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Toyota has launched the ninth-generation Camry in Australia this week, with changes that run deeper than the similar-to-last-time styling suggests.
Now hybrid-only, the Japanese-built but North American-focused, mid-to-large sized four-door five-seater family sedan gains a nose and tail refresh, a dashboard redesign, extra standard equipment and updated safety features.
More importantly, it also ushers in the latest iteration of Toyota’s series-parallel hybrid petrol-electric powertrain, resulting in genuine benefits for buyers, whether they’re seeking extra thrift or stronger thrust.
Progress comes at a cost, however, with the price of entry into Camry now up a whopping $5000, to $39,990 (all prices are before on-road costs). That’s a near-15 per cent jump.
Toyota may argue this isn’t comparing apples with apples, since we’re talking about the new entry-level Ascent hybrid against the old Ascent non-hybrid from $35,051.
Even when switching to the previous Ascent hybrid base from $37,917, the new Camry costs nearly $2100 more. Higher hikes apply to the mid-range Ascent Sport (now from $42,990) and flagship Sport Luxury (or SL, and now kicking off from $53,990). The sporty SX grade has been dropped.
The loss of the petrol-only Ascent means Toyota concedes the Camry’s position as Australia’s cheapest mid-sized sedan to the $36,290 Mazda6 Sport. The next-cheapest hybrid competitor, Honda’s Accord VTi-LX e:HEV, costs almost $20,000 more than the Ascent hybrid at $59,900 drive-away, underlining the newcomer’s extraordinary value for money.
With the large percentage of sales going to fleet buyers, the Ascent hybrid is riding high on the safety front, leading with an improved autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system that now includes pedestrian, cyclist and oncoming-vehicle detection.
Also ticking that box is standard-issue rear cross-traffic alert, a blind-spot alarm, intersection-avoidance collision, safe-exit assist, a driver monitor, curve-speed reduction for the upgraded adaptive cruise-control system, lane-assist systems, speed-sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, a reverse camera and seven airbags.
Ascent also features keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, cloth seat fabric, a 7.0-inch instrumentation display, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, USB-C ports, one year’s free access to Toyota Connected Services, LED headlights, auto-folding exterior mirrors, 17-inch alloys and, thoughtfully, a temporary spare wheel – a rarity in a hybrid nowadays.
Spending the extra $3000 for the Ascent Sport adds “high grade” LEDs with fog lights, a powered driver’s seat, a leather-sheathed rather than urethane steering wheel, a wireless charger, a larger (now 12.3-inch) touchscreen, in-built GPS and more. This one’s aimed at private buyers.
Those with more to spend might appreciate the SL’s leather upholstery, head-up display, driver’s seat memory function, powered front passenger seat, heated/vented front seats, paddle shifters, powered steering wheel column with heated rim, larger (to 12.3-inches) instrumentation, premium audio, digital rear-view mirror, reverse-dip heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, camera washers, rear privacy glass, panoramic sunroof and 18-inch alloys.
Touted as a new-generation model, the new version is a reskin of its predecessor released back in 2017. It shares much of its predecessor’s Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA-K) hardware, powertrain (hybrid-system aside), suspension (now retuned for comfort) and (albeit beefed-up) body structure. Carryover items include the Camry’s windscreen, roof and front doors.
Dimensions are largely identical, inside and out, including for luggage capacity (524 litres). The same cannot be said for what’s under the bonnet.
The first application of Toyota’s latest (fifth-gen) hybrid system in Australia, it is lighter and more efficient than before, while also offering extra muscle.
It pairs a revised version of the 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, now with direct – instead of port – fuel injection, making 138kW of power (up from 131kW) at 6000rpm and 221Nm of torque between 3600-5200rpm (no change), to a lighter, smaller and smoother hybrid transaxle.
The latter houses a pair of new multi-axis electric motor generators, bringing double the number of magnets (to six) and better cooling, to make 100kW and 208Nm (up from 88kW/202Nm). The key goal here is for it to reduce engine load, to the tune of 300-500rpm under acceleration, boosting economy while cutting mechanical noise along the way.
The air-cooled battery is a 4A/hr Lithium-ion item once again, found underneath the rear seat.
Driving the front wheels via a comprehensively revamped electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), the total power output edges up 10kW to 170kW (no combined torque figure is disclosed), for a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds, on the way to a 180km/h top speed (no change).
What does differ is fuel consumption. The previous Camry hybrid returned between 4.2 and 4.5 litres per 100km depending on grade, while today’s version cuts that to 4.0L/100km, for a CO2 emissions rating of just 91 grams/km (down from 96-107g/km).
Aiding this is slightly better aerodynamics, along with a weight drop of between 15kg and 30kg depending on grade. The Ascent/Ascent Sport tip the scales at 1565kg while the SL is at 1625kg.
Three driving modes are available – Normal, Eco and Sport, while an EV mode offers low-speed electric vehicle driving over “short distances”, according to Toyota.
Like before, 95 RON premium unleaded petrol is required, which means you cannot buy a Camry that’s recommended to run on regular unleaded.
Toyota says it has added bracing to the body, axles, steering rack and front-end structure, implemented varying suspension tunes according to grade and improved braking performance.
Finally, the Camry is offered with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km, at $255 per service.
2025 Toyota Camry pricing (vs 2024 model)
Ascent hybrid | $39,990 (+$2073) |
Ascent Sport hybrid | $42,990 (+$2273) |
SL hybrid | $53,990 (+$2573) |
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