2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid First Look

by Lyndon Bell

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October 28, 2014

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6 min. Reading Time

2015 toyota camry hybrid blue

If Henry Ford can be proclaimed the man who put the nation on wheels, Toyota can justifiably claim to be the automaker responsible for getting the nation into hybrids. Indeed, Toyota’s Prius is the poster child of gasoline/electric hybrid automobiles. Further, Toyota’s Avalon, Highlander, and its best-selling Camry model are all offered with hybrid powertrains.

Finding such a heavily refreshed Camry Hybrid presented a mere three years after the complete redesign of the 2011 Camry is a bit of a surprise. Given a product cycle of approximately six years, this is typically when we’d see a mid-cycle refresh. Instead, Toyota has virtually remade every aspect of the car —except the powertrain and the roof.

In other words, this as close to a complete redesign of Camry Hybrid as Toyota could get. Some might even considered a complete redesign. In all probability, your neighbor who just bought a 2014 Camry certainly does.

Models & Pricing

For the 2015 model year, Toyota is offering Camry Hybrid in three states of trim; LE Hybrid, SE Hybrid, and XLE Hybrid. This marks the first time Camry is being offered with the more sporting oriented SE trim package.

Camry LE starts at $26,700 before the $825 destination charges are added. With destination, Camry LE Hybrid starts at $27,615. The SE Hybrid commands $28,820 with destination, and the starting price of Camry Hybrid XLE is set at $30,805, also with destination charges added.

Design

As we mentioned earlier, Toyota’s Camry comes to market for the 2015 model year with an all-new look. Every body panel is changed from the 2014 version of the car—save the roof. The grille is larger, more expressive, and as in the past, features a blue Toyota badge to inform you this is the Hybrid Camry. The headlight array is sleeker, and daytime running lights are faired into the lower corners of the front fascia, sharing space with the turn signals.

Tapering downward, the subtly sculpted hood gives Camry a more wind cheating appearance and character. The hood flows into a steeply raked windshield, improving aerodynamics, while lending a more sporty appearance. The flared front and rear fenders, emphasize the car’s new wider track, while also adding a bit of aggression to the design.

The sides of the Toyota contribute to the premium look of the redesign. A prominent shoulder line ascends from the trailing edge of the front fender and sweeps toward the tail of the Camry, incorporating the four door handles on its way back. The new wheels blend cohesively, while also serving as jewelry for the new design. ”Hybrid” badges adorn the trailing edges of the front fenders on either side of the car.

At the rear, the LED taillights seemingly wrap around the corners of the car, adding a sense of elegance to the new Camry’s departing view. Overall, the car is slightly longer than before. A subtle tail spoiler emphasizes the overall rake of the Camry, while also serving to improve its aerodynamics. The final tipoff this is the hybrid version of the Camry is the Hybrid Synergy Drive badge on the rear fascia.

Interestingly, even though the design is all-new, the look is unquestionably Camry.

Features & Controls

The standard features list for the 2015 Toyota Camry LE Hybrid includes a set of 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, air-conditioning, keyless entry, a rearview camera, cruise control, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, and cloth upholstery, along with Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming. The 6.1-inch Entune touchscreen electronics interface hosts a six-speaker sound system supporting a CD player, an auxiliary audio input jack, and a USB/iPod port.

Moving up to Camry SE Hybrid adds a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, a unique grille treatment, a sport-tuned suspension system, a sporty fabric and simulated leather upholstery treatment, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and a sport-oriented instrument package.

Camry XLE Hybrid adds foglights, LED running lights, a chrome exhaust tip, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a four-way power passenger seat and Entune Audio Plus, which adds satellite radio and HD radio.

Comfort & Cargo

Camry Hybrid’s new interior features a multi-tiered dash treatment, which adds considerable visual interest In fact; it looks like it should reside in a considerably more expensive car. A Hybrid System Indicator and fuel consumption indicator, located in the 4.2-inch TFT screen between the two main dials, helps the driver to operate the car as economically as possible. While the speedometer is identical to standard versions of the Camry, a meter indicating whether the powertrain is charging, or operating for economy vs. power supplants the tachometer.

The huge touchscreen monitor in the center stack competes with the steering wheel for dominance of the design, but not in a negative way. Good-sized knobs control the key functions of the audio system, just as God and Motorola intended. We are a little bugged you have to go to the touchscreen—or use voice command—to activate the navigation system. Sometimes you just want to see the map for a moment, so it’d be nice if there were a button for direct access of that function.

Buttons on the steering wheel interact with the audio system, telephone, and the aforementioned multi-information display between the speedometer and the tachometer. The main features of the climate control system are readily evident as well. The storage bin at the bottom of the center stack contains a 12v power port, a USB port, and houses the optional wireless charging system for select smartphones. Just aft of the cupholders in the center console, you’ll find buttons for activating the Camry Hybrid’s Eco and EV modes.

The seats are firm, nicely bolstered, and provide fatigue-free support. Legroom, headroom, and shoulder room are abundant in all seating positions. Camry is configured to carry five, but is most comfortable for four. The trunk offers 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space.

Safety Features & Ratings

Camry Hybrid’s safety features include a pre-collision system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, auto high beams for the headlights, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert.

Naturally, the 2015 Camry comes standard with the Toyota STAR Safety System, which includes vehicle stability control (VSC), traction control (TRAC), an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and brake assist (BA). STAR also features Toyota’s smart stop technology brake-override system.

If you order the XLE Camry Hybrid model, you can get the Toyota Safety

Connect telematics system (with a one-year complimentary trial subscription), which incorporates automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, an emergency assistance button (SOS), and 24-hour roadside assistance.

Camry’s airbag count stands at ten, and includes dual-stage advanced SRS front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side airbags, side curtain airbags, and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger.

In Insurance Institute of Highway Safety crash testing, Camry scored the organization’s highest ranking (“Good”) all around, including moderate and small overlap frontal crashes. This is a marked improvement over the previous version of the Camry.

Engine And Fuel Economy

Camry Hybrid’s powertrain is good for a total system output of 200 horsepower. It teams a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, and a continuously variable transmission to drive the front wheels.

The 2.5-liter inline four produces 156 horsepower and 156 ft-lbs of torque. The permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor generates 105kW and 199 ft-lbs of torque. Power for the motor is stored in 244.8-volt nickel metal hydride battery pack consisting of 204 1.2-volt cells. The 650-volt system has a capacity of 6.5-ampere hours.

Toyota’s Hybrid system can use either the gasoline engine, or the electric motor to propel the car —or both simultaneously. Power for the battery pack is produced when the car is braking. Under braking, the electric motor is converted into a generator and takes advantage of the kinetic energy accompanying braking.

A true multi-mode system, the ECO mode optimizes throttle response and air conditioning output to help prioritize fuel economy. The EV mode permits operation of Camry Hybrid on the electric motor alone at speeds below 25 miles per hour for a distance of approximately 1.6 miles.

Fuel economy is rated at 39 miles per gallon on the highway, 43 in the city, and 41 combined for Camry LE Hybrid and 40 in the city, 38 on the highway, and 40 combined for SE and XLE.

Driving Impressions

Toyota’s engineering team reinforced Camry’s body structure to increase torsional rigidity and to improve its performance in the small overlap frontal crash test. They also added a great deal of sound deadening material (including an acoustically optimized windshield on upper level models) to make the Camry drive more quietly than before.

The steering and suspension systems were reworked to improve tracking and straight-line stability. The electronic power steering system was recalibrated to feel tighter on center, spring rates were increased, and rebound springs were added to the rear suspension system to help resist body roll when cornering. On SE models, the shocks use a digressive valve to improve handling when asked to corner sharply—without degrading the ride quality in steady state driving.

On the road, all the changes add up to a Camry that drives like a considerably more expensive car than it is. Seated at the steering wheel, visibility is good all around, the control layout is highly intuitive, and everything operates with a feel of substance. The powertrain is buttery smooth and the steering is nicely accurate, if somewhat devoid of feel.

All in all, this is the best driving version of the Toyota Camry Hybrid ever offered.

Final Thoughts

Building upon an outstanding reputation for reliability, low cost of ownership, and reasonable fuel economy, with a newfound premium attitude and a quieter and yet more dynamic driving experience, the new 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid models are clearly poised to remain among the best selling cars in the United States.

The addition of the SE trim package to Camry Hybrid makes even the fuel economy leader in the lineup more engaging to drive. Other hybrid models in this class (read Accord Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid) do return somewhat better fuel economy. Still though, the Camry Hybrid is a highly competitive proposition overall.