Toyota Camry Hybrid 2.5 Elegance (A) Review

If you're looking for a safe option when it comes to a car for the family, you cannot go much wrong with the Toyota Camry.

After all, cumulative sales for the car, Toyota states, has topped 18 million vehicles since the car was first thrust onto the global market in 1982.

Surely, all those 18 million families could not all have been wrong with their choice of car?

Easy driver

The model we are testing here is the same generation car as the one we tested two years back, but has fallen into our laps once again as authorised dealer Borneo Motors is now offering it solely with Toyota's 2.5-litre hybrid drivetrain.

Get behind the wheel and its not hard to see how the car has managed to win the hearts of so many families worldwide.

The Camry is a real treat even if you are a keen driver. The hybrid system is smooth, responsive, and quiet, allowing overtaking manouveres on the highway to be dispatched with zero fuss. And, with 208bhp facilitating a zero to 100km/h sprint time of just 8.5 seconds, driving around town is no chore as well.

Despite being paired to a continuously variable transmission, the 2.5-litre delivers a note that is far from grating when pushed. It does emit a low-frequency drone at low rpms, however, which can get tiresome after long periods despite being well-muted.

Thankfully, setting the car into its 'Eco' drive mode does a good job of keeping said drone to a bearable minimum, without too much compromise to drivetrain responsiveness.

Crowd pleaser

But, of course, there's plenty that will please your partner and children as well.

To start with, the ride quality of the Toyota Camry is excellent. Soft and cushy, the Camry easily rides over all sorts of bumps and road imperfections with minimal disturbance to those in the cabin.

And there's also plenty of space for all passengers in the Camry. Furthermore, the Camry holds another key to maintaining passenger comfort: The air-conditioning in here is chilly, complemented by ventilated front seats should you opt for the 'Elegance' trim as tested here.

You also get really plush carpets front and back, a really nice touch for those that like to sit barefoot in their car.

Boot space, at 524 litres, is plenty for pickups and drop-offs at the airport, and uncompromised when compared against the regular petrol-only variant. It tops the 500 litres offered by the Mazda 6, but is beaten by the 570-litre offering from the Honda Accord.

Diligent saver

At $148,888 (as of 5 August 2021), this Toyota Carmy positions itself as a rather good deal. The now aging 2.0-litre Mazda 6 can be yours for a fair bit cheaper, with prices for the low-spec variant starting from $109,888, while the newer 1.5-litre Honda Accord is asking for a significant premium, at $170,999.

Both competitors here, however, do not sport a full hybrid drivetrain and are still down on total power output next to this car. And sure, with a 2.5-litre engine you'll be paying more on road tax in the Camry, but with a 19.4km/L tested fuel economy you should be able to claw some savings back after every visit to the pumps.

If all these numbers sound good to you, be prepared to join a group that is already 18-million strong.

Catch more of this car's generous space and boot in our video review here!




If you're looking for a sedan to ferry the family, do also catch our reviews of these popular alternatives:

The Honda Accord 1.5 is handsome, spacious, and comes with an efficient drivetrain

The Skoda Octavia meanwhile offers generous space for passengers and cargo along with a comfortable drive