Toyota Camry Hybrid 2.5 Review

The Toyota Camry first saw daylight in the early 80s and has been the epitome of a reliable, comfortable and spacious executive sedan ever since. Unfortunately, it's also the sort of car that has garnered a reputation of attracting uncles who are on a budget.

So now I'm faced with a conundrum. I genuinely like the all-new ninth generation Toyota Camry Hybrid that you see here. I like it enough to want to own one, but I'm not quite sure if it's because of age that's catching up or it's because the car has evolved so well that I'm pretty sure even a younger version of me wouldn't be embarrassed being seen driving one.

The design language may not be to my liking, but the Toyota Camry is one car I wouldn't mind buying

Sure, I'll admit - I don't quite appreciate how it looks. It's far too similar to the Toyota Prius Hybrid, and that annoys me a little. I suppose if the Camry was launched before the Prius, there's a good chance I'll think the Camry was good-looking.

It's heavenly specced

Thankfully, Toyota's new executive sedan is so well-specced that it could easily be mistaken for a Lexus. Yes, it goes against cars like the Honda Accord, Kia K5, Skoda Superb and the Volkswagen Passat, but with ample luxury features, solid fit and finish and genuine leather all around the cabin, the Camry will not be out of place going against cars that are one class above its segment.

The cabin is undoubtedly airy and luxurious

You get Toyota's new voice agent that allows you to give orders to the car, electric and ventilated seats, easy entry, digital rearview mirror, a suite of upgraded safety systems, panoramic sunroof as well as rear sunshades, just to name a few. But the icing on the cake has to be the middle armrest with a control system at the rear, a first in its class. Here, you can adjust the infotainment system, climate controls, seat adjustments and even activate the standard electric rear sunshade if it gets too sunny for your liking. 

Everywhere else, space is the royal order of the day. Three will fit easily at the back seat with ample legroom and reasonable shoulder and headroom. There's also 500 litres of boot space - not the best in its class, but nevertheless sufficient for the weekly grocery shopping and the weekly picnics, which will undoubtedly make the family happy.

500 litres of hauling capacity will certainly see to your weekly grocery runs

Rides well, handles well

What will also make them happy is a car that doesn't make their heads bob up and down over the slightest crack on the tarmac. Yes, the Camry isn't made for carpark rallies on the weekends nor is it made to win circuit races, but if you're expecting this car to just be purely functional, then you'd be in for a surprise.

This new Toyota Camry Hybrid isn't what I'd call fun, but it can be quite the cheeky monkey, especially when you're pushing it to the limits. The 2.5-litre naturally aspirated hybrid engine pushes out 224bhp and 221Nm of twisting force without any hesitation, allowing it to cross the 100km/h mark from nought in just 7.2 seconds. This is faster than the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Skoda Superb.

The new Camry Hybrid comes with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated hybrid engine that's good for 224bhp and 221Nm of torque

But more often than not, because of the way it glides over tarmac imperfections with no external noise intrusions and that highly effective air-conditioning system (which is always a good thing until you start freezing at 26 degrees Celsius with fan speed at one), you'll find yourself wanting to cruise rather than bruise the roads. 

And it's exactly during your cruise to your final destination when you start to appreciate just how crucial peace is, especially after a long day at work and dealing with people you cannot trust.

Once your mood improves and you coincidentally drive through a series of bends on your way to work the next day, the Camry dishes out whatever you require of it. It holds its own well around bends with little roll, and brake bite is firm and progressive without any unnecessary dead space and steering is accurate, albeit a tad numb.

The car holds its own very well whether on the straights or around bends

It's a lot of car for the money

So let's get to it. This new Toyota Camry Hybrid will set you back just over $240k (as of time of writing), but I cannot deny the fact that you're getting a lot of car for the money you're paying. Of course, cars aren't cheap these days, but getting your money's worth is absolutely crucial in today's context, methinks. 

And it's exactly this that puts me in a conundrum. I genuinely like the all-new ninth generation Toyota Camry Hybrid that you see here. I like it enough to want to own one. I just wish it didn't resemble the Prius that much.