First Look Review: Hybrid-only 2025 Toyota Camry gets all-round improvements

Update (September 3, 2024): ‘Price’ updated.

While the falling popularity of sedans has claimed models like the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, and VW Passat, the Toyota Camry, a stalwart in the U.S. market for over 40 years, is in no mood to give up. In fact, the Camry ended 2023 as America’s top-selling passenger car for the 22nd consecutive year!

Entering its ninth generation in 2023, the mid-size sedan has transitioned to being exclusively a hybrid model. I had the chance to experience the 2025 Toyota Camry’s design, features, and interiors in person just before its U.S. launch, and here are my impressions:

Design

Toyota is marketing the 2025 Camry as a new generation, but after seeing it up close, I’m convinced it’s more of a thorough facelift of the previous-generation Camry Hybrid. The Prius-inspired headlamps, C-shaped tail lamps, the chic trunk lid with an integrated spoiler, and other features point to this. The car’s overall shape remains unchanged, which is a dead giveaway of its facelift status.

My favorite part of the updated exterior is the striking honeycomb grille, lending the hybrid sedan a bold yet elegant appearance. The curvy hood with a raised center, echoing the latest Prius design, contributes to its sleek look. However, I feel the new, slender front doesn’t quite sync with the simpler side profile and the more traditional rear-end.

New Hybrid badge

Toyota has been using an emblem tinged in blue on its electrified cars for years, but it recently decided to phase out this feature. Unlike the previous-generation Camry Hybrid, the MY2025 doesn’t feature the blue-hued Toyota logo at the front or the rear. Similarly, it doesn’t have the outgoing car’s “Hybrid” badge on the right side of the trunk lid either.

The 2025 Camry Hybrid flaunts Toyota’s new ‘Beyond Zero’ logo clubbed with an “HEV” badge on the left side of the trunk. The Beyond Zero logo is the company’s latest way of letting people know that they’re looking at a hybrid or plug-in hybrid Toyota, and the “HEV” badge is exclusive to hybrid models.

Interior

The interior of the 2025 Toyota Camry is simple and uncluttered, and a touch more modern than the current Camry Hybrid. I like the quilted pattern on the dashboard and the intricate trim on the AC vent adjusters, which I discovered while experiencing the interior at the Houston Auto Show 2024. This is the first-ever Camry with leather and Dinamica microfiber-trimmed seat covers. I also feel that the quality of plastics used in the dashboard and center console is a step up from the previous generation model.

I like the fact that Toyota has avoided using touch-operated buttons in the steering wheel and the climate control system of the 2025 Camry, opting for old-school physical buttons. One of the best upgrades of this model, in my opinion, is the new in-cabin electronics. The instrument cluster is a fully digital 12.3-inch unit with customizable layouts. Going by early demos, I think this display has good resolution and is easy to read.

One of my biggest complaints about the previous-generation Camry Hybrid was the outdated infotainment system. I’m glad to report that this has been taken care of in the 2025 model. The new, 12.3-inch infotainment system of the 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid is also positioned better, as, unlike in the old model, it doesn’t affect forward visibility. From the early demos, I feel it is a big improvement in graphics and that the menu structure is easy. I think the most useful new capability of this system is wireless connectivity for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Toyota claims that the 2025 Camry’s seats offer improved comfort. The 10-way/8-way adjustable front seats, which are heated and ventilated, are visibly different from the old model and look similar to the appointments in the Crown. When I sat in the driver’s seat, lumbar support felt comfortable. I’m six feet tall, and my head was well clear of the roof. The headrest, which is softer and positioned rearward, felt more supportive than the eighth-gen Camry.

The steering wheel is also lifted from the Crown’s parts bin. The column is manually adjustable, and the grip offered by the steering was as you’d generally expect in a car of this size. In the back, the 2025 Camry offers more than adequate legroom and good under-thigh support. I felt that the sitting angle was comfortable and that I had more than sufficient headroom. Fitting three adults in the 2025 Camry’s rear is possible, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

Specifications

The 2025 Toyota Camry moves to the new fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS 5) and a 2.5-liter gas engine. Assisted by a front electric motor, the engine pushes forward the front wheels with 225 hp, which is an improvement of 17 hp. I expect the redesigned model to be safer on snow-clad roads during the winter, thanks to available e-AWD, enabled by a dedicated rear electric motor. Checking out the eAWD option bumps up the system power to 232 hp.

In addition to increased power, the new powertrain of the hybrid-only 2025 Camry promises a more dynamic drive. That’s because it has a revised suspension tuned for more responsiveness and agility. Moreover, I think this system will be noticeably quieter in urban driving, as it has been tuned to operate at lower engine RPMs at lower speeds. The 2025 Camry delivers an impressive fuel economy of up to 51 MPG, which makes it slightly less efficient in comparison to the old model (up to 52 MPG).

Price

The 2025 Toyota Camry range begins at USD 29,535 (incl. USD 1,135 DPH fee) for the LE variant, and tops out at USD 35,735 (inc. DPH fee) for the XSE variant. The all-new hybrid-only mid-size sedan started arriving at U.S. dealerships in Spring 2024.

The Camry Hybrid recorded its best-ever first-half sales in 2024. From January to June, Toyota sold 51,074 units, comprising both the previous and new-generation models. This represents a remarkable year-over-year increase of 318.4%, or 38,867 more units, compared to the 12,207 sold in the same period in 2023. The U.S. market is clearly embracing the hybrid-only 2025 Camry!

TopElectricSUV says

The 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid has a more stylish exterior and a classier and more high-tech interior. The introduction of the THS 5, among other mechanical changes, gives it improved performance and handling. Priced attractively, it is a fantastic value-for-money family car.

2025 Toyota Camry FAQs