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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  False Advertising - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By JERRY ROSEN - September 30 - 8:46 am

  The sticker on the window advertized that the Hybrid would get 40 MPG city and 38 MPG highway. After checking many tankfuls of gas the best mileage I could get was between 22 and 24 MPG. This to me is totally unacceptable. I brought the car into 2 different dealers in North Miami and Hollywood for testing and they both told me there is nothing wrong with the car. Last week I drove to Gainesville where the car was purchased, to have them tell me the same thing. Nothing was accomplished except I put 660 miles on the car and I am still very FRUSTRATED. I didnt buy a hybrid to get 22 MPG. When I should be getting at least 40MPG promised by all the advertising and hype about hybrids.

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  Awesome all around car! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By shannon - September 20 - 2:46 pm

  Just wanted to let everyone know what a wonderful car this has been so far. Very reliable and super smooth and comfortable Lexus like ride. Hell, this car is better b/c it is same parts, one third less price. Slow off the line but kicks in big time like a turbo, and throws you in the seat, really. The trick is to do a rolling start then this heavy granny getter rolls! Only problem so far has been gas cap loosening. No biggy, just return extra clicks and engine light will eventually go off. Stereo rocks. Upgraded with aftermarket hids and foglights, that really made it Lexus like. Totally love this car for many years to come. 34 avg. mile per gallon. Thanks Toyota, love you! Always!

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  Our second Camry Hybrid - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By 2000kdriver55 - July 17 - 8:49 am

  With about 10,000 miles under our belt and this being our second Camry hybrid I would say this is a great car. Our 2008 Camry Hybrid got about 36 mpg over all and this 2012 gets about 41. My best tank so far has been 43 mpg mixed, with about half of that being 75-80 mph highway driving. As before we have noticed that very cold or hot weather reduces the mileage greatly. I think the interior is well designed and the seats very comfortable. I would however like to have my full leather seats back as I dont care for the cloth panel seats as much. Love that the trunk space is so much greater than the 08 model.

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  Great Purchase, No Regrets - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Kenny Lee - June 19 - 6:20 am

  Had my TCH for about 2 months now and have to say I am very satisfied. I am averaging 38 mpg local, and 40+ on highway. Great idea of killing two birds with one stone, saving money on gas and being eco friendly.

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  61.1 MPG - 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ssood - June 10 - 11:54 pm

  I commute 40 miles a day. Traded in my 2010 Camry SE I4. for a mid-size hybrid under 25k. Test drove Optima hybrid, Sonata hybrid and the beautiful Fusion, sadly they couldnt keep up to their EPA estimates. Bought a Camry hybrid LE. 185 miles on the ODO and I am currently averaging 55-61 mpg. 67% city/33% hwy. I dont care about the looks but some rattles are unbearable. The sound quality is good. Seats dont support well but hey, I dont get to work tired..

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  As Good As It Gets! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By j_cubbie - March 24 - 1:33 am

  Have had 3 Lexuses, own a BMW X5. This car is just right for someone driving a long way on a daily basis. I will put 22000 miles on it in one year and its fairly comfortable. Not a Lexus, but oh so close! Kind of generic on the inside, but exterior is sleek decreasing wind resistance. And, the mileage out here in the Arizona sun is awesome. So far 35-38 mpg with AC blasting. Wanted a cooler car, but this is as good as it gets for mileage, looks and comfort, and the environment.

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  First impressions - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By stephenupton - March 4 - 7:10 pm

  Second time around Camry Hybrid owner, did over 60k miles in my 2010 all trouble free but was suffering a boredom attack so wanted to try the 2012 model, pretty much the same except for the little EVO button, press it in and be ready for some fun, even will give the V6 a run for its money and still do 40 MPG

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  Better than the Altima - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Merced Dave - January 11 - 9:13 am

  I planned to purchase an Altima Hybrid based on superior reviews in Edmunds.com. However, when I test drove both vehicles, I found the Toyota Hybrid superior in almost all regards. True the Altima handled better than the Camry, but the Altima was noisy and the gas engine continously cycled in and out of operation. By comparison, the Camry is quieter, the gas engine only cycles at appropriate times and the ride is quieter than the Altima. It is clear to me that the Camry Hybrid is a more sophisticated implementation of hybrid technology.

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  be carefull - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By stevenh2 - October 14 - 2:57 pm

  I had wrote a previous review which i like to update. HERE IS A WARNING ON KEYLESS IGNITIONS.. I went to a restaurant and parked my camry. i was distract, i thought my car was off , the lights and the engine was off. 1.5 hrs later i returned to my camry to find the lights on and the engine running. if this had been in my garage i could have died from carbon monixide poising.. the engine goes on when the battery runs down. this is scary and a feature that has to be recitified. they were 4 deaths in palm beach cty from this from a gasoline engine lexus.so a hybrid could be worse. make sure you button to the ignition is off.the car recoginizes the wireless key.it doenot dissengage when leaving

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  Which Hybrid to choose.... - 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By basictek - September 5 - 10:14 am

  So I did tons of research that included the new fusion, sonata/optima, new accord, and toyotas own lexus/avalon. I would have preferred a kewler/sportier fusion but the slow and unproven hybrid system turned me off, the sonata/optima are lacking in mileage, reliability, build quality, and more (my last car was 2011 sonata SE). The avalon.Lexus charge too much for the exact same engine plus better styling, more standard features, and roomier interior (which the camry is plenty big enough). This left only the new accord, which has quite a few new features never before tried on a hybrid, and a price tag about 5K more. If I had more to spend I probably would have gone this route...