2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE

So I'm going to update my experiences with Celeste the Camry and compare it to Princess Pea the Prius.

While the ride is more comfortable and I have more room. The haul space has come up short once for me. I ordered a 4 foot tall roll of batting which Walmart (I did not step foot in to a Walmart) shipped by fed ex in a 6 1/2 foot tall box. Now while this would have been no issue in the Prius the Camry couldn't take it. I tried the trunk and I tried the backseat. I just couldn't get it in all the way. It fit fine width wise by the length was just too long for her to take it.

I finally removed the roll from the 6 1/2 foot tall box and was easily able to get the batting roll in the trunk or back seat. Prius I would have just put the back seat down and slid it right in. I'm still not sure why Walmart decided to ship something in a box 2 1/2 taller than it need be.

The ride is much smoother and quieter than the Prius. The road and wind noise is greatly diminished. I also don't feel the bumps like I use to with the Prius.

Brakes are not as touchy as with the Prius. The Prius was always a short stopper. In the Camry I've noticed several times where I've added extra pressure because I was coming up too quickly on things.

While I have much more room hip, leg, and head wise there is something interesting which I haven't done since my last Camry. When I go over a speed bump sideways and don't think about it, I might rock a little and end up smashing my head into the top of the door frame. I didn't do this in the Prius but I guess it was because I didn't have that much room to rock. Or my fat nice person was wedged in there pretty good.

The center arm rest is AMAZING! I can stow a full size box of tissues again! Also the standard sliding forward thing is so dreamy. Standard Lumbar support on all levels of Camry is a godsend for low back pain suffers. When I received my Toyota Corp survey email I made sure to lambast them on not having adjustable lumbar support standard on all vehicles on all levels. Makes no sense. The RAV 4 you have to go up to the Limited edition to get the lumbar. No way, no how.

Steering is a little less responsive than the Prius. I've noticed with the Prius I could zig and zag much more easily than with the Camry. The steering in the Prius feels sharper.

Drivetrain switching between Electric-Gas and Gas-Electric is still rather smooth but it's not nearly as smooth as with the Prius. I'm not sure why there would be a noticeable difference since the drivetrain is pretty much the same just larger in size. Speaking about larger in size, I seem to be able to go much further in EV mode with the Camry than the Prius. I'm not sure why this is the case. Is it because of a larger battery? I don't know. Just seems strange the Camry Hybrid could go farther in all EV mode.

I reset the MPG estimator a couple weeks ago to clear out the old data. I didn't do it when I bought it so it still had MPG from when it was test drove and moved from one spot to another at the dealer. IE piss poor MPG times. Since then I have been averaging right at 39.5-40.3 MPG. While sure it's not the 50-55 MPG I was getting with the Prius it's still not bad overall. I still only need to fill the tank ever two weeks like I did with the Prius.

No bloody beeping when reversing! Also the reverse camera is in a much better location than the Prius has it. It's dead center and I can use it much more easily to drive the car in reverse. There is the annoying factor you have to physically move the stick shift into Park before shutting off the engine. The car doesn't do it for you like the Prius. Which I didn't do very often but if I forgot it was nice it automatically did it for you. I think it would have been nice if they put a push button gear selector in place of the stick. It would have give the car a neat feel.

The biggest and probably the most over looked difference is the car tells you when you are getting low on Windshield Washer Fluid! No more "CRAP I"M OUT OF FLUID!" without any warning. The Camry provides you this information on the center LCD display screen between the Speedometer and the other gauges ahead of times and continuously reminds you.

The biggest and most totally amazing difference of them all: I have not been smoked by a Diesel truck nor tailgated by a giant truck ONCE while owning the Camry. NOT ONCE! And I'm pretty much driving her the same exact way I did the Prius. I haven't had a large jacked up truck yet harass me on the interstate. IE Tailgate me for a little bit and then pull around hammering on the gas and then cutting in front of me. And that happened many times in this area while owning the Prius. Is it possible there's just a lull in this activity? Or is it because I'm driving a Hybrid that doesn't look like a Hybrid and especially the Prius?

 

Actually, About the trunk thing. Not entirely true. I haven't had issues of doing 70 on the interstate and someone so close behind me their headlights aren't visible. I can now see pavement between the vehicle behind me and the rear of my car. They are definitely much further back.

I pushed the front seat al the way forward and popped the back as far forward as I could. I didn't do the drop it down and lay it all the way back. I didn't think about that. But then again I didn't want the box next to me should I turn and the bloody thing hit me or cause me to have an accident.

 

So. I had to take my car back in Friday because the SXM radio was out AGAIN. They ordered an entire replacement for my car. I get to drop it off tomorrow morning and get a car to drive to work in. I hope it's not like the last one I got.

I made sure to express my displeasure at having to bring my car in AGAIN for the SXM radio and that it's pretty sad if I don't even have 1700 miles on the car, and I haven't even owned it for two months yet, that I'm having to bring it in again for the same issue that was supposedly fixed. Seriously, if this replacement doesn't work I'm goin' Madea on their a$$e$



Oh alright... I talk a big talk... I wouldn't get violent.. I'd just call my lawyer and start getting them involved to ensure there is some corrective action taken which fixes the issue permanently. No problems with the care other than the @(*$(* radio.

 

It completely went out. It wasn't fading in and out. I understand if there are trees or a tall building my signal will fade or go out. This just stopped working.

They replaced it with a whole new unit. It appears to be working this time. I'm waiting to see if it's actually truly repaired with the replacement.

 

Not even three months of ownership, less than 2900 miles on my car, and I pick up a bolt in my tire. the dealership was pretty impressed with the size of the bolt. I never lost pressure in the tire because the bolt plugged it.

Oh well! I was no longer pissed about it at 10:02 AM the next morning when same sex marriage was guaranteed by the 14th amendment.


iPhone ?

 

Whooops... sorry for the late response. The rims are an option you can have installed at the time of purchase. The car I picked out had them already so it was great. Didn't have to wait for them.