2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid Real-World MPG

Why does the LE have the Li-ion pack, while the higher trims have a NiMH pack?

 

Weight savings. The LE is like the Prius Eco in that Toyota cut as much weight as possible for a high MPG rating. The Li-ion pack has the same usable capacity as the NiMH one, so there is only little other benefit from using it. With the larger wheels and extra features, the additional weight of NiMH isn't a big deal for the higher trims.

 

I think they assume that the people with less money to spend on gas are the same people with less money to spend on a vehicle, which makes sense. If you have enough money for a fancier car you can afford to spend a few dollars extra on fuel.

 

Thanks guys. I'd imagine most of the mpg hit is from the larger wheels. I've been cross shopping an Insight, and the higher trim level takes an mpg hit from the +1" diameter wheels.

 

do we have mpg experiences from all model hycam? not much good data in this thread, except for le

 

I have a new 2019 Camry Hybrid LE, and I live in a (very!) hot-weather climate (Southern Arizona). My driving is 50-50 between local drives and 2hr highway drives. I have been monitoring the mpg closely and I got 52.5 mpg on the factory-fill tank.

After that I have been getting either 49 - 50 mpg on 89 octane, or 50 - 51 mpg on 87 octane. I have read that the Atkinson cycle engine in the Toyota hybrids likes lower octane gas due to its higher explosive capacity (and the Atkinson's unusually low pressure compression stroke), and my data so far bears this out since the 87 octane proved superior in this engine.

The car was rated at 52 mpg for mixed driving, so I'm getting fairly close to that. However, I wonder what the "special sauce" was in the factory-fill tank that enabled me to get almost 2 mpg better than I can get with "normal" gas !!

Does anybody know if the factory-fill fuel has anything special in it (or perhaps what octane it is) ??

 

The variability in the pump shut off and its effect on perceived MPG is huge compared to the differences you are seeing. I ignore MPG for a given tank and only really look at multi tank MPG since, with so many gallons, the shut off variability will be less significant.

Somehow I doubt the factory fills the tanks as wouldn't that would increase shipping costs. I've seen my dealer filling at the local discount gas pump across the street from them. Or a busy dealer would buy in bulk and have their own tanks. I'll have to look next time I'm in there.

 

congrats and welcome!

are you using top tier fuel?