[HotRod53]

I'm thinking of getting rid of my '07 Camry XLE I4 with 180K. I recently looked at a '12 Camry XLE Hybrid and a '13 Camry XLE I4. I had a Prius as a loaner for a week and really disliked it.

The '13 I4 was the same experience as my '07 only slightly better with newer features. I told my salesman "I'm not sure I'm a hybrid guy" but honestly after driving one, I was kinda impressed. Its a nice ride with 39K but its a slightly different experience.

1. I noticed a slight bump when you pull out, I guess its the electric kicking in.
2. I couldn't really tell when the switch from electric to gas happened. Is it when the needle goes to "POWER"
3. is the engine in the hybrid and non hybrid the same?
4. is it true that the gas is front wheel drive and the electric is the rear wheels? (someone told me this but not so sure about that)
5. did you feel that you had to adjust to the style or driving a hybrid?
6. What's your real world mileage?
7. any maintenance issues relate to a hybrid?
8. after driving a gasser, do you miss anything about it as compared to hybrid?
9. any snow belt experiences?
10. forgot to notice if either had LED headlights

 

[ukrkoz]

HotRod53;11641250]I'm thinking of getting rid of my '07 Camry XLE I4 with 180K. I recently looked at a '12 Camry XLE Hybrid and a '13 Camry XLE I4. I had a Prius as a loaner for a week and really disliked it.

The '13 I4 was the same experience as my '07 only slightly better with newer features. I told my salesman "I'm not sure I'm a hybrid guy" but honestly after driving one, I was kinda impressed. Its a nice ride with 39K but its a slightly different experience.

1. I noticed a slight bump when you pull out, I guess its the electric kicking in.

Yes. Addendum: Reverse is electric only. Traction battery must have been depleted so ICE could have kicked in to charge it.


2. I couldn't really tell when the switch from electric to gas happened. Is it when the needle goes to "POWER"

Donno. Mine jumps from electric to ICE on gauge. I always know when ICE kicks in. You may have not even been in electric only mode during a short test drive.

3. is the engine in the hybrid and non hybrid the same?

Yes.

4. is it true that the gas is front wheel drive and the electric is the rear wheels? (someone told me this but not so sure about that)

No.

5. did you feel that you had to adjust to the style or driving a hybrid?

I did. I am a hypermiler.

6. What's your real world mileage?

http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/camry/2007/ukrkoz/90562

7. any maintenance issues relate to a hybrid?

No.

8. after driving a gasser, do you miss anything about it as compared to hybrid?

No. I love Toyota hybrid so much I bought Highlander Hybrid and it's best car ever. So I own two now.

9. any snow belt experiences?
10. forgot to notice if either had LED headlights


You asking wrong questions.
You need to post this:
- length of average commute
- city or HWY or mixed drive
- area/topography. Is it level? Mountains?
- snow belt? MPG drtops down significantly winter time

Then we can tell you if hybrid is a good choice.
BTW, do you really HAVE to have Camry? Prius is a great car. I'd have swapped my TCH for Prius in heartbeat, but I have my sights set on Tesla 3 when it becomes reasonably priced.

 

[HotRod53]

I drive stop and go traffic 16 miles each day to and from my office. I drive almost every day to visit customers, 65% of that is highway. I live in a Pittsburgh so we have hills but not mountains. I had a Prius for a week about a year ago, I was not fond of it at all. Yet I liked the Camry Hybrid.

 

[ukrkoz]

Then don't buy a hybrid. It won't do you much good.
Why are you even considering hybrid? MPG?
I'd go for manual Corolla or Civic then.
Like seriously. Don't buy a hybrid. It's easy to sign lease and hard to rid off as mpg will NOT be what you expect. Heck, I bested hybrid mpg in conventional Camry 4 cyl 2 yrs ago rental. Long haul. 1400 miles. I did 42mpg.
Prius is definitely not as much powerful as Camry or Avalon. But it's helluva reliable car and even with your driv you'll still hit 40 mpg.
But no is no. I get it. Persoanlly, I drive slow and steady, seldom do I need power surge, so Prius would have worked for me fine. Lead foot will give no good mpg on any car.
Hey, there's an interesting suggestyion for you. There is new/er Accord V6 with manual transmission. Said to be very sporty and it's a Honda. Maybe that?
I am not sure yet, why Camry over slightly smaller cars? Is it a need to a wish? Every pound you put into hybrid cuts mpg. I do well as I drive basically alone.

 

[Sparkland]

I live in the snow belt of Colorado. The Hybrid does fine except when you are stuck in the snow, (I know, stating the obvious). The problem is the car will not accelerate enough to spin the tires to get out of the situation. I have turned off the traction control and it works better, but not really to my satisfaction.


We like our Camry Hybrid but are seriously considering upgrading to an Outback with Eyesight. My wife does not drive enough to even get a significant financial savings on the increased fuel mileage. In 4 years, she has only put 22,000 miles on her Camry.


If I were to do it again, I would save the money and get a normal Camry or spend the extra money and get some nicer features on a different model.

 

[HotRod53]

Ukrkoz, mpg is the main consideration. I do drive a decent amount, I put 90k on my '09 Camry in the last 4 or so years. I'm up to a total of 180k on it now and it's time to update. Around town I can see an advantage, I guess I'm not as sure as I could be on how it will perform on the highway and day to day mixed use.

Regarding switching to a Honda, I'm kinda brand specific. I currently own a '06 V6 XLE, an '07 I4 XLE, a '14 Tacoma Soort, and have had 2 previous Tacomas.

 

[ukrkoz]

I actually switched from Honda to Toyota myself.

OK, please, mind my words. You will NOT have better mpg for city drive with a hybrid.
Do I need to repeat myself? As I am well aware of the claims, but they are nothing more than claims. Far far from reality. If you drive a lot in city or at FWY speeds, a hybrid is NOT your car. You can go "I know better" route or follow advice from those that say live in FL and drive in those cities, which is pretty much open space drives, or follow official guides. But, from practical experience, stop and go city traffic is NOT advantageous fore hybrids.
From this on, you need to be honest to self and maybe try to listen to a person that owned hybrid for about what, 6 years by now and two hybrids for about 2 years. And loves hybrids. I am all for them but - not for everyone. Esp in snow belt.
Paid attention to another guy post? Wife is not driving enough to get advantage. yep, same goes for city stop and go traffic. creeping in HWY traffic is when hybrid shines. Long stretches with speeds between 30 and 50mph. That's hybrid land. Everything else - don't bother.
I spoke. You do as you wish.
Once again, for best mpg you are destined to go manual.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/fuel-efficient-non-hybrid-cars-2.aspx

Honestly, I'd not buy a single car on that list either.
Btw, if you are set on hybrid. There's Subaru hybrid now. THAT will do well in snow.
Well, and while we are on snow belt discussion. In snow, you put gear shifter into B position. To get out of snow. You don't "spin out" of snow. This only makes you stuck worse.

 

[uzbekbola73]

Hey guys i got this today

 

[uzbekbola73]

45.5mpg

 

[Newps]

I drive stop and go traffic 16 miles each day to and from my office. I drive almost every day to visit customers, 65% of that is highway. I live in a Pittsburgh so we have hills but not mountains. I had a Prius for a week about a year ago, I was not fond of it at all. Yet I liked the Camry Hybrid.

A year and a half ago I bought a 2014.5 XLE for my wife. It had 7300 miles on it so basically brand new. We live in a small Montana mountain town 55 miles from the nearest stop light. My wife averages 38-39 MPG putting zero effort into trying to get good mileage. If I had to guess I'd say half the miles are at 75ish MPH and the other half here in town. When I drive it in town I try to get as good of mileage as possible. Not hard to see 50-75 MPG with a little effort.
You asked how do you know when the engine turns on...when the EV light turns off and then you'll see the average trip mileage start to drop as well. So you quickly learn to feather the gas pedal to keep that light lit if high mileage is your goal. You asked about the power. We traded in an old Cadillac SLS with the Northstar engine. Flooring it to pass on the highway got you to 100 MPH quickly. The Camry is as good, seeing 90+ MPH as you are going by a car is SOP.
Here in snow country the car is acceptable. I have an F250 for when it matters. The Camry is a light car and acts like it. I wish it had HID lights, halogens on a top of the line car are kind of a joke. I will probably convert them with an aftermarket kit at some point. Did that to my truck and love them.
There's a few things the car lacks. A two position seat memory, can't believe the XLE doesn't have it. Needs Google maps, the onboard nav is a joke. Voice activation doesn't work at all. Hit the button and it always says not available, that it is initializing. A better interface for XM channel memories, it's too rudimentary. I've heard some people say the sunroof cuts headroom. Not if you're tall. I always have the seat full back and that gives me at least an extra inch of headroom.
Overall like the car but would like to see some upgrades as options.

 

[ukrkoz]

45.5mpg

Oh wow.
And I got that in my Highlander Hybrid:

And both mpg-s mean nothing as you have to look at long term mpg. I can bet anyone here I can take a pic of my TCH doing 89mpg and post it here.

Long term, folks. Long term.

 

[Sparkland]

45.5mpg

Ukrkoz, please don't damper his enthusiasm.

 

[uzbekbola73]

oh wow.
And i got that in my highlander hybrid:

and both mpg-s mean nothing as you have to look at long term mpg. I can bet anyone here i can take a pic of my tch doing 89mpg and post it here.

Long term, folks. Long term.

Ой емое мне двлеко до тебя

 

[ukrkoz]

Ukrkoz, please don't damper his enthusiasm.

In order to take effect
The truth must penetrate like and arrow
And that
Is likely to hurt.

Wei Wu Wei

 

[HemiChargerRT]

I get 38 to 39 mpg on my 2015 Camry SE Hybrid without any effort into getting good mileage too. I have 36,000 miles on my car right now. It's a lease, so I will be giving it back in another year to year and a half for another Camry Hybrid.

 

[HotRod53]

The 2012 that I drove showed 32.6 mpg on the dash when I test drove it. It has 39,000 miles, one owner loaded XLE with everything except side warning, Barcelona red, a clean car fax, and the owner traded it on a new Camry hybrid. They're asking $16,700 for it which is midrange according to KBB. I'm thinking if I could get it for $15 and get $5k for my '07 trade in, I'd be interested. I'm not sure that is realistic, but given my current situation, I think that's what I'd need.

 

[ukrkoz]

Sounds like you have your decisions set. All the best then.

 

[snookwhaler]

Thinking of going hybrid, would you buy one again knowing what you know now?

NO

It has been a great car! But, I will not buy one again.

 

[HotRod53]

Oh Snookwhaler you got my attention. Please tell me why.

Ukrkoz, far from having a direction, I don't believe that I could get the newer non hybrid within my budget. I've always been intrigued by the better fuel mileage of the hybrid, and specially in such a nice car. To be honest the long range ownership worries me. A ten year old hybrid needing thousands of dollars worth of batteries could ruin any savings that I gained. Even if the batteries are good at 200k, the next owner may shy away knowing that it's coming, or at the very least create a diminished value.

What to do.... what to do.

 

[ukrkoz]

NO

It has been a great car! But, I will not buy one again.

Ahmm...

BECAUSE??