Is it possible for car companies to actually lower prices when introducing a new model? Yes, sometimes! In the case of the new 2012 Camry, Toyota lowered the price by a whopping $4,320 compared to the 2011 Camry Hybrid, despite offering more power and better fuel efficiency.
A lot of savvy consumers have already twigged to the new Camry's great value story, particularly the hybrid. It's currently the top selling intermediate size sedan in Canada, and almost 40 per cent of them are hybrids. Toyota already leads the auto industry in hybrid product availability, production and sales (over two million globally) and it's astutely guiding this key market advantage to a new level of popularity.
At the core of every Toyota hybrid is its Synergy Drive system. Refinements to the 2012 Camry Hybrid include a slightly larger and more powerful, 2.5-litre four-cylinder new gasoline engine. A more compact nickel-metal-hydride battery, which comes with enhanced air cooling, plus repackaging of other components allow more cargo space in the trunk.
The new engine helps the hybrid system achieve 200 horsepower, which is a 13 horsepower increase on the 2011 edition. The drive system is also noticeably smoother in transitions between its power sources and, best of all, more fuel efficient. Toyota claims a 39 per cent city fuel economy improvement.
A new EV Drive mode, in addition to an Eco mode, allows it to be driven by the electric motor alone for up to 2.5 kilometres at lower speeds (below 40 kilometres per hour). It's a nice fuel economy feature to have in slow-moving traffic and it can also be used in situations where low noise operation might be beneficial.
The new Camry Hybrid comes in two trim levels, LE and XLE. The main upgrades to XLE include 17inch alloy wheels (16-inch steel on LE), an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, leather steering wheel and shifter, Bluetooth hands-free phone connection and fog lights. These items also add weight and there's a slight increase in fuel consumption.
Our test Toyota Camry Hybrid was the higher XLE trim without any options. Its total price (including delivery, etc.) before taxes came to $30,690, which is lower than the start price of most of its direct competitors.
The Looks Same basic shape and dimensionally identical proportions make it easy to spot as a Camry. Yes, its front and rear have a slightly different look, which includes changes to the lighting. If you look a little closer you might even spot that the roof support pillars are less bulky and allow better outward vision. On the plus side, Camry owners tend to be conservative types, and the no-big-change redesign is probably viewed as a good thing. Camry Hybrid has some additional aero trim and comes with unique badges with blue accents to help identify it as the eco-friendly version.
The Inside It's a roomy and comfortable redesigned cabin with new seat fabrics and an all-new dash, instrument cluster and centre stack. There's more character here than before and it still has lots of handy storage places, including a generously sized glove box. A leather-look cap on the dashboard gives it an upscale appearance and the hybrid comes with a unique instrument cluster with eco-drive and fuel consumption indicators.
An MI (multi information) display can graphically show fuel consumption in real time, as well as powertrain energy flow.
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Rear seat leg and head room are very good and the split rear seatback also folds down to reveal a pass-through from the trunk. A smaller hybrid-battery pack (positioned behind the rear seatback) allows more trunk space than in the previous Camry Hybrid. Built into the rear seatback is a new air vent that feeds into the hybrid battery pack. It's important that this vent is not accidentally covered by something or someone sitting in the left rear seating position, as a lack of air can cause the battery to overheat.
Safety The airbag count is now 10 (up from seven) for the new Camry and it has already earned the top (five-star) overall rating under stricter new U.S. crash-test guidelines. A front passenger knee airbag and rear-seat side airbags are the new additions. New U.S. (NHTSA) safety compliance requires a series of crash tests that include frontal barrier, rollover crash tests and a combined side barrier and side pole test. The new side pole test simulates a 20-mph impact crash into a 10-inch diameter pole at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side.
The Drive Smoother, quieter and more powerful, the improvements made to the hybrid powertrain will be immediate to last generation Camry Hybrid owners. It's so slick that I found myself checking the display graphic in order to see what's happening under the hood. Even the auto stop-start feature seemed to be more fluid in operation.
The new EV (electric drive) mode is activated by a button on the console. In addition to traffic jams, it's a handy feature for drive-in operation and underground parking situations. There are a number of situations, however, where it will automatically fire the gas engine, such as low state of battery charge, windshield defogger activation or if the car encounters a steep incline. For those concerned about higher maintenance costs-fear not. The gas engine doesn't work as hard so should last longer.
The brakes are regenerative, which greatly extends the life of friction pads and rotor life. There's no starter, alternator or belts to be replace.
And all hybrid components (including the battery) are covered by a separate and longer warranty.
The Score Outstanding fuel efficiency and top notch safety, the smoother and more powerful 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is already a winner.
