2018 Camry and Camry Hybrid Official Thread

congrats and welcome!
please keep us posted on your experience when you have time.
all the best!

 

I just joined this forum in order to make a few comments on the new 2018 camry hybrid LE. I currently own a 2014.5 camry hybrid XLE and decided to test drive the new LE. In my test drive I drove the 2018 about 12 miles. The car had been previously warmed up before my test drive. After driving 12 miles, the display showed my average mpg to be 38.2, much lower than the 52 claimed. I then drove my 2014 over the same route trying to maintain the same speeds and got 41.1 mpg. My 2014 sticker showed the average mpg to be 40. What gives?

 

Especially since your 2014 is the older EPA test. Vehicles tend to have lower numbers on the new ones. Apparently your 2014 is 39 combined using the new tests.
See Compare Side-by-Side

 

What did you expect the MPG to be on a brand new car driven 12 miles?

 

My 2017 Prius has the same 52 mpg combined rating. On the 150 mile drive home from the dealer it said 59 mpg. That was mainly highway driving when the Prius is less efficient.

 

50?

 

How warm was the car you had test driven?

Had the PDI been done properly, especially in regards to tire inflation?

Was there possibly a change in driving style? Note that the new car is more powerful, and likely has more aggressive throttle mapping.

 

did you reset the display before driving?

 

For a MPG reference, here's a post from a different forum regarding the first tank of gas on a new SE Hybrid:

 

I expected high 40s. I purchased the 2014 new and it immediately got 39-40 mpg.

It had just returned from another test drive. The temp gauge was in the middle, I turned the car off then back on to reset the trip mpg indicator. Both vehicles were set to ECO mode.

No

I attempted to drive my car as close to the same speed and acceleration as the 2018.

Yes

 

The new tires are going to have a high rolling resistance, and the dealer could of had the tire pressure even lower than what Toyota recommends. Also can't rule out the dealer upgrading the wheels; were they steelies with hub caps?

 

turning the car off and on resets the trip meter? must be new, our '13 doesn't do that.

 

On the 2018 Camry, the following modes for drive information exist, it appears:

Trip (after start)
Total (after reset)
Tank (after refuel)

 

My '18 Camry LE HV fleet order bounced. It was supposed to arrive later this month.

Apparently, the BSM package, a must-have in my book, won't be available in the fleet system, will be rare in the retail system and then only available in regions that order it. Most regions want to use the LE as HV price leaders so are ordering them stripped.

Fleet operators sweat the details like acquisition and disposal cost so Toyota decided not to offer it on the fleet side yet.

One new nugget of info I was told is that the BSM package includes heated mirrors with signal lamps. If accurate, then it'll be well worth the $600 cost on an LE if you can find one.

I'll wait for better availability and big retail incentives usually available in Nov/Dec. Here, that means $3,000 customer cash + $1,000 loyalty discount. Together, that would beat the fleet price by almost $1,000, enough to cover most of the cost of lightweight wheels and higher performance tires.

 

once the 17's are mostly gone, the discounts should start. i would expect $3-5,000. off by next summer.

 

I came across this Facebook thread with many uncomfortable Camry owner's dating years back.



I felt something bad sitting in the 2018 Camry(s) so I rented a 2018 Camry LE on Monday. I was pretty much angry the whole time I had the car. For the first ten minutes it looked like it might be promising, but after that no adjustment was acceptable. Didn't have pain or back pain, but it was simply not comfortable. The driver's seat felt TOO SMALL for me which is ridiculous considering I could slide the seat back so far I could barely touch the pedals.

Narrow bottom cushion, bolsters jut into my hips, thighs, bottom cushion contour didn't fit, felt 'off', short cushion, lack thigh support, lack of lateral support in seatback.

We had a base model 2017 Hyundai Elantra rental last month and I had zero complaints about that driver's seat, it was fine. Trouble is Hyundai is pretty far behind Honda and Toyota in fuel economy, features and reliability.

If it fits you and you like, great, but do beware when shopping.

 

shocking!

 

Have you tried the new 30 way (yes, thirty) Lincoln "perfect position seats" to see if they are the holy grail?

The Lincoln is much nicer. If you can't find a comfortable position in this rig you're Quasimodo. Though we suspect even he could find a proper fit." -- Autoweek

http://www.autonews.com/article/20161107/RETAIL03/311079974/can-we-talk-about-the-continentals-seats%3F