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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  First tank mileage - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By tomnm - May 23 - 3:13 pm

  I do mountain driving to commute to work and get 38+ mpg round trip first tank, very nice.

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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By dallas_hybrid - May 13 - 2:56 am

  I have had my hybrid for almost 2 years now. I typically drive in the city and get 35-38 mpg depending on the time of year (use of heater or AC). Highway mpg is typically 38-40 mpg, and that is travelling around 70 mph even with the AC going. My only complaint is that there are rattles in the car, but I havent brought it into the dealer to see if it could be fixed.

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  Great car - Toyota hits a homerun again - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By thomasw828 - May 11 - 8:30 am

  Bought car on 12/26. Love the vehicle, nav system, and great sound system. Left a 05 Lexus Es330 for this and am very satisfied. first mileage is over 38 mpg, still learning the tricks.

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  Great for the Money - 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By mramos - May 8 - 8:40 am

  The 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid is worth the money. It has excellent mileage, runs smoothly, and has sufficient power. The leather seats are a little rigid. Overall, this car provides excellent value for the moneey.

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  One year and still great. - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By cal - May 5 - 10:00 am

  Will have had the Camry for one year in a few weeks. The car is great. The only problem was the same as a year ago and that is the size of the trunk. Hope this will be improved upon. Also the nav system is WAY to hard to work.

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  Very Nice - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Jeffjett - May 5 - 8:30 am

  What a nice car. Excellent gas mileage. Very smooth and quiet ride. Roomy, excellent stereo and control access. Great A/C, comfortable seats, and $2,600 Federal tax credit. cannot beat it.

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  Nearing perfection - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Scott - May 4 - 3:40 am

  I bought the car for commuting about 120 miles per day. The car has performed flawlessly. It has consistently gotten about 37 MPG driving at 70 to 80 MPH up down a mountain pass (climb is about 2500 feet). The car has surprising power (passing on the mountain uphills is no problem). The car is fun to drive and handles well. And, it constantly reminds you to conserve in driving by having an "MPG" gauge instead of an RPM gauge and by having the dash board display a deeper blue the better you are with gas. If you want a car that is comfortable and fun, gives great gas mileage, has room for more than one person, has plenty of power, chose this one.

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  Outstanding Camry! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By hdworkman - May 3 - 10:43 pm

  Great ride, quiet interior, great gas mileage. I went from a Ford F150 to the Camry for the gas mileage. Wow what a great car. The seats are very comfortable which also wrap around you. I am adding Sirius radio which is on order now. I am getting quite a few inquires from my coworkers on the gas mileage and power. I tell them my first tank right now is around 35 mpg and the car also has great pickup.

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  Its a hit! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By BB - April 30 - 5:43 pm

  The Camry hybrid is an excellant blend of comfort, performance and ecomony. Quiet and well built, its been perfect right "out of the box". Its averaging 37 MPG and we expect it to do even better after the break in period.

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  Best car we ever bought--get one now! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By GNR8 - April 18 - 5:16 pm

  Have had it for 3 weeks and about 1200 miles. We are just thrilled with this car! The combination of sophistication, engineering, convenience features, styling and value are unbelieveable! The quality is excellent -- first car we ever bought that did not have to go back for any "adjustments". It is fun and nimble and incredibly silent. Pick up is fair, but if you step on it the engine and electric motor together give it some kick. Mileage in January has been 34-35. The single setting heated seats work very well. The turquoise center stack around the nav screen is too bright and when you dim it the gauges are not bright enough. Try an after market interior wood kit -- awesome!