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:

• 

  Just Fantastic! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By alpha_1976 - April 20 - 12:39 am

  I have driven it only for about 2K so far and its just fantastic! It has about 74K and I guess it just runs like when its new. Gas mileage is fantastic and ride is very quite. Ill update this after a while but I am loving it so far.

• 

  Best Car Ive Ever Owned!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By orge - March 28 - 3:56 am

  I am totally impressed with the Camry Hybrid. Its smooth, very quiet, has plenty of pick up when you need it, and achieves excellent gas mileage. I have all the extras, including navigation. The electronics are easy to use and very well organized. This is a machine that I plan on keeping for a long time. With about 3000 miles on it so far, Im averaging about 41 mpg!!

• 

  Amazing Car - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By JW Larson - March 24 - 11:16 am

  Went from an 06 Jeep GC LTD with Hemi and was very apprehensive about the change. After 2 days, I realized I had nothing to worry about. This is an amazing vehicle. Im very glad I switched. And there is significant gas savings per month. So many features, I cant even begin to know where to start. The ride is like floating on air. On top of that, they are holding their value very well. A big thing to consider, too, is maintenance and repairs when they come up. Toyota has had 7 years to learn the hybrid system.

• 

  Jewel of a Car! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By lI mO - March 21 - 7:49 pm

  Love my Camry Hybrid XLE - thought about trading in for a 2016 Hybrid Avalon, but I just love this car, and decided to keep my 2009 for a few more years - its comfortable, great ride, quiet - still gets 35mpg, everything works great and the leather is in terrific condition. More comfortable than the 2016 Camry - really a jewel of a car!

• 

  2010 Camry Hybrid - 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ew - March 17 - 3:06 am

  I replaced my 1997 Toyota Camry to 2010 Camry Hybrid. I got above 36 MPG in the cold weather. I hope get more MPG when weather becomes warm. Trunk space is small, but the ride is smooth and quiet. I love my new TCH.

• 

  2009 Camry Hybrid - great mpg! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By gail - March 15 - 4:06 am

  Just a note to say that I sold my Hummer for a Camry Hybrid 3 weeks ago and the gas mileage just keeps getting better. Although its rated for 33/34, Ive been able to get as high as 45.3 mpg highway (without cruise control) and 57.8 (with cruise control). I do have a heavy foot and even my cruise control has a tendency to creep up around 75 mph. In the city it seems to average closer to 30 but I love it so far.

• 

  Mileage Disappointment - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mileage disappointme - March 11 - 4:16 am

  I have had my Camry for almost 2 years. The initial sticker on the window had 42-43 city and 37 highway. The actual mileage is 31 city and 38 highway. Since then the actual mileage on the 2008 and 2009 models is more realistic. Just had to replace 4 tires at 19,000 miles, after being serviced at the dealership regularly. This was another disappointment. The car runs well, but purchased it because of the anticipated mileage. The government credit did not turn out to be the full $2,600. When you complete your tax forms it says "potential" credit so beware of this. The $2,600 turned into $1,800. Otherwise a nice car, glad I purchased it with the gas prices currently at $4.00 per gallon.

• 

  Best hybrid on the market for the money - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By reddog lover - February 24 - 10:43 pm

  This is my first Camry and second Toyota. My wife and I are loving it. I travel apx 120 miles a day. I am currently avg 40 miles per gallon. This is great with the gas prices rising.

• 

  Hard to Beat (And Ive Tried) - 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By fitster - February 18 - 4:16 am

  Okay, so the front seats could be more supportive, lumbar and laterally. But this car is the smoothest, quietest vehicle Ive ever had...seamless...with a surge of torque when you want it...it truly drives like a buttery V6. I love having the drivetrain Lexus deems good enough for the $39000 ES. My 2012 got 38mpg and it was so good Im now leasing a 2013 so Im curious to see if the mileage will be exactly the same, should be. Excels in urban traffic 50-65 where you have to slow down a lot, always gets over 40mpg there. Recent trip of 1200 miles got 41mpg. Tires are great, quiet with actually good cornering grip (for a hybrid).

• 

  Believe the hype - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By SoldonHybrid - February 15 - 9:03 pm

  After reading multiple reviews, I decided to test drive the Camry. The first thing I noticed was the silence; this car is quiet. The only time you will really hear the engine is if you punch the accelerator. If you drive cautiously and conscientiously, slowly accelerating and decelerating, you will definitely get 38-39 MPG. Im averaging 500 miles to a tank. The extras: MP3 stereo, leather, sunroof, GPS, bluetooth make this by far the most geeked out car Ive owned. The ride is smooth, if not really exciting, but then again, on a long trip you wont be stopping for gas as much either ;). The hybrid batteries do take up some room in the trunk, but I can still fit a full size cooler in.