I drove a $43,000 Toyota Camry. These 16 features show how the best-selling car in America is now even better
- The Toyota Camry midsize sedan has been the best-selling passenger car in the US for over 20 years.
- I recently drove a 2025 Camry with all-wheel drive in its range-topping XSE trim.
- I was impressed by the Camry's efficient hybrid powertrain, comfortable ride, and great cabin.
The Toyota Camry has been America's best-selling passenger car for the past 22 years.
This year, Toyota introduced the updated ninth-generation Camry with fresh looks, upgraded tech, and a new hybrid-only drivetrain.
I recently reviewed an all-wheel-drive 2025 Toyota Camry XSE with an as-tested price of $43,194. I was impressed by the new Camry's smooth standard hybrid powertrain, fuel efficiency, comfortable ride, updated tech, and well-designed cabin.
The base front-wheel-drive version starts at $28,400, while my range-topping Camry test car started at $36,125. I found 17 key features that help the car stand out and keep its spot on top of the sales leaderboard:
The new Camry's styling is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, continuing Toyota's decision toward more angular and aggressive lines in recent iterations of the sedan.
The Camry's overall look, led by its distinctive hammerhead front end, is a far cry from the anonymous design that plagued earlier generations of the model.
All Camrys now come standard with the Japanese automaker's tried and tested hybrid system under the hood. The power unit consists of a 184 horsepower, 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine mated to a 134 horsepower electric traction motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.
The total system output is 225 horsepower sent to the front wheels through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.
All-wheel-drive models like my test car have a 40-horsepower electric motor mounted to the rear axle, which boosts total output to 232 horsepower.
My all-wheel-drive Camry XSE test car boasted EPA fuel economy figures of 44 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined.
I managed to get within a couple of mpg of the EPA's combined fuel economy estimates, which is pretty impressive for a 3,700-lbs sedan that was driven quite aggressively.
If you value fuel economy above all else, consider the base front-wheel-drive Camry LE, which is rated for a Prius-esque 51mpg in combined driving.
Despite the athletic styling and firmer performance-tuned suspension of the XSE trim, the Camry is far from sporty.
The Camry's ride is quiet and compliant.
Thanks to its electric motors, the 232-horsepower hybrid system delivers smooth and spirited acceleration off the line.
Even under hard acceleration, the hybrid system remains up to the task with more than enough juice for on-ramps and highway passing.
The four-cylinder does emit a mild drone in protest when you gun the throttle, but it's not intrusive enough to detract from the driving experience.
According to Motor Trend, the hybrid 2025 Camry with all-wheel drive can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a respectable 6.8 seconds.
The Camry interior is traditional Toyota. It's well-designed, with impeccable ergonomics and plenty of storage and charging options. A good mix of physical and touch controls makes on-the-fly use a piece of cake.
Material and build quality are both excellent, with plenty of soft-touch materials strategically placed in high-contact areas.
In front of the driver is a heated leather steering wheel with paddle shifters and a configurable 12.3-digital gauge cluster that's only available on the XLE and XSE trims. My test car also came with the optional 10-inch color head-up display.
The Camry comes with an 8-inch touchscreen, but my test car had the optional 12.3-inch unit. The Camry's infotainment system is well-organized and fairly intuitive to use.
All trim levels come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
XLE and XSE trim Camrys can be optioned with a large panoramic glass roof that floods the cabin with sunlight.
The Camry comes standard with a backup camera. However, XLE and XSE trims can be optioned with Toyota's Panoramic View Monitor camera system.
The Camry offers drivers the choice of Eco, Normal, and Sport modes. Normal is the standard drive mode, while Sport mode offers peppier acceleration. Eco mode maximizes fuel economy by heightening the regenerative braking system to harness additional energy while dulling the throttle response to prevent aggressive acceleration.
There's also an EV mode that allows the Camry to operate for brief periods using only its electric motors at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
XLE and XSE trim Camrys can be optioned with a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system that sounds great. The Camry comes standard with a six-speaker system.
The Camry XSE's leather-trimmed, eight-way power-adjustable front seats were comfortable and supportive, and they were also heated and ventilated.
The Camry's rear seats boast a stout 38 inches of legroom and 37.6 inches of headroom. Rear seat passengers also have the benefit of dedicated air vents and USB charging sockets.
Behind the rear seats is a decently sized 15.1 cubic foot trunk that can be expanded by folding down the rear seats. A spare tire is under the cargo floor.
The Camry comes standard with the latest Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver assistance tech, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, and proactive driving assist.
Features like lane change assist and rear cross-traffic braking are available only as part of pricey convenience packages, even on the highest trim.