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Camry Hybrid Review

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Feb 4, 2006.

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  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    By certain lights, the 2007 Camry Hybrid is not particularly revolutionary. Here we have a nicely equipped, 3,637-pound, five-passenger sedan with 192 horsepower, costing about $30,000 (final pricing has yet to be confirmed). Styling reminds me of the old Merle Travis song: So round, so firm, so fully packed. The ride and handling are straight-up Pink Floyd: comfortably numb.

    But, ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is the Buick from another planet. Beneath the almost laughably stately sheetmetal is a still-slightly radical, state-of-the-art gas-electric powertrain allowing the sedan to post estimated EPA fuel economy numbers of 43 miles per gallon city, 37 mpg highway, and 40 mpg combined driving.

    Of course, reasonable minds can and do disagree about the real-world cost advantages of hybrid technology, how it may stack up against advanced diesel systems or how perishable hybrid batteries might be. But the Camry Hybrid inarguably tosses this alien, Left Coast technology in the laps of Middle America. After all, this isn't some refugee from "Minority Report," like the Prius, or a $50,000 luxury SUV, like the Lexus RX 400h. This is the bestselling car in America, seven out of the last eight years, the heart of the market.

    And so the Camry Hybrid is deeply subversive, undercutting the automotive-identity politics that have separated hybrid technology from bien-pensant Americans who might otherwise think it's all a plot reeking of patchouli and macrobiotic ice cream.

    http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=7320&highlight=
     
    #1 Tideland Prius, Feb 4, 2006
  2. bobr1

    bobr1 New Member

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    #2 bobr1, Feb 4, 2006
  3. IMHYBRID

    IMHYBRID New Member

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    Styling reminds me of the old Merle Travis song: So round, so firm, so fully packed. The ride and handling are straight-up Pink Floyd: comfortably numb.
    This guy is referring to GM when he says comfortably numb as they have not a clue how to sell or for that matter how to design a good quality car that can sell for msrp. The Prius sold 200,000+ in 05, name one GM car that sold that many, even with 3000 off msrp. HA HA HA. I hope detroit can do better soon as its been laughable!!! I bought two Prius in the past 2 years at MSRP, never went to a GM lot for a look.
     
    #3 IMHYBRID, Feb 4, 2006
  4. mdmikemd

    mdmikemd Member

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    I got a Sienna that isn't even 2 years old and I keep thinking of trading it in for the Camry. Owning a Prius, it kills me to get 16mpg with the minivan.
     
    #4 mdmikemd, Feb 4, 2006
  5. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    If only Toyota would bring over the Estima Hybrid.
    One can dream...
     
    #5 LaughingMan, Feb 4, 2006
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Actually, it's 106k is it not?
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Feb 5, 2006
  7. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    wow only 16 mpg's for a Sienna??? My 1999 Chevy Venture always get 23 mpg for our normal driving and when we go on trips it gets 26mpg's. My 02 Venture(which I sold when we got our Prius) mysteriously got 3 mpg's less. Makes me hope even more that the 99 holds out till we (if ever) get a Estima mini-van here.
     
    #7 paprius4030, Feb 5, 2006
  8. tideland_raj

    tideland_raj New Member

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    If you really need the minivan, then keep your sienna, and look forward to the hybrid that will be out soon. I just bought my 06 Prius, and the toyota guy handed out a leaflet for an "informational class" about new models (specifically the Yaris + hybrid Sienna) that will appear (probably in 07).
     
    #8 tideland_raj, Feb 5, 2006
  9. soboy

    soboy Junior Member

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    As much as I love our Prius, I think the '07 Hybrid Camry will be the major turning point for hybrids to be accepted by mainstream America. After all, the Camry is the number one selling car in the U.S.

    As an enthusiast who appreciates a good handling, responsive car, the current Camry has to be one of the most boring, flaccid, ill-performing cars I have driven in years. Brakes aren't too hot, either. I had a '06 Camry loaner while the Prius was getting a minor repair from a parking lot incident, and it was a very underwhelming vehicle both for me, and my wife, who is a non-enthusiast. Reminded me a lot of my dad's old 1973 Buick, but with much less style and power. Really floaty in the corners, no feedback at all. We were very glad to get the Prius back.
     
    #9 soboy, Feb 5, 2006
  10. mdmikemd

    mdmikemd Member

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    Since I drive it, I only use it for a 3 mile commute each way. When I drive highway and stay at around 60mpg, I am able to get it up to 25mpg. Also, it's an all while drive.
     
    #10 mdmikemd, Feb 5, 2006
  11. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    200,000 total around the globe...
     
    #11 spwolf, Feb 5, 2006
  12. Ron Dupuy

    Ron Dupuy New Member

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    $30,000! That's almost one and a half Prii.
     
    #12 Ron Dupuy, Feb 5, 2006
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    ohh... wow.. US had half of the sales? But then again, priority seem to go to the States.. Australia has a long waiting list and so does Europe. For us up north, we just order whenever we want to buy, that way there won't be any lying around on the lots.
     
    #13 Tideland Prius, Feb 5, 2006
  14. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

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    US 107,897
    Japan 43,607
    Europe 18,886
    ==============
    sub total 170,453

    200K to go 29,547

    I don't think total 30K was sold in the rest of world.

    Ken@Japan
     
    #14 ken1784, Feb 5, 2006
  15. tripp

    tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it?

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    Tideland is a Canadian so I believe he's posting the Canadian price.
     
    #15 tripp, Feb 5, 2006
  16. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah, and I can't wait to bring one home. :)
     
    #16 TonyPSchaefer, Feb 5, 2006
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah, but the article is The L.A. Times so I'm sure THEY are talking in USD.

    $30k is a bit steep. I hope they don't price it that high in Canada. An HAH costs Cdn$36,990. The Prius goes from $31,280 to $38,xxx, the equivalent of a #7 minus HIDs.

    An 06 HCH costs $25,800.

    So there's some pricing for you. A much different pricing scheme than that of the US. I'm hoping the Camry HSD will be around the Cdn$30k mark. Any higher and it's inching dangerously close to the HAH.
     
    #17 Tideland Prius, Feb 6, 2006
  18. Hornhonker

    Hornhonker New Member

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    Oops, duplicate post. :eek:
     
    #18 Hornhonker, Feb 6, 2006
  19. DeadPhish

    DeadPhish Senior Member

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    The Sienna is due for a remodel for the 2008 MY. The 2003 came out in March 2002 to roaring success for nearly 10 mo's. If they attempt to duplicate that launch we could see the new Sienna this time next year as a 2008 model.. and I'd be shocked if there wasnt a hybrid option. Linked to the 2.4L as a base model? The main models will likely have the 3.5L which is the standard ICE V6 for the next 10 years.

    BTW.. Ditto the Highlander next fall.. IMO.
     
    #19 DeadPhish, Feb 6, 2006
  20. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    It seems like many months ago, (I want to say 6 months to a year ago) that someone from Toyota said that having a hybrid Sienna would enable them to have both rows of back seats be stowaway and maintain the possibility of all wheel drive.

    Not sure really what this means, except that they have thought about a hybrid minivan and obviously have the ability with the Estima. Plus, then they can the first hybrid minivan on the streets. Makes sense to do the Sienna in 2008, if they waited for the hybrid Camry until the redesign.
     
    #20 micheal, Feb 6, 2006
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