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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Best Car! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By gchan - December 24 - 7:16 amBest car for the money. Excellent quality, ride, and mileage. Traded our 96 Lexus ES 300 for the new TCH. We received a $2000 provincial tax credit. Current TCH (until Oct 06) are made in Japan. Why buy a Camry V4 when you get more options and better gas mileage. My estimate pay back (TCH vs V4) in gas savings is about 4 years, but with more than $5000 worth options (Canada).
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Fir and Finish - 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By jettrink - December 20 - 11:23 amJust bought the 2011 hybrid with most of the bells and whistles including nav. Had read reviews of other years disparaging the fit and finish of the interior of this car. Maybe other years were sub par, but my Camry is impeccable. It is tight and polished and the leather upholstery looks like something out of a Rolls Royce. I consider this car one of the best values of any vehicle on the road -- and socially responsible, too!
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Great looking Car - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By Bones39 - December 19 - 11:20 pmGreat handling, tight turning , mileage is awesome, better than the Sequoia ever thought of. Pickup is superb and quick, you will have to hold on have averaged 35 mpg with it. All the gauges tell different things but still mileage is great.
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A plus! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By joe-Cr - December 11 - 10:00 amExtremely quiet. Fun to drive. If you drive right it will exceed suggested mileage per gallon (up to 46) Stylish Body and gorgeous appeal. Sorry Edmunds but Camry Hybrid is way better than your rate. Its not the same to drive for a couple of weeks or less than a full year, like me. I recommend to buy it.
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Chose XLE Hybrid over Fusion Hybrid - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By moviefan - December 10 - 1:55 amI was researching new cars for many months; primarily the new Fusion hybrid. I was at a dealership all ready to order the titanium hybrid and for some reason they couldnt get in the order banks. So I left, ready to return in a few days. Not sure what made me have a change of heart, but I started looking at the Camry hybrids. So I took one for a test drive (I rented one back in June for a vacation and liked it) but I dont remember it being this comfortable. The Fusion was gorgeous, but the cabin was too confining. The Camry just felt all-around much better. So at the end of the day I bought a fully loaded brand new XLE for over $4000 less than sticker with 0.9% and I couldnt be happier!
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TCH decision confirmed -again - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By SE TN TCH - December 8 - 12:00 pmWe were not going to purchase a replacement for our 02 Honda Odyssey van for another 3 years, but it was totaled in a severe accident. We were on a 4 month wait list for a mid-optioned Prius. Due to size & crash-worthiness concerns with the Prius, we purchased a base 09 TCH. The first tank back home at 65 MPH was 41 MPG. In first 3K miles, we average 38 MPG in mixed cycle driving. This is an increase of 21 MPG over the van (17 MPG in same cycle).
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New to Hybrid - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By thompja53 - December 2 - 8:23 amIve got about 700 miles (at 38.5 mpg) under my belt. This is a great "economy" car. Comfortable, reasonably quiet, excellent performance (considering all things_187hp). Im pleased with the quality of the fit and finish. I traded "down" from an Infiniti and Im not disappointed. No it does not have a Lexus interior, but remember this car starts life as a $20,000 base model. Options help make it more comfortable, but it is not and should not be considered a luxury vehicle. With that said, I have no problem living with this car even if it seems like less than what Im used to. I didnt buy this car to save money, I bought it to save gas.
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hybrid holiday - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By bill prinz - November 22 - 9:33 pmIts not overly responsive but quick and friendly, fun. Small turning circle very easy to manage down the road. No real issues looks great. I find myself trying to manage great mileage numbers and therefor it slows down my driving a tad. No lack of acceleration.
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Great Deal - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By Karen D - November 22 - 8:40 pmI went from an Expedition to the Camry Hybrid. Most of my friends said that I would regret not getting a hybrid SUV. Wrong! This car is fun, easy to handle, easy to park, sleek and gets great mileage. I bought one that is loaded and in red - you should see the looks that I get when driving! I should have done this a long time ago!
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3rd Toyota, many other cars..TCH is BEST - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
By Lextarheel - November 22 - 6:16 amDriving TCH for about 6 weeks. No problems so far. A couple times, because its so quiet, Ive gotten out w/o cutting off the power. It beeps to remind me though saying "key not detected" when I try to lock it up.
