Why I didn't get a 2007 HyCam

While the hybrid camry is a good, safe, economical yet practical car... Camry's are EVERYWHERE. I mean it is so generic to have a camry. They are like the kenmore washer and dryers of cars... Don't get me wrong, they are fabulous vehicles but i really do think that you would miss the quirkiness of the prius, and the sticking out factor and hybrid status is unacheived by any other car... besides the insight, but they cut the line on production.
Anyways, whatever decision you should make, good luck!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 25 2006, 01:54 AM) [snapback]353872[/snapback]</div>

Actually, TCH has the VSC with TRAC standard. There is no mentioning of VDIM on toyota's USA website. As far as I know, VDIM is exclusively for Lexus (at least in USA). It is basically more "proactive" than the passive VSC. Over time, it surely would propagate to Toyota vehicles.

 

All I know, is that money aside, the HyCam is a far better car for me. It rides better, is quieter, and frankly, the leather interior is more comfortable.

The sound system is far better in the HyCam. You can ride further on a full tank then the Prius. Of course, that is due to the larger gas tank.

You can turn on and off the DRL's. And, if you like sunroofs, you can get one with the HyCam.

To each his/her own. I know I am glad I have both.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Nov 24 2006, 03:31 PM) [snapback]353756[/snapback]</div>

I have a Prius, but have driven the HyCam a lot. I don't like the latter's display; I find the instrument panel much too crowded, distracting, and inconvenient. Everyone I've taken for a drive in the Prius remarks on how clean the instrument panel is, and how they like how it's set back.

Absolutely. If I could pull the Camry seats and put them into my Prius, I'd be much happier.

Eh. Not so much.

Agreed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Nov 24 2006, 12:31 PM) [snapback]353756[/snapback]</div>

Seems like a silly negative to me, the 06+ Prius' audio in jack doesn't charge the iPod or any MP3 player either. In fact, I can't think of a single car that has factory installed iPod or MP3 player support that without anything extra WILL charge an iPod or other MP3 player. I know of 0 cars that out of the factory ship w/an iPod dock connector.

Why the tradeoff? I have a Monster iCarPlay FM transmitter and charger (won in a drawing way before I had an iPod) that I use to keep my iPod charged. I use the headphone out into the aux in to listen to my music.

I'm not sure what you mean by "less efficient".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Nov 24 2006, 01:31 PM) [snapback]353756[/snapback]</div>

Maybe for you the Camry is a step up from Prius but I wouldn't own one of those blah machines on a bet. The Prius is interesting; it has character. A couple buying a Camry is like parents buying a van; it's good, practical, and non-obtrusive, but it's certainly not interesting, it's just a nice vanila car.

I came to the Prius from an Audi A4 Turbo. It was a fun car in its way, the prius is fun in a different way. The Camry is just practical (and not having the liftback, I find myself even questioning that).

If you primarily want a nice neighborhood car, get the Camry. But don't call it a step up from our Prius, just call it a move to a different car with the move being based on a new set of values.

Oh, and by the way, usually if knee airbags are installed it's because of probable knee injury likely to occur on that particular model in a crash.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Dec 2 2006, 09:26 PM) [snapback]356826[/snapback]</div>

Personally, I don't like the audio quality of the FM transmitters. I use one of these. And if you don't use the transmitter for the audio connection, it's wastefully duplicative. It only use a single connector on the iPod (the dock connector--headphone jack not needed).

 

if i had the cash, i would get the camry. Since lexus re did the ES series they gave the old chassis to the camry. So.. it's a lexus car, which would explain vdim and knee air bags along with quieter interior. Sure, they didn't install extra sound proofing, but it's still designed better. imagine if you added some.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Dec 3 2006, 07:15 AM) [snapback]356938[/snapback]</div>

I don't like FM transmitters either. Yup, it's duplicative but I paid $0 for iCarPlay I mentioned because I won it a drawing. The device you pointed is $40 and you've still got a cable coming between the audio out (instead of headphone jack) into the audio in jack.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Dec 3 2006, 03:53 PM) [snapback]357076[/snapback]</div>

well, $32 with free shipping at Amazon.

The issue is not that there's a cable (though since I'm using the console 12v, I can use a 4" cable that's entirely hidden within the console--just one cable to the iPod rather than two) but that audio output via the dock is better than via the headphone jack (though you lose the default equalizer settings).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ Nov 25 2006, 12:50 AM) [snapback]353884[/snapback]</div>

Toyota's advertising brochure on the 2007 Camry lists VDIM as standard equipment on the Camry Hybrid, the other three Camry models have VSC and TRAC.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Dec 11 2006, 02:03 PM) [snapback]360462[/snapback]</div>

He said in his post (in fact, in the part you quoted) that he was an iPod user.