Car Of The Week: Toyota Camry Hybrid

Engine:

The engine is where Toyota has brought in a major change. The company’s 2.5 litre petrol unit, slightly modified to accommodate the electric motor sits in the heart pumping out 202bhp. The power is fed to wheels by e-CVT (electronic Continuously Variable Transmission). The battery pack (made of nickel metal hydride) that powers electric motor sits behind the rear seat.

The sophisticated engine unit offers three modes of drive, EV, Eco and Normal. In EV mode, you drive on the electric motor alone, with a maximum speed of 40kph. This mode, with its smooth throttle responses essentially suits the bumper to bumper traffic in cities .

The Eco mode activates the petrol engine along with electric motor providing sufficient power at low RPMs. The hybrid system works smooth in this mode, providing good performance. However the e-CVT transmission causes a short lag to pick up power at low RPMs.

Then there is the Normal mode which essentially puts the petrol engine first, assisted by the added power of electric motor. The peppy engine takes car from standstill to 180 kmph in this mode, without sweating a bit. The soft suspension and long wheelbase adds to the ride quality and stability at high speeds.

Pricing And Mileage:

Camry Hybrid comes with ARAI-certified mileage of 19kpl, which is quite impressive for a car of this size. However, the real world efficiency can come down a bit, depending on your selection of driving mode.

The car is priced at Rs 29.75 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). With this luxurious hybrid sedan, Toyota’s second hybrid car in India after the Prius, the company is expected to fuel the ‘hybrid’ market in the country.