2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

　　

2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The Toyota Camry has been one of the most popular vehicles around for decades, and the 2020 Camry Hybrid is simply a more fuel-efficient alternative to the standard sedan. It's not the most exciting car to drive, but the Camry Hybrid's fuel economy — up to 52 mpg in combined city/highway driving, according to the EPA — is the main draw. You'll also like the comfortable ride, roomy cabin and large trunk.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$73/mo  for Camry Hybrid LE

　　Camry Hybrid LE

　　LE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $28,430 MSRPSE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $30,130 MSRPXLE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $32,730 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the Camry Hybrid drive? There's goodness in broad swaths with the Camry Hybrid. The sedan's power is decent in day-to-day use. In our testing, we measured a 0-60 mph time of about 8 seconds, which is slightly better than average for a midsize hybrid sedan.

　　Hybrid performance is smooth and care-free. Braking is predictable and very usable in everyday applications, and the low-rolling-resistance tires, which are common in this class, also provide average braking distances. Steering and handling are decent for the class. Overall, it does acceptably from a performance standpoint, but day-to-day commuting is its main strength.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Camry Hybrid? Comfort is where any midsize sedan should shine and the Camry Hybrid does just that. The climate control creates a welcome environment, and seating comfort is accommodating to a range of body types. The optional ventilated seats are a boon in warmer climates, and there's very little noise in the cabin coming from wind or the road while driving at highway speeds.

　　Our only nitpick is the XLE hybrid's ride comfort. While great around town, it can sometimes feel overly buoyant at highway speeds. The extra weight of the hybrid system is evident.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? Inviting, roomy and easy to live with are good hallmarks to have in such a competitive class, and the Camry has them all. The interior is easy to use, and all controls are readily within reach. The driving position is largely adaptable, and most people should easily find a comfortable driving position. Getting in and out of the vehicle is a cinch due to generous door openings, and there's a good amount of interior room for both front and rear occupants and excellent visibility for the driver.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? All Camrys have an impressive suite of standard driver assistance features. Some are a little too sensitive, however, and can't be turned off completely.

　　Smartphone integration has drastically improved since Toyota has equipped the 2020 Camry with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa. The audio system is also quite good and easy to learn and use. The 8-inch infotainment system touchscreen is also easy to read, and standard voice commands remain straightforward. The optional surround-view camera system takes a lot of guesswork out of parking.

　　

Storage

8.0/10

　　How’s the storage? The Camry Hybrid retains a full-size trunk with no intrusion of a battery pack whatsoever. With the trunk open, you can't tell it apart from a standard Camry. Hybrid sedans usually force you to give up some practicality, but not this one.

　　The cabin offers a good amount of storage, from the sliding compartment underneath the wireless charger to a nicely sized center armrest bin, plus a small bonus storage cubby on the far left-hand side of the dash. There's also ample room for car seat access, along with easily accessible anchors for speedy installation.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA-estimated fuel economy of the XLE Hybrid and SE Hybrid is 46 mpg, which is very good for a midsize hybrid sedan. The base LE car returns an even more stellar 52 mpg. By comparison, the 2020 Honda Accord gets 48 mpg regardless of trim. We yielded about 42.4 mpg during our time with our XLE test car, which doesn't quite hit the mark but is still decently efficient.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the Camry Hybrid a good value? Long the strong point for Toyota, there's good value to come from the latest Camry Hybrid. Traditional strong Toyota build quality? Check. The interior materials are a nice quality, and the hybrid matches well against the competition in standard warranty and ownership experience.

　　While the base Camry Hybrid is a little more expensive than the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata Hybrids, the starting MSRP for the top-spec Camry Hybrid XLE is very cost-effective for this class. The raft of standard safety features and stellar fuel economy are double wins for your wallet.

　　

Wildcard

7.5/10

　　This is as normal and middle-of-the-road as a car can possibly get, yet you get such a huge boost in fuel economy without the usual hallmarks of dare-you-to-buy-it styling and buzzy ride common to extremely fuel-efficient cars. It isn't fun to drive in a traditional sense, but it is fulfilling in the sense that you're doing something for the environment (if that's something you care about) and doing it in comfort.

　　

Which Camry Hybrid does zzdcar recommend?

If you're in the market for a Camry Hybrid, we suggest going with the LE trim. It may be the entry-level trim, but it comes with plenty of standard features. It also achieves the best fuel economy in the lineup at an EPA-estimated 52 mpg.

　　

2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid models

The Toyota Camry Hybrid is available in three trim levels: the base LE, the sportier SE and the loaded XLE. No matter the trim, all Camry Hybrids produce 208 horsepower and are front-wheel-drive.

　　LE

　　Comes with quite a few standard features, including:

　　LED headlights Keyless entry and ignition Dual-zone automatic climate control A power-adjustable driver's seat 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integrationSE adds the following features:

　　More stylish 18-inch wheels Slightly sportier suspension tuning Simulated leather seats (Toyota SofTex) with fabric insertsThe top-of-the-line XLE comes with even more equipment:

　　Full leather seating with a power-adjustable passenger seat Wireless smartphone charging A head-up display A larger 8-inch touchscreen display Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alertAdditionally, every Camry comes with Toyota Safety Sense, a driver assistance package that includes:

　　Traffic-adaptive cruise control Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking Lane departure alert with steering assist

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2020 Camry Hybrid Highlights

Trim: LESEXLELE

　　

Base MSRP	$28,430
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	52 MPG
Cost to Drive	$73/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles