One doesn’t sometimes look to a brand new Toyota Camry for revolution. Toyota perfected its mid-size sedan system a long time in the past, and every successive technology has been an iterative enchancment on the final. However this new, ninth-generation Camry brings with it a quiet revolution—it’s going hybrid solely.
That’s a giant deal for a automotive that, even in immediately’s age of SUV dominance, strikes round 300,000 items per 12 months within the US alone. Proper now, hybrids make up about 20 % of Camry gross sales, somewhat underneath 60,000 of the 290,000 bought right here final 12 months. That determine is about to go up by 230,000 automobiles or so.
Toyota had us out to San Diego to drive the 2025 Camry alongside a handful of different new fashions. Our time with the brand new sedan was restricted, however a pair hours on mountain roads close to the border city of Tecate, and round city in San Diego, gave us a great first impression. Put merely, the brand new Camry is precisely what it must be.
Like the brand new Prius, the Camry will get a model of Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system (THS 5), although it swaps the two.0-liter four-cylinder for a reworked model of the outdated automotive’s 2.5-liter. The ‘4, which runs an excellent excessive compression ratio of 14.0:1, makes 184 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque by itself. Mixed with THS’s two motor-generator items, whole system output rises to 225 hp. The all-wheel drive Camry provides a further electrical motor for the rear wheels, which brings whole output to 232 hp.
In any other case, the brand new Camry isn’t radically completely different from its predecessor. It makes use of the identical platform, shod with new bodywork, and a reworked inside with Toyota’s freshest infotainment system. All of Toyota’s newest driver assists come normal—correctly—plus a tweaked chassis and braking system. Exterior of the powertrain, there’s no revolution, and that’s a great factor.
Mark DeJongh, chief engineer for the Camry mentioned his staff’s motto was “sedan to the core.” They know what a Camry is and must be, they usually noticed it as their job to enhance what already labored so nicely. They nailed the temporary.
Execs: Environment friendly Hybrid Powertrain Normal, Refined Driving Dynamics, Surprisingly Fast
The brand new Camry is extraordinarily refined, regardless of the trim. DeJongh says one of many concepts with the powertrain calibration was to provide a extra EV-like really feel to the acceleration. Which means quick, but easy response to accelerator-pedal enter. The Camry delivers, and what’s shocking is that it feels genuinely fast. I assumed I’d miss the outdated Camry’s elective V-6, but the hybrid powertrain supplies greater than sufficient oomph from city as much as freeway speeds.
There’s naturally among the engine droning we’ve turn into accustomed to with a hybrid powertrain that eschews a standard transmission, because the engine is held within the excellent rev vary for acceleration. However in cruising, it’s barely audible. We didn’t do any scientific fuel-economy testing, however Toyota quotes 51 miles per gallon mixed for the bottom LE and 44 miles per gallon for the all-wheel drive XSE. On a run from the mountains close to the border, and to San Diego correct, we simply beat that determine in an XSE AWD, and with out actually making an attempt. We’re speaking air-conditioning full blast, maintaining with visitors, and so forth.
Toyota made the most important chassis tweaks to the “sport” fashions, SE and XSE. I exploit quotations as a result of the brand new Camry isn’t a sports activities sedan. DeJongh makes that very clear. Nonetheless, out on the mountain roads, the dealing with is sort of good, inspiring confidence. Do many Camry patrons care about this kind of factor? Uncertain, but it surely’s good to see that Toyota engineers do.
Good dealing with doesn’t come on the expense of journey high quality, even on 19-inch wheels, although the journey within the XLE is noticeably plusher. DeJongh is especially pleased with the brake-pedal calibration, which extra seamlessly blends regenerative and friction braking. The pedal has a pleasant quick chunk on the high, and really quick journey. Once more, we will’t anticipate Camry patrons to note the subtleties of brake-pedal tuning, but it surely exhibits the extent Toyota went to refine this automotive.
So, it’s very good to drive, and it must be nice to stay with. You get Toyota’s new infotainment system, which is fundamental however works nicely, and a digital gauge cluster. The upgraded bigger gauge cluster in XSE and XLE fashions is somewhat difficult to configure, however when you get it arrange the way in which you need, you shouldn’t have to alter a lot. Inside materials high quality doesn’t really feel fairly as plush as you get in some Camry opponents, but given it is a Toyota, you continue to get the sense it would maintain up without end. So does it matter?
Cons: Overactive Lane-Maintain Help, Underwhelming Inside Supplies, Not The Most Enjoyable Automobile
Each XSE and XLE provide you with a lot of good luxuries, however the SE appears to be the candy spot within the vary. Even with all of the elective packages added, it’s underneath $35,000. Frankly, it’s arduous to argue with. The one actual annoyance is Toyota’s overactive lane-keep help.
“Kaizen, kaizen, kaizen, kaizen,” says DeJongh. He’s referring to a pillar of Toyota’s success, which in English interprets to “steady enchancment.” The phrase is normally utilized to Toyota’s well-known manufacturing course of, however right here, it applies to the engineering of the Camry. Take one thing that already works nicely and make it higher. It’s why the Camry has at all times been such a great automotive, and why this redesign of the mid-size sedan is so profitable.
Translated extra actually, “kai” means “change,” and “zen” means “for the nice.” Maybe one of the best factor about this Camry is that it’s going to place much more hybrids on the highway. Largely, the Camry itself is evolution over revolution. However its affect will probably be massive.
