2021 Toyota Camry hybrid Sedan

The mid-size sedan segment has witnessed quite some withdrawals from the competition, especially amongst Hybrid variants. Not that it was unexpected, but the discontinuation of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Kia Optima Hybrid was a bit inevitable. Currently, the midsize Hybrid competition comprises the above Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.

The 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid is part of the eighth generation that was introduced in 2018. This year Toyota has expanded the line-up with the new top-spec sporty XSE trim. So, now there are four trims in total, LE, SE, XLE, and XSE trim. All four trims are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine alongside a battery and an electric motor for a net 208 hp power output, mated to a CVT transmission that sends power to front wheels only.

The base trim LE Hybrid is available with a price tag of $27,270 and it rides on 16-inch sized steel wheels, gets both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with dual-zone climate control as standard. Toyota offers the optional Audio Upgrade Package, Cold Weather Package & the Convenience Package with the Base LE trim, while the mid-level trims SE and XLE have Driver Assist Package is optional.

Which Trim should you buy?

As per the information stated in the trims and packages section, the most value for money is the base trim LE Hybrid which offers a great pack of convenience features such as keyless entry, power-adjustable driver seat, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and the most advanced safety tech like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning & automatic emergency braking. If someone wants better infotainment tech and other comfy features like heated seats then opting for any of the three packages that are available with LE trim would be a smart choice.

Under the hood of the new Toyota Camry Hybrid is a 2.5-liter inline-4 engine that works with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery to produce a combined power output of 208 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque. Engine alone works to churn out 176 hp of max power and Toyota has also offered four drive modes, Eco, Normal, Sport & EV for the driver’s convenience. The hybrid system uses a sealed Lithium-ion battery.

The car is mated to a CVT transmission that transfers all the power to the front wheels of the car across the line-up. This powertrain, drivetrain combination is directed towards achieving efficient results, and driving around the city in the Hybrid Camry becomes an easy affair. The 2.5-liter displacement capacity in the 2021 Camry is the most in its current competition. Both the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata get 2.0-liter engines.

Honda Accord Hybrid is the most powerful in the lot with the power of 212 horses the vehicle pulls itself with the net torque of 232 lb-ft. The Toyota Camry is not much behind from its Japanese sibling Honda but it surely lacks in torque, whereas the Hyundai is at bottom of the sheet with 192 hp and the least torque of 139 lb-ft. 

All these power and torque figures won’t make a difference in real life as all three vehicles perform the same in 0 to 60 mph acceleration and the Quarter-Mile sprint. The only difference one can see is the top cruising speed of the vehicle, Hyundai being the least powerful, beating the Toyota with its top speed of 135 mph.

How well does the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid handle?

The Toyota Camry has a reputation for being the most easy-to-drive sedan on a daily basis. The 2021 Camry Hybrid has retained the same quality as well, and with an average at best acceleration, it isn’t that boring for its class. The Toyota Camry Hybrid drives smoothly and the CVT unit makes up for it. Standard across all the models is a 4-mode switch with EV, Eco, Normal, and Sport modes. These modes determine the throttle response for quicker acceleration and efficiency reasons. 

The new Camry XSE and SE Hybrid model get sport-tuned suspension and that improves the ride quality, as well. Either way, the suspension setting on the Camry is appropriate for city driving with the occasional highway tour. It doesn’t ride quickly like the Honda Accord which has more power, but the Hybrid Camry is quicker than its gas-powered counterpart, which does the 0-60 mph sprint in 7.6 seconds.

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid Braking Performance

Brakes in the new Toyota Camry Hybrid have remained mechanically the same from last year. The braking however continues to be inconsistent with sudden grabs that lead to a decent nosedive. With a curb weight of 3472 lbs, the Camry Hybrid takes an average 128 ft of distance to come to a standstill from 60 mph speed. Its 12-inch sized brake rotors at the front and 11.1-inch sized brake rotors coupled with regenerative braking ensure that the Camry stops appropriately while charging the EV system efficiently. 

All three vehicles lie under the same weight range of 3400 pounds but here the Honda fails to impress us with its braking performance. It weighs the least with an approx weight difference of 33 & 178 pounds from Toyota and Hyundai respectively but takes a massive leap of 135 ft to stop itself. Whereas with the curb weight of 3505 and 3472 pounds both Hyundai & Toyota at least perform much better under 60 to standstill deceleration timing.

Fuel efficiency is the name of the game here, and the 2021 Camry Hybrid is the fuel-efficient midsize sedan. The base LE trim with the bare-bones has the maximum mileage output at 51/53/52 MPG in city/highway/combined situations. However, with the addition of creature comforts in the top trims, the efficiency of the 2021 Camry Hybrid SE, XLE, and XSE trims sees a drop in mileage to 44/47/46 MPG in city/highway/combined situations. Coupled with the 13.2-gallon fuel tank, its high mileage figures push a mind-boggling 700 miles of cruising range on the highway.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata and Toyota have a similar capacity of 13.2 gallons of the fuel tank, but with the more standard luxury features compared to the base Camry Hybrid trim, the EV system eats into the Sonata Hybrid’s mileage. The Toyota Camry Hybrid stands tall with the best in segment economy figures of 52 mpg under the combined conditions and with a 13.2 gallons fuel tank it gets a total range of 700 miles on the straight highways, whereas Honda is doing much better than Hyundai with an average efficiency of 48 mpg but its fuel tank capacity is quite appalling.

The interior of the Toyota Camry Hybrid is similar to its gasoline counterparts. Fresh for 2021, Toyota has made certain aesthetic changes and the most visible change is the new standard 7-inch “floating” infotainment display, that sits at the center of the dashboard. The base LE trim gets fabric seats, with dual-zone automatic, and front air conditioning, and an eight-power adjustable driver’s seat. If you go further up the trim, the seats get upgraded to Softex/leatherette trim, with heated options as well. Sadly, there are no memory function seats available with any of the 2021 Camry Hybrid models. 

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid has decent space for five people, with sufficient headroom and legroom in both the first and second rows. Cargo space has also opened up with the Hybrid setup and the batteries placed in a manner that does not intrude with the normal functionality of the vehicle. For rear passengers, the 2021 Camry comes with standard rear-seat vents across the line-up, along with USB ports and 2 cupholders fitted with the armrest.

All three Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai have a seating capacity of a total of 5 occupants. Toyota Camry seems to have the least front row space while the rear row seats are decently spaced relative to the competition. With 15.1 cu-ft of cargo space, the Camry Hybrid sits at the bottom of the table and Honda gets 1.6 cu-ft more space than the Camry. Hyundai also wanders around a 16 cu-ft boot. Some of the standout interior features are:

• New interior trim Dark wood inlays or patterned metal
• New herringbone seat pattern for the XLE grade
• Dual Front Power-adjustable seats
• Heated and ventilated seats
• 60/40 Split-Folding 2nd-Row Seats
• Optional Ambient Lighting

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid?

Besides a driver-focused design, the 2021 Camry Hybrid has all kinds of infotainment tech on board. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is available, alongside a standard 7” “floating” display that can be upgraded to a 9” touchscreen in higher trims, and is also available as an option with the Audio upgrade. Also available is a 10” color Head-up display that stays in tune with the driver-focused design, and a 7” color Multi-information display in the instrument cluster that shows turn-by-turn directions, safety info, and alerts.

Some of the standout infotainment features are:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, And Amazon Alexa
• SiriusXM AM/FM/Satellite, seek-scan Radio
• 800-watt 9-speaker premium JBL sound system
• Navigation system
• 10" Color Head-Up Display
• Wi-Fi Connect w/up to 2 GB within 3-month trial and voice command

In 2021, Toyota has introduced some changes to the exterior styling like the aesthetic front end and the sharp-looking LED headlights define the unmistakable style of this car. The rear end gets as usual Hybrid badging. Otherwise, the Hybrid model looks the same as the gasoline version, it has the same sweep curves on the hood, the massive front blacked-out grille, and the beautifully integrated LED DRLs.

The Camry looks like the best sedan with its wide stance, low side profile, and boundary lines that travel from front to rear end. The upper XSE trim receives 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels for more sporty options and a blacked-out roof. Toyota has also provided the nightshade edition for the hybrid version of Camry which features the dark black exterior color,18-in alloys, and nightshade Edition badging

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is the longest vehicle at 192.9-inch, with the longest wheelbase at 111.8-inches. The 2021 Honda Accord is marginally smaller than the Sonata, but it is the tallest vehicle in the line-up at 57.1-inches with a ground clearance of 5.8-inch. When compared to all these numbers, the Toyota Camry comes across as a conservatively built vehicle as with the lowest wheelbase it would be easier to maneuver it than the other two, while its decent 5.7-inch ground clearance won’t be a problem as it glides over some rough patches. Some of the standout exterior features include:

• 16-inch steel wheels, optional 18-inch, and 19-inch wheels
• Rear Spoiler
• Revised front fascia
• LED headlights/ Bi-LED headlights and backlights with auto turn/off option
• Two new paint two-paint options
• Honeycomb grille on the XSE trim
• Side Vent accents

Toyota is known for building reliable and long-lasting vehicles, and the Camry has been responsible for that legacy. So, when it comes to safety, the 2021 Camry has been awarded by IIHS as their Top Safety Pick+ and the NHTSA has also given it a five-star overall safety rating. Besides that, Toyota has also updated their Safety Sense 2.5+ that gets you a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane departure alert with steering assist, Lane Trace Assist, Automatic High Beam assist, and the most important of them all, Road Sign Assist. All 2021 Camry Hybrid models get these safety features as part of their standard offering. In addition, there’s also:

• Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic-Alert
• Ten Airbags
• Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter scan (360-degree camera)
• Intelligent Clearance Sonar with Rear Cross-Traffic Braking

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid vs 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

As mentioned before, the 2021 Honda Accord is bigger in dimension than the Camry, but by a few margins. It is longer than the Camry by 0.1 inches, taller by 0.2-inches, and has a bigger cargo space at 16.7 cubic feet. The Honda Accord also has the most powered engine that makes it quicker, and at the same time a bit less efficient than the Camry. However, the Accord feels more sturdy than the Camry, which in its base LE trim feels bare minimum, unlike the 2021 Accord Hybrid.

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The newly introduced Sonata is technologically much more superior. Starting with its striking exterior design with a “lightning signature” headlight that stretches across the fenders. There’s a lot of sophistication onboard the 2021 Hyundai Sonata, especially the solar-paneled sunroof that is one of a kind in this segment. With all these techs on board, the 2021 Sonata is the heaviest at 3500 lbs, and the Toyota Camry takes a lead with less weight and better mileage figures, without all the sophisticated techs.

The new Toyota Camry Hybrid is a no-brainer and one of the logical choices not only in the segment but in its line-up as well. The Camry Hybrid line-up is quicker than its gasoline counterpart, has a better exterior design, and is also one of the most fuel-efficient midsize sedans. With a range that sets the standard in its segment, the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid should be considered, if you’re in the market for a Hybrid car.