What do the rating stars mean?
Right out of the box, the Camry Hybrid was a hit. Almost since its introduction, a mere three model years ago, the Camry with Synergy Drive has been the second best-selling hybrid in America (just behind its little brother Prius). With this kind of sales momentum, why mess with success? For 2009, Camry Hybrid remains virtually unchanged. Base: $25,650, as tested: $28,138. EPA estimates: 33 city/34 highway/34 combined. Warranty: 36-month/36,000-mile basic, 60 month/ 60,000-mile powertrain, 8 year/100,000-mile hybrid components federal or 15 year/150,000 mile in CA, CT, MA, ME, NY or VT.
Initial Impression: Scott’s take
My wife and partner, Christine, was out of town when the Camry was delivered for a one week test drive. It just so happened that she was touring the very facility where our tester was built. So I had the sole pleasure of test driving and flogging ( oh… just a bit) the Camry version of Toyota's venerable Hybrid Synergy Drive system. As I mentioned above, Toyota hasn't “monkeyed” with this car, not so much as a reshaped side-marker lamp, and with good reason—success. In my opinion, plain vanilla never has tasted so good. OK, OK ... the hybrid drivetrain does give it some chocolate sprinkles ... but I digress. I'll admit that when Toyota redesigned the car for 2007, I was not all that excited about the looks. I even said as much in our 2007 Camry Hybrid review. I believe my exact words were, 'I thought the '07 styling was almost too aggressive and bold.' Well, I don't think that anymore. After three years on the road, I've come to appreciate the Camry's corporeal curves and lines, I think that over time I’ve even developed a fondness for its substantial snout. She has real character and appeal that I didn’t see before.
Look & feel:
Toyota has described the styling of the Camry as athletic and elegant. Of course that’s subjective, but I’d agree, with athletic curves outside and clean elegant appointments inside. Overall seating comfort is good with the driver getting 8-way power control on cloth covered (leather optional) bucket seats up-front. Rear passengers sit on a 60/40 split fold-down bench with excellent legroom. This I know because I crawled back there and actually didn’t have to shoe-horn myself in. And then when sitting there, my kneecaps, much to my glee, weren’t pressed into the seat backs. But as is the bane of most hybrids, battery placement in the trunk, just behind the rear seat, does manage to steal precious cargo space. Toyota does a good job of limiting the damage by preserving a small amount pass-through to the cabin—something not always found in hybrids.
Surprisingly, the Camry does manage to deliver a fun-to-drive experience. With a haul-the-dog-and-kids-everywhere body style and overall reputation of family “grocery getter,” Toyota engineers have applied a nice mix of spring rate and suspension geometry to give the car what I consider feels-pretty-nimble agility while maintaining super smooth and cushy ride quality. No, the Camry Hybrid does not slice through curves with take-your-breath-away stickiness, and it certainly won’t mash your shoulders against the seatback when stabbing the throttle. But then again, that’s not its heritage. What it’s made to do it does well: efficient, comfortable and reliable front-wheel-drive people moving.
Fuel-ability:
Fuel economy—it’s what hybrids are really all about. And I got excellent fuel mileage from the Camry Hybrid. Sweeter yet, I beat EPA estimates across-the-board. Even with regular use of the AC (which uses an electric compressor driven by the hybrid battery and offers an ECO cool setting), and employing my normal eco-driving habits, I averaged a pleasing 39.1 mpg combined. How can a 3700-lb. sedan return that kind of economy? Well, the combination of an efficient 2.4-liter engine, a continuously variable transmission and that ever-helpful electric-drive traction motor meld into super efficient and clean (the Camry Hybrid earns AT-PZEV emissions ratings) propulsion.
Toyota’s VVTi engine achieves a nice balance of power and economy by utilizing variable valve timing and tuned for hybrid drivetrain Atkinson cycle combustion. To assist with load, a 40-horsepower electric motor is bolted to the back of this “slightly detuned” engine. Under light load conditions and very gentle acceleration, the car can run on electric motor power alone. Step on the throttle for more speed and power and the engine kicks on as well. Under cruising conditions, and responding to driver input, the hybrid computer automatically adjusts the amount of motor/engine cooperation to achieve maximum efficiency. I like how Toyota supplies plenty of feedback to help the driver get maximum economy. The ECO drive level gauge displays a bar-graph that reports fuel economy as a trip progresses and then, at the end, if you’ve driven lightly, you get a little positive reinforcement.
When it’s all said & done:
Fuel mileage: For its class and size, it's what this car does best. Oh, make no mistake, it does many things well, but four-door, cushy ride, family sedan economy is the Camry Hybrid’s trump card. It's agile enough, and it won't get run over pulling out into traffic, but nobody's gonna gush over eyeball-flattening torque or my-kidney-is-slammed-up-against-my-spleen G-forces in the corner. What you may hear though is something on the order of, "I drove it like I stole it all week and I still got 38 miles per gallon on that tank." That's how efficient it is.
Fine, the Camry Hybrid is efficient, but how much does that efficiency cost up front? And further, how long does it take to earn back that extra cost? Unfortunately for Toyota Hybrid buyers, the company has surpassed the IRS imposed tax credit limit threshold of 60,000 vehicles sold. Good news for Toyota, bad news for Toyota Hybrid buyers. The individual tax credit has essentially dried-up. So here’s how the numbers crunch: According to Fueleconomy.gov, 15,000 miles of annual driving in the regular Camry will cost $2,376. Driving the same distance in a Camry Hybrid will spend $1,746 of your dollars. A similarly equipped Camry SE can be had for $21,590, while a base Camry Hybrid is gonna cost you $25,650. Contrasting annual fuel savings ($630) with the price differential ($4060) yields a hybrid pay-back period of just over 6 years. Not bad, not great. Boy, it hurts to lose those government tax credits.