Road Test: 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid

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Vanilla ice-cream, sans vanilla

Are the Camry Hybrid's gains in fuel economy worth the loses in the wallet and driving experience?

By John LeBlanc If you want to tell the world you're driving a gasoline-electric hybrid - and all that it speaks to, good or bad - then buy a Toyota Prius, the poster child of hybrids. Or maybe the similarly distinctive Honda Insight. From blocks away, this pair's egg-on-wheels body style clearly announces that their owners have been known to hug the occasional tree or save the odd whale. What if, though, you want the benefits of driving a fuel-efficient and feel-good hybrid, but without having to show your Greenpeace membership card every time you step out of your car? And what if you want it in a practical family sedan? Since the introduction of its five-passenger Camry Hybrid in 2006, Toyota has discovered that that combination of green and anonymity can be popular. Proof? Ford and Nissan offer hybrid versions of their mid-sized family sedans as well. As per the regular four and six-cylinder Camrys, the Hybrid model gets some minor changes for the 2010 model year. Not that you would notice... The Camry's milquetoast design blends into the Canadian urban landscape like a Tim Hortons coffee shop. So we needed to read Toyota Canada's press materials to notice that slightly larger headlamps, LED tail lamps, front bumpers, a new Hybrid-exclusive grille and some minor interior trim details are all new. With a base price of $30,900, as before, Toyota sells the Camry Hybrid very well equipped, whether you want it or not. Standard kit includes a power driver's seat, alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, and an eight-speaker, satellite-ready audio system. Our 2010 Camry Hybrid tester had the $890 Premium package ticked off on the options sheet. That added a power sunroof, illuminated vanity mirrors and rear reading lamps. If you want leather or heated seats, you'll need to pay an additional $4,030, bundled up with a navigation system in the car's only other option package. What isn't new this year is what's under the front-wheel drive Camry Hybrid's hood and embedded in its rear trunk. As per the original, there's a transversely front-mounted 2.4-litre four-cylinder gas engine paired to an electric motor/generator and a battery pack behind the rear seats. Gas and electric motors combined, there's 187 hp and 138 lb.-ft. of torque on tap, accessed through a continuously variable transmission. Forget the guilt-relieving hybrid stuff for a moment. One reason the Camry sedan has been such a hit is due to its accommodating and comfortable cabin. For 2010, except for a new gauge cluster and softer cloth seat fabrics (ooh!), life inside the Camry Hybrid is pretty good for all five on board. Up front, the seats are both comfortable and supportive, while those in the back receive all-day-comfy thrones. Unfortunately, because of the space allocated for the battery pack, there's a reduction of nearly 125 litres compared to the standard Camry. But at least Toyota has seen fit to include a pass-through on the right side of the trunk for hockey sticks, skis or javelins. If you want a Camry to save money, it's hard to ignore the overall value of the $6,000 less expensive base model Camry LE and its new 2.5-litre four-cylinder gas engine. For 2010, it gets a boost in horsepower to 169 hp. Its 9.0 L/100 km city rating, though, can't touch the Hybrid's subcompact-like 5.7 L/100 km. However, the Hybrid has less of an advantage once out of stop-and-go traffic. On the open road, the LE is rated at an excellent 6.1 L/100 km; the Hybrid only betters that by 0.8 L/100 km. During the week we had our electrified Camry, we could only manage a 7.7 L/100 km overall consumption number. Let's face the truth: No one's buying a Camry to carve turns on her or his favourite back road. Critiquing the sedan for its conformist looks or appliance-like driving experience is like nailing a politician for talking out of both sides of their mouth. Now, with the Hybrid, imagine taking one of North America's most boring passenger cars and adding an economy-first hybrid drivetrain. It's like removing the vanilla flavouring from vanilla ice cream. But as a driving enthusiast public service announcement, please note: the Camry Hybrid's CVT acts like it has only one, very long gear. When pushed hard, the sedan rolls in corners, understeers prodigiously, and there's little feedback from the steering wheel from the road. As per the gas-only version, the hybrid Camry possesses the roomiest, quietest cabin, and most relaxing driving characteristics in its family sedan class. And the conversion between electric and gas modes is nearly seamless. Combined with its blend-in-with-the-background looks, the 2010 Camry Hybrid is the perfect car to save the planet. Secretly. 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid WHAT WE LIKE: Roomy, comfortable cabin; miserly city fuel consumption; low-profile image WHAT NEEDS WORK: If it had wheels, your dishwasher would be more fun to drive; compromised trunk space; some "options" are mandatory Base price/as-tested: $30,900/$31,790 Type of vehicle: FWD mid-size sedan Engine: 2.4L, 16-valve DOHC I-4 gas-electric hybrid Power/Torque: 187 hp / 138 lb.-ft. Transmission: Continuously variable Fuel consumption (city/hwy/as-tested): 5.7 / 5.7 / 7.7 L/100 km Competition: Ford Fusion Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid

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