In these days of gasping with shock when we drive up to a gas pump, with prices seeming to climb higher every day, what a relief it was to drive the 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-door sedan last week. The Camry's fuel economy estimates claim the hybrid gets 33 miles to the gallon in town and 34 on the highway, but this economical sedan seemed to get even better mileage. After driving the Camry exclusively for a week, I was astonished to find half a tank of gas remained.
With a base starting price of $25,200 to $30,975, and an estimated annual fuel cost of only $1,235, the Camry Hybrid makes a lot of sense, as in dollars and cents, for anyone who drives even an average amount.
It's not surprising that Toyota is at the leading edge of Hybrid technology, since their Prius hybrid first raised the bar for ecologically friendly autos. The Camry hybrid uses the same Synergy Drive system as the Prius, with a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine working in unison with its electric motor. The motor is powered by a high-voltage battery, which is recharged by the braking system.
For someone like me, who is not used to driving a hybrid, it can be disconcerting when the motor appears to shut down while you are stopping for a red light, or when the car becomes eerily quiet in slow traffic. But once you become used to this, it's fun to try to see how often you can maintain a low enough speed—usually under 20 miles per hour—to keep the car powered by electricity and not gasoline. Of course using air conditioning or listening to the stereo also affects power usage.
The Toyota hybrid features continuously variable automatic transmission as standard equipment, while an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty for the battery and other components is also standard.
If you would like to be sure friends and neighbors know that you are a card-carrying member of the environmentally correct Green Group, you should be warned the Camry hybrid (unlike the Prius) doesn't look distinctively different from its Camry cousins. Instead, it can easily pass for a Toyota Camry SE but with a larger chrome grille.
The Camry hybrid has 16" alloy wheels, an acoustic noise-reducing windshield, and optional heated side mirrors and moon roof. There are seven airbags including a driver's knee airbag, and an electronic stability system is standard. The Camry is a very comfortable, easy to drive sedan.
The test model I drove had added options including rear spoiler, body side molding and a leather interior package, XM Satellite Radio, and a power tilt/slide moon roof that brought the total price, including destination charges, to $32,966.
Still a bargain, though, as gas prices continue their upward climb! Jo Ann Holt is a columnist and car enthusiast in Dallas, Texas, and a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA).
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