Tuesday, November 11, 2008

2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review

The most popular mid-sized car is the Toyata Camry. The hybid is vying for popularity of the same type. The Camry hybrid has been on the market since 2007.

Reveiws are coming in for the 2009 Camry Hybrid and the results are very positive. not only does the car have a nice look, it is what people are looking for in this poor economy. Although many of us have seen gas prices drop dramatically the past few weeks, we are all thinking fuel efficiency, or at least we should be going into the future. No better way if you are in the market for a new car than to look for something that may be able to get you 10-20 MPG more than what your guzzler is doing for you now.

Just one tank of gas probably saves you enough for those new tape drives you are looking to get. People may talk about cost vs. reward for these cars, but believe me...most people see their cash flow improvement in the short-term than they see it with the price of a car.

A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and commendable fuel economy is the standard engine in all except the hybrid, which has a modified version of that unit allied with an electric motor in Toyota's full-hybrid Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The 187 maximum system horsepower slots between the standard four and the 3.5-liter, 268-horsepower V6 optional for the LE, SE, and XLE.

The Hybrid is equipped to the same level as the XLE, with the addition of the keyless "Smart Entry and Smart Start" system, as used in upscale cousins over at Lexus. It's not quite that luxurious, but it is a pleasant upper-middle class sedan with all of the virtues of a current-generation Camry and better fuel economy and cruising range. It does have some drawbacks - the battery pack under the trunk floor means a small loss of trunk space - which shouldn't be a major problem as that trunk is still more than adequate. And the battery pack also precludes a real trunk pass-though. But I suspect that anyone who really needs a huge trunk and cargo capacity is not looking at a sedan. Hello Toyota Highlander (also available in hybrid form) or RAV4. Full review

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