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

I plan to be watching this thread closely as we are trying to decide between a Camry Hybrid and a Prius (we haven't got to the nitty gritty of deciding trim levels yet, first we need to decide the type of car we want).

Our local dealer says they won't have any 2018 hybrid Camries in until late September, so we had to settle for being driven to the storage lot in a regular 2018 Camry so we could eyeball/compare the 2018 Camry (seating and trunk space) against the Prius (and Prius v, which according to this salesman is not going to be produced after this model year).

One highlight was that the Camry that we were driven in has turn signals in the mirrors. Take *that* Prius :-D

 

it's really a huge difference. i couldn't possibly choose between the two.

 

Me too. My first stop on Day 1 is at my local wheel/tire shop to install upgraded, lighter wheels and higher performance all-season rubber using the OEM's as trade credits. The extra grip in the wet is worth it. There's nothing worse than trying to accelerate into traffic from a standstill in the rain only to have traction control clamp down on the effort at the wrong time. The higher performance setup delivered all the available power to the ground without fear of getting rear-ended.

 

Well, the overall diameter is the same, so the sidewalls of the tires on the larger wheels is shorter. That usually means less rubber to help absorb bumps. It does mean less sidewall flex when cornering. Larger wheels are usually for performance if not just for aesthetics.

The 2018 goes from 16" on the LE to 18" on the other trims. In addition to the increased weight, tires on larger wheels tend to be wider. that's more road and wind resistance.

 

thanks, i don't like the short sidewalls, very harsh ride. handling and traction are not an issue with the current 17" michelin premiers, nor the oems, the way we drive.

 

With the 16inch set being slightly wider in diameter, the effective final gear ratio will be slightly taller. That could give some improvement to efficiency.

 

incredible. they put on bigger wheels, with smaller tyres, and i bet replacement tyres cost more.

 

SE/XLE tire size replacements are roughly double the cost of LE's and are typically rated to last about 25% fewer miles. Not a good tradeoff considering that there are as many performance tire choices in the 16" size as 18" size without the unsprung and rotational mass penalty.

 

i would think a dealer would be happy to swap wheels/tires on an se/xle, should be a money maker for them, other than the hassle.

 

Why I stuck with 16 inch when I bought my current ride.

 

Trade in the Avalon on a new Camry for your 70th birthday!

 

Wait for the '19 Avalon......

 

I think that the 19' Avalon hybrid might be all new, could be worth the wait to see, I'm pretty sure your current Avalon will last another year....

 

The all new Avalon will be introduced at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan 15:

2019 Toyota Avalon Previews Bolder Design - Motor Trend

 

I did some math and in my judgment the differences in mpg between the different trim levels and your current vehicle are fairly insignificant. Assuming 10,000 miles a year (for simplicity and easy math) the difference between 42 and 52 mpg is 46 gallons or about $116 at current prices.

 

Don't get excited about the various Connect options on the LE. I can't get any of them to connect on my LE.

 

if I were buying a Camry Hybrid now I'd go XLE / fully loaded


Bought a fully loaded one back in 07 -- upgraded from a ES330 -- and it's been, by a very wide margin, the best car I've ever owned.

 

I'm generally about getting a vehicle or appliance with the best mechanical features and avoiding paying for frills, although frills can be nice to be certain. In that respect I naturally vote for the LE as mechanically it is the same as the rest, yet costs less, is nice enough, and gets better mileage with the better battery pack. Win, win, win!

I had a great sales lady at Sears who directed me to get a dishwasher with the best mechanical features while avoiding paying extra for electronic wiz bang. She explained how spending a little more to get better mechanical features (2 spray arms, better rack coating, stainless interior) was worth it. I've expanded this philosophy to most all products.