, and it seems to me that each of us must do what we can to reduce our carbon use and carbon dioxide residues.

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  HYBRID ALL THE WAY! - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By danq3 - October 1 - 8:29 am

  First time hybrid buyer, just got 2012 camry hybrid xle w/ full option minus blind spot monitor & hdd navi. This car demonstrates toyota is the undisputed king of Hybrid. Zippiest hybrid ever & youll never be dissapointed for lacking in power. Cruising 50-60 & need to take over a car... it will respond like it has a rocket booster, youll literally feel the boost & its a blast. It has a exceptionally refined exterior and interior however the seat are super firm esp. with leather so your butt may feel bit soar after a long ride but because the cabin is so comfortable otherwise minor discomfor w/ soar bum is easily forgotten. All important real world Mpg is 37 city 42 hwy so far...

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  Who Wouldve Thought - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By The Prince - September 14 - 10:36 am

  For about six months, I researched the TCH and finally purchased it in December. I love driving this car. I am consistently averaging between 38-40 mpg both city/highway. The power and acceleration are adequate and Im saying this coming from a six cylinder Nissan Maxima. The interior is great, despite the plastic everywhere and the exterior...well, the few times that I had to go to the gas station (and other places) I always get great comments about the look. TCH...Im lovin it! If you are wondering if you should buy this car, wonder no more. If I based my selection on the test drive, I probably would have missed out, but now that I own it, its a dream to drive

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  Excellent! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Steve Podhauser - September 8 - 2:10 am

  We looked at the leading selling hybrids and we chose the Toyota. This car drives like a dream. We are considering getting another one. This car is also a head turner. It looks sort of like a BMW and a Volvo combined. We are extremely happy.

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  2009 Oregon Camry Hybrid - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By 2009 Camry Hybrid - September 1 - 8:36 pm

  My Camry Hybrid has been delivering better than the EPA estimate of 33 MPG city mileage at about 34-35 on the first three tanks of gas. Performance seems better than the 2008 Honda Accord EX-L 4 cylinder I also test drove before deciding on the Toyota and much better mileage to boot. The loaded Camry Hybrid is really close in price to a comparably equipped Camry XLE V6.