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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  Freakin Awesome - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By NeoPendragon - October 12 - 8:30 am

  After owning a 02 Prius for 3yrs. What a kick in the pants. I loved my Prius and the awesome performance but had to upgrade to the Camry (my 3rd). This car only has 6 options all else are standard features. We got the windows tinted and put 18" BBS rims on (not standard options). Talk about a grand driving experience. Only wish that Toyota would include the memory seats. Looks like I might have to get one for the wife also so I can fix that. For anyone debating about the Hybrid technology dont worry Toyota is cutting edge and about 10 yrs ahead of the competition in that case. You know they have been selling Hybrids in Japan since 97 thats 10 yrs worth of experience my family and I trust.

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  Boring and Overpriced - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By oildrip - October 8 - 11:35 am

  Where do you start with this strange car. The trunk is taken up with the battery so Im not sure why they bothered with the tiny opening from one rear seat that is capable of folding down, I guess a broom handle can fit through there. Very little trunk space, a few suitcases and its full. The cloth seats are cheap and not very supportive, the leather are much better. The interior screams cheap, the navigation has a very poor resolution display. The winning noise as you slow down drives you crazy in city driving. I find the start and stoping of the engine also very anoying and very noticable in this car.

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  My First Experience with a Hybrid - 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By GPF - October 4 - 10:00 am

  This was my first hybrid purchase, and I must say Im most pleasantly surprised at how well it actually performs. The Camry Hybrid is as comfortable to drive as any Camry, and the mileage has been phenomenal, even at the low miles so far. I think Im getting about 40 MPG in mixed driving. The EPA rating does not do justice to how fuel-efficient the Camry Hybrid actually is. Although more costly than a gas-version Camry, the difference will more than pay for itself when gas prices go up (as they will surely do). Its more practical than the Prius, I would think, for the majority of people. And its definitely more practical than pure electric vehicles, which have the long charge times.

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  I Love It - 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Jonesy17 - September 26 - 8:03 am

  Quiet, Comfortable, Roomy, Fun to drive. First hybrid car Ive owned and I love it. I got 550 miles first tank of gas with 39.5 MPG. Drive about 80 miles per day for work 80% highway going between 70-75 MPH and 20% city streets. I stay in electric mode mostly going between 35-40 MPH when on city streets using the old pulse and glide just coasting between signals. Car is fully loaded and I love every feature on it.

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  Very happy - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mike - September 25 - 12:46 pm

  I live in Minnesota and have had my Camry Hybrid during both a warm summer and a very cold snowy winter. I averaged 39-42 MPG during the summer and 28-34 MPG during the winter. One review from ORLY said he was only getting 26-28 MPG caused me to write this review. I cant even imagine how a person could get such low MPG numbers. I have the leather heated seats, they are very comfortable on a long drive. My only complaint is I get a faint noise through my drivers window when fully closed. The stereo with the bluetooth is fantastic both in sound and function. What ever gas prices are at the time the way I look at it I have cut the price of gas in half. This car has more room than my VolvoS80.

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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...

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  Best Car ever Bought - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By NM - August 30 - 3:10 am

  I have had this car for three weeks now. I went from putting about $140 in gas a week to $35 every two weeks. It has a sleek design and very roomy. The only thing I would change is the location of the ECO button. It is fun to drive. Not as roomy as a minivan but more roomy than other cars in the same price range. It is put together better then the Honda, Nissan and priced less. I had MR2 many years ago (with many, many problems) and this is the first Toyota since.

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  LOVE my Camry Hybrid - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By blunoz - August 19 - 10:10 am

  I had reservations about buying a hybrid. I was concerned the engine wouldnt have the pick-up-and-go power when I needed it. I took the Camry Hybrid for a test drive, and I was pleasantly surprised. The ride is smooth and quiet, but when I stomped on the gas, it really picked up a moved! Im a little spoiled and I like creature comforts. I love the leather seats and as the temperatures have been in the mid-30s in the mornings lately, I like having the seat warmers. I like having the auxiliary jack to plug in my iPod. My one complaint is that they didnt offer seat memory. Gas mileage is between 30-35 mpg driving around town, and 37 mpg on the highway with the cruise control on.

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  Fun to be Green - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ChipGreen - August 15 - 12:16 am

  Make no mistake about it... this is a green luxury car for under $30K. Leather, nav, the whole deal... go drive one, youll see what I mean... PS- I am currently getting ABOVE the quoted gas mileage!!!

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  Exceeds expectation - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By John - August 14 - 5:33 pm

  We have had our Camry Hybrid for 8 months and 11K miles. Mileage has improved significantly since day 1. I have a very heavy foot on interstate - still getting 37+ on the highway and steady 35+ in town. I do not drive any differently than previous car. I suspect that mileage would be greater with a little finesse.