Have any of you drove a Camry Hybrid

[03_4x4Runner]

We just got back from a 2 week vacation in Alaska. We had a Chevy Malibu rental car. It is the first time i had drove a car in a good while. It was not as bad a i thought it would be and it averaged 30 mpg over the 1300 miles we put on it. Gas averaged around $4.50 up there with one tank being $4.84 a gallon. One thing I missed was setting higher in the 4runner but I did not miss the hum of the all terrains all day long. This got my wife and I thinking about getting a car with good mileage instead of getting another 4runner or something. We have several 7k mile + trips coming up within a year and it does not make sense to drive my current 4runner that gets around 16mpg now that we are retired. I will keep my 4runner but only use it when going off road etc. or pulling my atv trailer. I will also keep my Jeep Wrangler for more hard core off roading. Can anyone tell me if a hybrid Camry is comfortable enough and powerfull enough for all day drives? 34 mpg overall sounds good to me. It looks like the Camry I want would be around 33k with leather and navigation.

 

[Thai]

Can anyone tell me if a hybrid Camry is comfortable enough and powerfull enough for all day drives? 34 mpg overall sounds good to me. It looks like the Camry I want would be around 33k with leather and navigation.

It is an excellent car. It is quiet, comfy, and roomy. And you should be able to get good deals on it. There were two and a half issues that i had with it (and thus, prevented me from getting it):

1. Lack of cargo space due to the battery. It is around 10 cu ft. You can carry skies thru the hole in the backseat, but otherwise, the cargo space is kinda small, esp. if you have to drive long distances and pack a lot of stuff.

2. The ride, although very smooth, is floaty. This is either a good or bad thing depending on your taste. For me, i did not like this type of ride...i prefer a more controlled ride.

3. Minor...but crash test scores have been confusing. IIHS rates the Camry as being excellent for the most part. The rear crash scores are not good because, for whatever reason, Camry still does not have active headrest! :cry2: (Link: Head restraints: Toyota) In addition, in the updated NHTSA crash tests, the Camry only scored average. (Link: 2011 & Newer - Search Results | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA))

By far, the main reason for me not buying it was reason #1.

Other than that, the JBL stereo is very good (excellent even!). It is very roomy inside. It does give a quiet ride. Of course, you just can't go wrong with a Camry, both in terms of reliability and resale value.

As for power, it has plenty. 0-60 is around low 8 seconds or so. It is a 2.4L I4 engine + hybrid torque. So, power is instant. You should not have any issue getting around folks on the highway.

Hope this helps.

 

[Thai]

Other choices that you may want to look at:

1. Acura TSX SportWagon...21/30 mpg. On the highway, i hear people are getting 32-33 mpg. It does use Premium gas. On the plus side, you have one of the best stereo system avail, luxury interior (higher quality than Camry's), reliability/durability of an Accord, longer warranty, practicality of a wagon, memory seat, etc...all for the same price as the Camry Hybrid. In addition, oil changes in the Acura is dirt cheap...on par with Toyota's.

2. Subaru Forester...mini-SUV that gets 21/27 mpg on regular. Famous AWD system. Roomy, practical, etc.. Strong resale value. Price is around $27k loaded.

3. Ford Fusion/Lincoln twin. I looked at them a lot. Test scores are similar to Camry's, but maybe a tad worst (roof strength rating was not as good). Stereo not as good as Camry's (nor TSX). Mileage is same as Camry...Ford higher electric speed limit tricked the EPA in giving a higher city mileage. In addition, hybrid technology (as seen in Fusion) is not proven yet. There is also a potential defect with the Fusion's front subframe that i read about...not sure if it has been fixed by Ford.

4. Hyundai Sonata hybrid. This has the new Li-ion battery. Stylish (though i don't like it). The only thing for me is that the whole Hyundai line currently is too new...thus, unproven. But they do offer lots of features for the dollar!

5. Lastly, a Prius. I love mine. It is very roomy with tons of cargo space. And at $33k or so, you can get a loaded Prius Five with Advance Tech Package (ATP). I love ATP...it helps you relax on your highway travel. And, despite a 10 second 0-60, it is not underpowered...and i have no issues with merging on highways...due to instant power from hybrid powertrain. Crash test scores are spectacular. Fuel economy is as advertised (51/48 mpg; even better if you buy the lower end trim). JBL stereo is just as good as Camry's. Ride is better than Camry; but it is a tiny bit noisier. LED headlights are amazing at night.

Actual screenshot of my Prius in mix city/highway driving:

5.5 If you still feel that Prius is too small (it really isn't!), then take a look at the upcoming Prius V (minivan version of Prius)...that gets 42 mpg. Link: 2012 Toyota Prius V First Drive

 

[SCRunner12]

My parents have an 09 Camry Hybrid. I haven't driven it all that much, but they seem to like it. It is comfortable in the inside and definitely has enough power. They were looking at the Honda Civics and Fits before buying the Camry they didn't have enough power.

I have noticed it does float a little when driving it, but coming from a 4runner to that car is a change in itself. They haven't had any issues yet and they bought it brand new. The sound system is nice and enough room in the back for adults to sit. Plus it gets around 38-40 on the freeway. I really like the body shape as well and has a BMW type look. I would recommend it.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Thanks for the replies. I will test drive one and check out the trunk size. I really want to stay with a Toyota. Also I live in a small town and have a limited amount of dealers (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Nissan and Toyota). If you want much else you have to drive 3-3.5 hours to a bigger city. I looked at the Toyota site and you can preorder a new 2012 Prius. They said they will be available spring 2012 but I do not think I will be waiting that long and would like a mid size car. The new Prius will have a waiting list and usually when that happens people are willing to pay over sticker price for the car. I will not play those games.

 

[rmayer32]

I have an 09 that is my work car. Excellent ride a d very comfortable. I get up to and occasionally over 40 mph.

Rick

 

[4RBob]

I just drove my first hybrid, a camry hybrid, a few days ago. I only got to drive it around town. It stutters/sputters off the line, other than that it seemed ok.