Friday, October 5, 2012

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

We took delivery of this good-looking vehicle from Toyota Canada during an extended run in and around Vancouver, Canada.  My wife, two kids and I tooled around the Lower Mainland in a black version with the upgraded but not leather interior, and enjoyed the fit and finish of a car that has BMW pretension but Toyota sensibility. 


We went up mountains and hiked trails.  We parked high and parked low.  Had a chance to attend an alternative fuels conference in Whistler, B.C.  Saw Stanley Park and visited friends.  Got groceries and went to the beach.  All in all a powerful people hauler with plenty of room to spare, even when adding in a grandparent and a small dog.  Heck, Pepper would have been happy anywhere. 

In all our moving around, on highways and clogged city streets we managed to squeeze nearly 800 kilometres (500 miles) out of the tank of gas the car came with.  As the driver of a van and Corvette I can say that was a surprise -- and frankly a bit jarring, in terms of my spidey-sense of when to start looking for a gas station.  As it turned out, we didn't need one the whole trip.  And that is not what you think is possible with a hauler for a busy family with several agendas and limited time.


The interior microfibre coverings were a delight for our young family.  Sand from the beach and the inevitable drips from (healthy) snacks were a cinch to clean up, even if I did ball out my daughter for spilling yogurt when I said not to bring it in the car.  Sorry dear.

 


The crisp green/black paint struck me for some reason.  It was not metallic but it wasn't plain Toyota either.  If it was a paint chip I would call it Environment.  Clearly this is subliminal.  Overall the paint was a quality improvement from Camry's of yesteryear -- including the BMW-inspired previous iteration.




The 2.5 litre 4-cylinder hybrid engine was a delight in terms of responsiveness and hybrid acceleration.  At 200 horsepower you don't expect this power from Toyota.  Braking was more than adequate, even on mountain highways with big downhills and concerned wife in the passenger seat.  She knows I know how to drive.  In Edmunds performance testing, an XLE went from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds -- fast for a hybrid family sedan.  But it is hard in the Toyota hybrids to avoid watching the dash display of the hybrid in motion. 


One is tempted to get into the mindset of trying to save even more on fuel, when the fact is normal driving will deliver high 30's mpg. 


According to Toyota, the Camry LE 2012 delivers 44 mpg city, 44 highway, combined 44 mpg. I am not one of those west coast early-adopters driving around in my socks to feel the accelerator in a more intimate way --all for the sake of knowing just when to ease up on the pedal -- but with that display I could feel the pull to become one.  There's an EV button as well -- hit it and you can drive over a mile in electric mode.


The trunk was fascinating.  Yes, the trunk.  Enough bags for a family of four plus golf clubs all stored beautifully.  At the airport, loading it up turned out be like assembling a puzzle on the first try -- it all fit, and in a way that would satisfy a Tetris player.  


Like most Toyotas the fit and finish of the dash and doors -- the areas we touch -- were of high quality for the price point.  North American cars are getting much better at this but I can't help but the think the Asian manufacturers still have them beat on the materials and workmanship.  We as drivers and passengers stare at these sites constantly.  It's like the skin of the car.  It has to be as nice as it can be for the price.  The Toyota Camry Hybrid delivers here.  


And that brings me to price.  Something a Camry buyer cannot help but think is a prime consideration.

The Camry Hybrid LE goes for $28,900.  With its parsimonious approach to gas, it wouldn't take long to payback the $3,000 premium you have to pay for the regular Camry.  If you can afford it, go for the option. 


In my early post-college years my parents had a Camry that they held on to for far too long -- but it just kept working; they ended up giving it to my sister which was the kiss of death... but it did last nearly 15 years.  And so I never thought I would say this, but I must:

Yes I would think of buying one.  

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