The new 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is not bigger and better - it's lighter and more fuelefficient. In a world where people are increasingly turning away from excess and becoming more Earthfriendly, the Camry Hybrid is going down the right road.
Toyota's Prius is perhaps the best-known hybrid in the world. The Camry borrows from the Prius, but adapts it to give it broader appeal. While the Prius is only available as a hybrid, the Camry comes in seven different models, two of them with a gasoline-electric drivetrain.
The Camry Hybrid gets an Atkinson-cycle version of the base car's 2.5-litre, four-cylinder gasoline engine. This modification, which increases the compression ratio, gives up some power but increases fuel efficiency and lowers emissions - which are up to 70 per cent less than for an average new vehicle, claims Toyota. The loss of power from the conventional engine is mitigated by the power of a permanent magnet-synchronous electric motor fuelled by a nickel-metal hydride battery.
The net horsepower of the two motors is an even 200, 22 hp more than the gasoline-powered car. Toyota does not give a torque rating for the hybrid powerplant. Toyota boasts the car can accelerate from 0 to 96.5 km/h in 7.6 seconds.
Some credit those acceleration figures to what's under the skin. Toyota says the Camry went on a diet, cutting its curb weight by 90 kilograms.
The engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission, not the sixspeed auto found in the rest of the Camry line. This combo gives the Hybrid a 4.7 litre/100 km rating in the city and 5.1L/100 km number on the highway.
Better aerodynamics, lower-rolling-resistance tires and higher tire pressures collectively contribute to the impressive fuel numbers.
Other details to help fuel economy include electrically driven (instead of beltdriven) air-conditioning compressor, water and power steering pumps. In fact, this engine is completely beltless, which helps reduce power losses to belt friction, improving fuel efficiency.
But the Camry was designed as a conventional car from the get-go. That means there's still no place for the new battery, even though it's smaller than the last generation. The new 245-volt battery pack is made up of 34 modules, each with six 1.2-volt cells.
While the Prius locates the battery under the floor, in the Camry, it has to sit behind the rear seats. The rear seatback still folds, but there's only a small opening suitable for the occasional long item, such as skis.
Cargo volume drops from 44 to 37 litres because of the battery.
But there is one omission that bugs me: Despite the thousands of hours of development by designers and engineers, somebody forgot to include a grab handle on the trunk lid. It's a small detail, but one anyone would appreciate after getting their hands dirty closing the trunk in winter. Some manufacturers include two handles, so it comes as a surprise the Camry has none.
While the battery placement isn't ideal and it's missing a grab handle, Toyota has worked hard to make sure the rest of the redesigned Camry makes up for it. The exterior dimensions of the 2012 haven't changed much. It's a mid-size sedan, which makes it a comfortable ride for four adults - five in a squeeze.
The dash got a lot more attention this year, with a modern look. Unlike some designs, the dash isn't cluttered or complicated. The main dash pod includes a speedometer in front of the driver, flanked by a powerusage dial on one side and a fuel-economy gauge on the other. A multi-function information screen resides within the speedometer, giving average mileage, cruising range and other information.
A large LCD screen houses climate control, audio and more. There are only four knobs and dials on the centre console, a welcome number compared to some.
We drove the XLE version of the hybrid, the uplevel version of the car. I still missed niceties such as heated seats, a sunroof and navigation system - all optional.
Driving the Camry Hybrid is much like driving a Prius - starts are smooth with the electric motor and integration of the gasoline engine is seamless as the speed picks up. Apart from the obvious benefits of lower fuel consumption, the powertrain combo makes for a quiet ride.
Safety is top notch, with 10 airbags (including driver and passenger knee airbags), stability control, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.
It also has whiplash-mitigation front seats.
Hybrid competitors to the Camry include the Hyundai Sonata and the Ford Fusion.
The Camry has been the top seller in the mid-size segment for 13 of the last 14 years. The redesigned model looks like it will continue that impressive record.
Courtesy of the Times Colonist
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