2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

Specifications

It’s the North American Car of the Year and America’s most popular car too boot, with over ten million sold. It’s been theheart and soul of Toyota for 24 years, and now its out to save the world. Well maybe not save it, but help do its part to lower pollution. The Camry now has a Hybrid option, for those who are looking to be a little greener.

It’s only been eight months since Camry Hybrids hit the streets, and they already make up about 10 percent of total Camry sales. Proof positive that we really do care about the environment and are willing to put our money where our mouths are. Money spent wisely as a Hybrid Camry can be had for $25,900, only $2,360 more than a similarly equipped V6 Camry.

This car represents the first Hybrid that I’ve been able to drive, so I was eager to find out if all the hype Toyota is making about saving the planet is true, and if the half electric Camry really does get the fuel economy of a Yaris.

Stepping into the car for the first time I knew that there would be akeyless ignition, due to the fact the key fob had no traditional key. So I sat down, put my foot on the brake and pushed the “Start” button. The lights on the dash lit up, but other than that nothing else happened. I pushed the button again and the lights turned off. I repeated this process a couple of more times, confused at why the car would not start. Then a voice rang out, ”It is started, put it in gear.” My feeble mind could not grasp the absolute silence of the electric motor. I’ve had the starting sequence of a regular car engraved so deeply into my mind, that the Hybrid had me in uncharted territory. Every other time I’ve started a car, I put the key in, turned it, the starter whined as it turned over the engine, then soon after there was the familiar growl of internal combustion sparking radiating through the air. It’s a routine I have done several times a day for nearly 10 years now, so this is my excuse for looking like a fool.

It was all quite eerie, pulling the car out of the parking stall and through the parkinglot in complete silence. It wasn’t until I accelerated down the road that the more familiar sound of the 2.4L four-cylinder engine came to life. To my surprise, the gasoline engine was nearly as quiet as the electric motor. And when people think of Hybrids, they think of underpowered economy cars with trunks rammed full of batteries. The Camry Hybrid is underpowered at lower speeds and sacrifices 4.4 cubic feet of trunk space and is 373 lbs heavier than the base Camry. So the Hybrid can be a slouch when the throttle is being feathered. Moving from a stoplight is brutally slow as the car tries to decide if the gas-powered engine is required, making it feel like a large heavy lump. However, when the throttle is matted, Dr. Jekyll becomes Mr. Hyde as both the gas powered engine and electric motor work in unison, or symmetrically as Toyota likes to call it, to pull the Camry forward with amazing performance. Performance I’ve come to expect with a V6, although with the 4-cylinder at full scream, and the addition of the electric motor, the big Camry pulls hard and strong.

Making a 29 miles run to my parents house, in light traffic conditions, anddoing a couple of performance tests, the Camry sucked nearly a quarter tank of fuel through the gasoline engine, a staggering amount for any vehicle. I can see Al Gore shaking his head in disgust. When power is needed, the Camry produces, but it comes at the price of very poor fuel economy. The performance abilities of the car were actually quite surprising and I was not prepared to be sucked back into my seat in the way that I was. However, things were different on the return run, following the exact same route, only at the peak of rush hour traffic this time, I was able to cover the same distance with no noticeable movement in the gas needle.

How terribly ironic that in conditions where gasoline engines are doing their worst environmental damage, the Camry Hybrid was getting its best mileage. While sitting on the highway, stationary, the gasoline engine shuts itself off and the car is under direct power from the electric motor. When traffic would inch forward at all of 3 mph, I could simply lift my foot off the brake and allow the car to move forward under idle, still only needing the electric motor. It was only every ten minutes or so that the gas engine would ignite into neutral to give the batteries a quick top-up. I spent about a third of the trip on just electric power, slow heavy traffic kept throttle inputs low when the gas was needed keeping the fuel economy below 45 mpg.

It all takes a calm, cool and collected rhythm to drive the car at its maximumpotential. Rush hour traffic and on open highway is where the Camry shows its stuff. Get up to speed quickly, yet with a soft touch of the throttle, then back off at the acquired speed to cruise, and you’ll get the best distance for dollar. With the continuously variable transmission (CVT) doing its thing, I was able to cruise at 75 mph for about 20 minutes at an average of 52 mpg. The Camry will be attractive to people who are mild mannered and settled down, so this driving technique should already be employed by the majority of Camry owners. Slow and easy keeps the air a little bit cleaner. However, stressed out aggressive drivers may have the economy backfire on them.

Another ironic trait of the Camry Hybrid is its excellent handling abilities.For a big family sedan, loaded down with extra batteries and power systems, the Camry does not portray the demeanor of a car built for performance. And you’re not likely to see one tearing through the a back country lane for that matter either. But the fact is that heavy cars have a tremendous amount of grip, and with the Camry having the extra weight of the batteries placed conveniently between the rear wheels, this equals out the cars weight balance. Couple this with Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) which comes standard, and the Camry can carve its way around corners with near unfathomable performance, with everything staying on the straight and narrow.

Camrys have never been cars that weredesigned with much excitement in mind. In fact most of Toyota’s lineup in the last decade has been easily forgettable. Lately they have been redesigning the fleet to a more modern style, however, Toyota’s approach has still been rather conservative. The Camry is no different. While its looks have been upgraded and emit a slightly more muscular appearance, its all well within the bounds of mass public appeal. It may be the Elephant Seal like nose that’s points out over the front bumper that rubs me the wrong way. Things are a little more encouraging on the inside, with a stylishly designed center console, which emits lighting from the sides, creating a cool effect I’ve never seen in a car before. The gauge cluster is also well designed and has a fuel economy meter where the tach usually sits. Seats are comfortable, but offer little side support. Camrys are often called upon to carry several people, and therefore space is well used in both the front and rear seating positions.

My only real fault with the Camry on the whole is a noticeable decline in buildquality. Toyota has been known for years as the best in the business, however in this new Camry I found several body seams that were out of line, and didn’t match opposite sides. Trim surrounds inside don’t always fit flush, while concealing doors for the cup holders and lower dash feel cheap and don’t always operate correctly. To fold down the 60/40 rear seats, the trunk release would not fully disengage the seat. And finally the hood was difficult to open and close. Of course, most cars have problems, but we’ve all grown to expect more from Toyota, especially its hybrids that are flagship-like models.