2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid

2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid

The 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid is a rare bird. Edmunds writes, "The Camry Hybrid remains one of the best hybrid deals going, offering an enviable combination of excellent fuel economy and familiar midsize-sedan goodness.” Buyers interested in the highest possible fuel economy may want to look beyond the 2011 Camry Hybrid. While the Camry Hybrid boasts a driving experience close to non-hybrid vehicles, the class-leading Toyota Prius’ fuel economy beats the Camry Hybrid’s mpg figures by 20 mpg in the city.



For 2011, the Toyota Camry Hybrid downgrades its former alloy wheels to steel ones with plastic covers. The 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid is the rare exception to that rule.



At low speeds (and while coasting at higher speeds), the Camry Hybrid can run solely on electric power. Overall, though, the 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid remains one of the better hybrid deals going, offering an enviable combination of excellent fuel economy and traditional midsize sedan space and comfort.



The Camry Hybrid is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine working in concert with an electric motor. The Camry Hybrid can also run on electric power alone, but only under light throttle applications at speeds below 30 mph.



Fuel economy is an impressive 33 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined.

The 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid features standard front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag, antilock disc brakes and stability control. Comfy seats along with numerous cubbies and compartments make the hybrid's interior a thoroughly family-friendly environment.



Driving the 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid can be a bit odd due to the CVT, electric motor and eerily quiet cabin at traffic lights. Unlike many other hybrids, though, the Camry Hybrid offers relatively brisk acceleration, meaning you don't necessarily have to sacrifice performance for good fuel economy.



The Toyota Camry Hybrid is the forgotten hybrid, and it probably ought to stay that way.

Like the regular Camry, the hybrid is a perfectly pleasant midsize sedan — equipped similarly to the top, XLE Camry trim level. The problem is its mileage: an EPA-estimated 31/35 mpg city/highway. A similarly refined hybrid sedan, the Ford Fusion Hybrid, outpaced it in 2009 (as an early 2010 model) with 41/36 mpg, as do new hybrid versions of the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima (35/40 mpg), for considerably less money. More efficient versions of the hybrid and non-hybrid are all but a certainty.



Granted, Camry Hybrid mileage doesn't live up to that of other new hybrids, but it's still better than a non-hybrid. If you're shopping for a regular Camry and find a discounted hybrid, why not take it?

Also note that the Camry is unique among Toyota hybrids in that its city mileage is lower than its highway mileage, giving the Fusion an even greater advantage.



The Camry Hybrid's reliability has been above average, while the Fusion Hybrid's has been top-rated. The specifications don't show everything you'd sacrifice by buying the outgoing Camry Hybrid. The Ford, Hyundai and Kia hybrids have full-color, high-resolution LCD instead.