Camry Hybrid quiet, roomy
With luxurious cabin, price tag is in line with gas-only sedans
It didn’t raise my pulse, or my cost of living. It did, however, provide me with relaxing, refined, yet reasonably frugal transportation — even if it missed its posted fueleconomy numbers.
Toyota is somewhat the Apple of the modern hybrid car. The Prius is a global success, establishing Toyota as the leader in hybrid production. The automaker now claims more than four million hybrid sales in 80 countries since 1996.
The use of the stalwart Prius in the taxi industry, has proven the reliability of Toyota’s hybrid setup in real-world usage. With reliability in the bank, Toyota went about improving the operational refinement of its hybrid power plants, and this week’s test drive exemplifies its progress.
The Camry’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system has a 2.5-litre DOHC four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gas engine paired with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery, for a total of 200 or so horsepower. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) directs the output to the front wheels.
The setup can propel the vehicle using only electric power, provided speed and power demand both fall within the program’s limitations and the battery holds a sufficient charge.
Employ a judicious foot on major arterials, and the Camry Hybrid will maximize its use of the battery and electric motor once up to speed. When a combustive response is needed, such as pulling away from a light or climbing a hill, the gas engine cuts in seamlessly.
And the Camry Hybrid is capable of brisk acceleration both off the line and in the passing lane. Its CVT draws the best out of both power sources.
While regenerative braking can be grabby, the Camry Hybrid does a good job of mimicking the progressive actuation of a conventional brake system.
I confess, I’m not abuzz over the exterior design of the latest Camry, but my near disdain doesn’t apply to its cabin; it’s roomy, comfortable and feels several pay grades above its posting. My top-shelf suede-lined XLE tester further added premium JBL audio and navigation on a seven-inch touch screen.
There’s something ethereal and relaxing about the Camry Hybrid — an exceptionally quiet car that delivers a smooth, highly composed ride. It absorbs rough pavement with ease and is noticeably free of squeaks, thumps and other chassis maladies I’ve experienced in luxury cars costing significantly more.
The only real miss after a week of relaxed motoring was my average fuel-economy, as measured by the vehicle’s on-board information centre. It claimed a city-based consumption rate in the low 7L/100 km range, well above the 4.7L/100 km the car is rated at. And this was with the ECO Mode active throughout my driving.
Yes, I could have exercised more right-foot restraint and likely improved the bottom line, but I chose to drive the vehicle as most users would — I think. And that didn’t include holding up traffic.
With a tag of $27,760, pricing for the hybrid version of the 2014 Camry isn’t out of line with that of conventionally powered versions, making it a viable choice for consumers seeking the goodness of a Camry while doing a little more for our environment rather than a little less.