2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Camry Hybrid, and includes Toyota Camry Hybrid safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is, as its name implies, a Camry sedan that has been fitted with a hybrid powertrain instead of a traditional, gas-powered four- or six-cylinder engine. Subtle differences can be seen in the badges and bits of the bodywork. Competitors include models such as the upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and the current Ford Fusion Hybrid, as well as the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia Optima Hybrid.

Five years after its debut, the Toyota Camry Hybrid undergoes its first significant update. For 2012, this gas/electric iteration of the extremely popular family sedan delivers fresh styling, a revamped interior with improvements in space and refinement, and a reengineered powertrain that offers significant gains in power and efficiency. As an added benefit resulting from tweaks to hybrid components, trunk size has increased by more than two cubic feet. Unlike previous models, which were only available with one trim level, the 2012 Camry Hybrid is offered in LE and XLE guises.

This year, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is available in two well-equipped versions, the lesser of which is dubbed the LE. Here, buyers will find 16-inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, a push-button ignition system, and common amenities like power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, cruise control, and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel with integrated audio controls. The list goes on to include a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a split rear seatback that folds on the passenger side, Bluetooth connectivity, and an audio system that’s iPod compatible.

A more upscale experience is in store for buyers who opt for the XLE version. Exterior enhancements include 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights and an abundance of chrome accents. Inside, designers have added a power-adjustable driver’s seat, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, leather trim, and an upgraded audio unit with a 6.1-inch touch screen, Bluetooth-enabled music streaming, and more.

Factory options are limited to the XLE and include leather upholstery, heated front seats, a rearview camera, a blind spot monitor, and a power moonroof. New for 2012 are a couple of different navigation systems, some offering JBL audio and all featuring Toyota’s Entune multimedia technology with HD radio, voice recognition, Internet access, and much more.

Perhaps the most significant updates to the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid center on the car’s powertrain. Replacing last year’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder is a 2.5-liter mill that generates 156 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. That Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine is only one part of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which also includes a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and an electric motor that boasts 199 pound-feet of torque. We won’t try to explain how the numbers work out (we’re car junkies, not brainy mathema…mathemi…math guys), but we can tell you that net horsepower has climbed to 200, up from the previous model’s rating of 187. Like other hybrids, the gas/electric Camry features regenerative brakes, as well as relatively efficient electric steering.

That’s all impressive stuff, but what makes or breaks a hybrid is its ability to stretch every dollar spent at the pump. From that perspective, the 2012 model earns its keep; the LE, with its 16-inch wheels, is expected to average 43 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway*, while the XLE and its 17-inch wheels earn ratings of 41 mpg and 38 mpg, respectively.*

*MPG estimates provided by Toyota.

As this review is written, the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid has yet to officially hit the market, meaning reliability data and crash test results are not yet available.

That being said, there is still a story to be told.

In terms of safety, the bounty of related equipment certainly suggests that the 2012 model will perform as well as (and hopefully a bit better than) its predecessor. To that end, Toyota has fitted the car with 10 standard airbags, stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and technology engineered to prevent unintended acceleration when both foot pedals are mistakenly pressed simultaneously. XLE variants can be fitted with the company’s Safety Connect system, which, like General Motors’ OnStar, provides emergency response services, roadside assistance, and stolen vehicle tracking.

Though long recognized for its track record of solid reliability (recent recalls notwithstanding), buyers always run the risk of purchasing a new car that needs unexpected service. Should that be the case for the owner of a 2012 Camry, they’ll be covered by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, as well as a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Hybrid components are backed by Toyota for eight years or 100,000 miles. As an added incentive, the 2012 Camry is sold with a two-year/25,000-mile free-maintenance plan.

To develop our own perspective regarding the updated 2012 Camry Hybrid, we accepted Toyota’s invitation to drive the car at a press event in Washington State. A fleet of test vehicles was available for evaluation, including the traditional gas models that we’ve detailed in a separate review.

Unlike those other variants, the 2012 Camry Hybrid features a powertrain that’s significantly different from what you’d find in a 2011 model. As previously discussed, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system now includes a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that helps bump net horsepower up to 200. Though we’re only talking about a gain of 13 horses over its predecessor, it’s enough to make you truly forget that you’re driving a hybrid. In fact, the 2012 model serves to solidify the notion that, in many cases, owning and driving a hybrid no longer requires sacrifices in terms of performance and overall behind-the-wheel enjoyment. During our test run in and around the town of Cle Elum, output proved to be abundant, even allowing for a stress-free, last-second high-speed pass on a two-lane highway. Not long ago, attempting that kind of move in a hybrid vehicle would’ve signaled a serious lack of rational thinking.

For times when less speed and performance are in demand, drivers can use a new EV Drive mode that allows the Camry Hybrid to cruise at up to 25 mph for about a mile and a half solely on electric power, with no input from the engine. As with previous models, an ECO mode works to achieve the greatest possible efficiency, but hampers throttle response a bit in the process.

Looking past its exclusive powertrain, not to mention its regenerative braking system, the Camry Hybrid shares the same updated interior that you’ll find in regular Camrys, though the location of the battery pack only allows the passenger side of the rear seatback to fold down. Seating is comfortable for four, or five in a pinch, and designers have created a greater sense of spaciousness by tweaking the size and shape of various panels.

Other changes include a more generous application of soft-touch materials, a new instrument console, and features like Toyota’s Entune multimedia system. Similar to Ford’s SYNC, Entune provides a touch-screen and voice-activated user interface that allows drivers to make hands-free calls and shuffle through their iPod, among other tasks. However, unlike SYNC, which is satellite-based and has all of its programming and software stored on an in-car computer, Entune depends on the owner’s smart phone connection to power applications like Pandora music streaming and the Bing.com search engine. This allows for greater flexibility when changes or updates need to be made, though it does require pairing with an Internet-capable phone and could potentially be problematic in those far outlying areas with poor cell coverage (a scenario that’s similar to satellite-based systems losing service in tunnels and under bridges).

In developing its 2012 Camry Hybrid, there’s little doubt that Toyota painted a bull’s eye on the impressive Ford Fusion Hybrid. Thanks to the redesign, buyers of the 2012 Camry Hybrid will enjoy superior power and fuel economy*, and an Entune system that functions much like Ford’s popular SYNC feature. As a result, the Blue Oval faces stiff competition from an old rival, and shoppers have access to the best Camry Hybrid ever offered.

*Based on preliminary fuel economy ratings provided by Toyota.

By Thom Blackett