2025 Toyota Camry Road Test and Review

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Nobody buys mid-size sedans anymore. At least, that’s what you hear from the automakers who have dropped out of the once-ubiquitous segment – Detroit’s Big Three along with Mazda and Volkswagen, with Subaru and possibly Nissan preparing to follow suit. 

Toyota missed the memo. More to the point, so did its customers. Toyota sold more than 150,000 mid-size Camry sedans in the first half of 2024, making it America’s No. 6 best-seller, trailing only a few big pickups and a couple of SUVs. So Toyota granted the Camry a redesign for 2025. In addition to fresh styling and a new interior, Toyota made bold changes under the hood. We just spent a week testing the redesigned 2025 Camry so we could evaluate how it fits into the mid-size segment and whether it’s the right car for you. 

Hybrid for All

The biggest 2025 Camry change is a bombshell: Every Camry is now a hybrid. Toyota has sold a Camry Hybrid since 2007, but until this year, the company always paired its gas-electric Camry with affordable four-cylinder and powerful V6 variants. Those alternatives are gone. 

The 2025 Camry pairs a 184-horsepower four-cylinder gas engine with a 134-hp electric motor for a combined output of 225 hp. That’s a slightly more powerful version of last year’s Camry Hybrid powertrain. As before, the motor is fed by a small battery that gets its charge from the gas engine and the friction of the car’s brakes. For the first time in a hybrid Camry, you can also add a second 40-hp electric motor to power the rear wheels – boosting total output to 232 hp and providing the extra traction of all-wheel drive. That handily beats last year’s gas-only base Camry, which made 202 hp. And as we’ll discuss, this is a no-compromise hybrid that feels like an ordinary car – just much more economical. But it’s no substitute for the relative handful of folks who bought last year’s 301-hp V6. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fuel-Sipping Results

Hybrids are known for their gas mileage, and the hybrid-only Camry delivers. Most 2025 Camry models get 48 mpg in the city, 47 mpg on the highway, and 47 mpg combined with front-wheel drive – 1 mpg better than last year’s Camry Hybrid. AWD costs about 1 mpg less. The base LE models are the most economical, doing about 4 mpg better than those figures. However, the XSE AWD like our test vehicle dips to 44 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined (and we matched that figure during our test). That’s 8 mpg below the front-drive Camry LE but still excellent for this size of vehicle.

Note that hybrids’ biggest advantage over gas-only vehicles is stop-and-go and lower-speed driving. That’s where the electric motors can help out more than on the open highway. Even the previous-generation Camry’s gas-only engine hit an EPA-estimated 39 mpg on the highway, and we saw well above 40 mpg when we tested one. The new Camry will save you a ton of fuel if you commute in rush hour congestion, but it won’t work miracles on a road trip. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Well Priced for a Hybrid

The 2025 Toyota Camry starts at $28,400 for the base LE model. In an era of price hikes, that’s nearly $500 less than last year’s Camry Hybrid. However, it's $2,000 more than a base gas-only 2024 Camry. 

As before, Toyota sells the Camry in a choice of sport-themed and luxury-themed trim levels. The LE ($28,400) and XLE ($33,400) have smaller wheels, a different bumper design, and softer suspension tuning than the equivalent SE ($30,700) and XSE ($34,600). All four trim levels offer all-wheel drive at a $1,500 upcharge. In addition to its hybrid powertrain, Toyota justifies the Camry’s price tag with high-end standard features that include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a wireless smartphone charger, and automatic climate control – items that cost extra on some competitors. The price can soar past $40,000 with all the options, like on our XSE AWD test vehicle, but you can get a nice Camry in the low $30,000s if you choose carefully. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Prius Face

Toyota won acclaim for the design of its fully redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius hatchback. Unsurprisingly, a similar face now lives on the redesigned Camry sedan. Crisp crescent-shaped headlights connect via a slit of a grille above a bigger opening. The SE and XSE, like our test vehicle, have a honeycombed bumper pattern while the LE and XLE have horizontal bars across that space – less of a difference than in past generations. 

The rest of the Camry hasn’t changed much from the generation introduced as a 2018 model. That means it has an upright body with big, gently curved windows – unlike the lower, sleeker Honda Accord. Still, this Camry is a sporty-looking ride, especially in contrast with a bulky SUV. We also like this year’s more crisply tailored taillights. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Overhauled Interior

The 2025 Toyota Camry interior has also gotten a redesign for the new year, with changes including Toyota’s next-generation infotainment system on a big new touchscreen. On upper trim levels, including our XSE test vehicle, this screen measures 12.3 inches; base models get an 8-inch version of the same screen. 

We don’t love Toyota’s infotainment system. It doesn’t make great use of the screen size to display more information. At least you see more of the map when you use the optional GPS navigation system or Google Maps via the wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay system. The bigger screen has also resulted in a dashboard layout that’s less interesting to us than the old Camry’s artful curves. But the good news is that Toyota kept plenty of simple physical controls for common functions like turning on the radio, adjusting the climate settings, or choosing your driving mode. The new Camry also introduces an attractively rendered customizable gauge cluster, though the cumbersome unlabeled steering wheel controls discouraged us from changing views often. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Still Plenty of Room

Remember how we mentioned the Camry’s upright roof? Toyota made the Camry curvy, but it didn’t make it low, cramped, or hard to see out of. 

With a passenger compartment that carries over with minimal changes for 2025, the Camry still fits five adults on well-shaped, comfortable seats. The tallest adults will wish for more rear headroom below the optional panoramic sunroof, but most folks will be satisfied. All but the LE trim level include a power driver’s seat (it’s optional on the LE); heated front seats and even a heated steering wheel are standard or optional on all trim levels; the XLE and XSE have leather upholstery, while the SE mixes leatherette and cloth; and ventilated front seats are optional on the XLE and XSE. Overall, between the Camry’s thoughtful design and its long list of amenities, it’s a comfortable place for drivers and passengers. Trunk space is below average, though, at 15.1 cubic feet. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Agreeable Driving Manners

We came away impressed with our AWD Camry’s 232-horsepower powertrain. In addition to its excellent gas mileage, it delivered smooth, strong power without the droning groan we associate with some four-cylinder hybrids. It doesn’t take the place of the old V6 for throaty performance, but we were pleasantly surprised by how naturally and eagerly the new Camry accelerated. 

The Camry also rides and handles well, like the old generation. The ride is smooth, and while the handling isn’t as crisp and taut as a Honda Accord’s, it’s natural to drive and not too clumsy. The selectable Sport mode firms up the steering system as well. The Accord feels like more of a luxury sports sedan than the Camry, with its more carefully controlled body movements. But the Camry is a quiet, smooth-riding sedan that’s not out of place on a winding road. And folks who need to drive in messy conditions will appreciate how the Camry lets you get all-wheel drive without buying an SUV. 

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Competitors to Consider

When you’re considering a Camry, we expect you’re looking at two sets of competitors. One is fellow hybrids – the gas-electric versions of the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. All three sedans get similar gas mileage, but the Camry has the lowest starting price and is the only one with optional all-wheel drive. The Accord feels fancier inside and on the road, though, and the Sonata has more features for the money along with a more decadently finished cabin. Both also have bigger trunks than the Camry. 

Then there are the gas-only mid-size sedans. In addition to non-hybrid Accords and Sonatas, their ranks include the comfortable, economical Nissan Altima and the Kia K5, a sportier-looking Sonata cousin. As we mentioned, a non-hybrid sedan costs less than a hybrid and is nearly as economical at steady highway speeds. But if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving or idling, the gas-electric powertrain can easily pay for itself. 

2023 Honda Accord Hybrid 01

Final Thoughts

When the Camry still offered a choice of engines, we thought the hybrid made the most sense for a lot of people. With more power and better fuel economy than the base four-cylinder, it paid for itself while delivering a better experience. 

If you already agreed, the 2025 Camry is better than ever. It’s slightly less expensive than the old Camry Hybrid, yet it’s more powerful, it’s slightly more economical, and it’s now available with all-wheel drive. But if you had preferred the lower price of the base gas engine or the smooth power of the old V6, the new Camry is lacking. Toyota is gambling that it can keep enough loyalists happy, while also winning fresh customers with the new Camry’s flashier technology and updated design. The single-engine 2025 Camry line doesn’t have something for everyone – but we like what it does have. For folks who favor comfort, value, and style without demanding maximum luxury and performance, we expect the new Camry will hit the spot.

2025 Toyota Camry XSE ・ Photo by Brady Holt