Which 2018 Camry Hybrid Trim Level To Buy? Or....

stay put. it's certainly worthwhile looking at, and driving the hycam, but i think you'll find the economic loss won't be worth any gains in satisfaction.

and i agree with you on the le. to me, it's a circus sideshow, and the upscale models are the real mpg numbers. disappointing.

 

Swapping out the SE and XLE 18 inch wheels for 16 inch ones and the tire size of the SE will improve the fuel economy. Can't say how much though.

Keep in mind that it is a first year, and the chance of problems will be greater. Better off waiting for the 2019 eitherway.

 

Having driven an '18 HyCam, I think your biggest concern may become ergonomics. The seating position is without exaggeration much lower than expected. If for any reason you or your spouse have mobility limitations, you really ought to drive any version HyCam before you proceed further.

It isn't just the lower seating position, it's the distance between seat cushion and floor that's a little lower meaning that it's less chair-like, more like a grand touring car. Could be either good or bad depending on your preference. I like it a lot, it really accents the lower CG they advertise and makes the car feel more secure and planted during semi-spirited driving.

Otherwise, if you're accustomed to a posh Avalon, wait for the 2019MY. It was shown at the national dealer show earlier this year and friends say that the all-new Avalon raises the bar for the segment at least as much as the all-new HyCam, especially the interior that they described as pretty much an LS Lexus clone.

@Tideland Prius, no worries mate, glad to sound off about HyCams, no holds barred.

 

The thing is, comparing content of the LE to the SE or XLE, there's really very little difference and that can mostly be matched with option packages available for the LE.

I also think the LE cloth is vastly improved to the point where it's a tough call between it and leather since seat coolers aren't available in any trim while seat heaters are standard across the board.

The one exception is the availability of adaptive headlights only available on the XLE HV. I had them on a Lexus and found them to be a significant safety feature where I drive half the year, unlit mountain roads in the rain.

 

I think when Toyota start putting Li-Ion battery in the SE and XLE, their MPG will get close to the LE.

 

Not from anyone I've talked to about them. The brochure and ordering guide only mention them as an option package, no details otherwise.

 

I really wonder how much it would help. Of the estimated 100 lb. weight delta between LE HV and the others, I calculated from the tirerack.com site that about 65 lbs. of that are from the 18" wheels and tires so 15+ lbs. per corner of rotational mass may be more of a culprit than the battery.

 

i hope these cars are rentable. there are just too many mysteries to make an educated decision from a test drive.
disappointing to hear the seats are lower. as we age, that is or will be a problem, forcing us into other cars.

 

Good question that I asked myself afterward.

I only adjusted the seat for length and didn't adjust the wheel at all, everything lined up for me that way. I'm not sure if the driver's seat was fully lowered or not. The LE and SE HV's have 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar, the passenger seat is 6-way adjustable. The XLE HV has 8-way power adjustable and power lumbar on both front seats.

 

and the ceiling may have something to say about that as well. more importantly, the top of the door jamb as you get in.

 

The sill height seemed about right for easily lifting a leg over to slide, or drop into, the seat where it was adjusted to at the time.

The headliner is interesting. It's sculpted above both front seats, obviously engineered to get the best
headroom measurement without a sunroof.

 

The Li-ion battery has about the same usable capacity as the NiMH. Toyota is using them more to reduce weight, and the extra weight in the larger wheels will have a bigger impact. Anything not being supported by the suspension is referred to as unsprung mass, and it hurts fuel efficiency more than weight on the suspension.

 

You can always change the wheels and tires yourself to reduce weight and rotating mass but the Li-Ion must come from the factory.

 

hard to believe the wheel size and weight is eating up that many mpg's, but what do i know.

 

You also strip weight from other areas of the car to make up the difference between the Li-ion and NiMH. The weight difference is the Li-ion's main contribution in Toyota hybrids.

@austingreen and others have put larger wheels on their Prii. Always reduced fuel economy, possibly as much as 5mpg.

 

does it affect ride comfort and smoothness? i think we have 18" now, i'll have to look.

17" on a 2013 xle.