Toyota Camry 2025 review: Hybrid - Australian first drive

On sale from late September, the Camry is in essence the same Japanese-built but North American-focused mid-to-large sized four-door five-seater family sedan as before. And seven iterations before that.

Fun fact: the five-door liftback original was Toyota’s first front-wheel drive model sold here.

For 2025, Camry ‘9’ gains a nose and tail refresh, a dashboard redesign, extra standard equipment, updated safety features, revised chassis settings and the latest iteration of Toyota’s series-parallel hybrid petrol-electric powertrain, promising more thrust with less thirst.

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. And that’s before the $600 metallic paint slug as an alternative to 'Glacier White'.

And even comparing new with old base hybrids, the latest Ascent is nearly $2100 more. The mid-range Ascent Sport, now from $42,990, costs about $2300 extra, while the SL (for Sport Luxury) from $53,990 is around $2500 steeper. Meanwhile, the sporty SX grade is gone.

Still, while higher pricing means Toyota concedes the Camry’s position as Australia’s least-expensive mid-sized sedan to the ageing Mazda6 (from $36,290), the next-cheapest hybrid rival, Honda’s Accord VTi-LX e:HEV from $59,900 drive-away, costs almost $20,000 more, though its spec is more aligned with the SL. This underlines the newcomer’s clear positioning advantage.

So, what do you get for the extra dough, then?

Aimed largely at fleet buyers, the latest Ascent brings improved autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that now includes pedestrian, cyclist and oncoming-vehicle detection. Read more about these and related tech in the safety section below.

There’s also curve-speed reduction for the upgraded adaptive cruise-control system, various lane-support tech, speed-sign recognition, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and seven airbags.

Ascent also includes 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, digital radio, USB-C ports, one year’s free access to 'Toyota Connected Services', 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. If it’s time to retire that Ford Fairmont or Holden Commodore Berlina, here’s your car.

Finally, the SL really is Lexus-lite, with leather upholstery, a head-up display, a driver’s seat memory function, a powered front passenger seat, heated/vented front seats, paddle shifters, a powered steering wheel column with heated rim, larger (to 12.3-inches) instrumentation, premium audio, a digital rear-view mirror, reverse-dip heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, camera washers, rear privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof and 18-inch alloys.

2025 Toyota Camry Ascent Sport

Whichever way you slice it, and despite the price hikes, the 2025 Camry presents a strong value-for-money proposition, especially compared to rival mid-sized sedans – electrified or otherwise.

Okay, so new Camry is identically-sized to the previous model, and that of course also applies inside.

But Toyota has completely redesigned the dashboard, resulting in a less fussy and more-conventional look, losing the odd angled console ‘sash’.

It’s no less practical that before, with stacks of space in all directions except headroom (which is sufficient for a sedan but noticeable in this age of the SUV). Again, the Camry’s substantial width betrays its American vibe.

2025 Toyota Camry SL

Sat low, the driving position should be fine for the vast majority of owners, with easy reach of the major controls and most switchgear. Clear electronic instruments, great ventilation and storage galore are further plus points.

Ascent grades have a pleasant and quite sophisticated looking soft cloth material for the comfy front seats, that is such a welcome change from the clammy vinyl-like covering that’s now in vogue. Bring back tweed and velour, we say.

Which makes the cheap urethane covering in the otherwise perfectly serviceable steering wheel in the Ascent doubly unpleasant in a from-$44K drive-away proposition. For a leather-cover you need to rise up the range.

2025 Toyota Camry SL

Side and rear vision is poor, so be glad a big reversing camera is fitted and various electronic sensors are helping out with the seeing.

Out back, nothing much seems to have changed. Space is generous, the cushion is supportive enough and the backrest is nicely angled (though deploying fixed rather than separate headrests on the Ascent is a cheapo move). Close by are air vents, overhead grab handles, a centre folding armrest with cupholders, USB ports and some extra storage.

Further back, the boot is long and wide, with low load lip for easier access. A space-saver spare lives underneath the floor, which is a bonus in a current hybrid car.

2025 Toyota Camry SL

Cargo capacity is 524 litres, or more with the split/fold backrest dropped (via the top of the boot aperture) for lengthier items like bicycles. Who said sedans aren’t practical? Nothing new for a Camry, then.

For more profound change, you’ll need to check out underneath the Toyota’s bonnet.

The 2025 Camry employs Toyota’s first application of its fifth-generation hybrid system in Australia. The company claims the tech is lighter and more efficient, while also offering stronger performance.

To that end, the hybrid features a revised version of the 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. It adopts direct – instead of port – fuel injection, for 138kW of power (up from 131kW) at 6000rpm and 221Nm of torque between 3600rpm and 5200rpm (which is as before).

All this is mated to a lighter, smaller and smoother hybrid transaxle, hosting a pair of new multi-axis electric motor generators, with double the number of magnets (to six) and improved cooling, to make 100kW and 208Nm (up from 88kW/202Nm).

The key goal here is to reduce engine load, to the tune of 300-500rpm under acceleration, boosting economy while cutting mechanical noise along the way.

As before, there is an air-cooled battery (of a 4A/hr lithium-ion variety), located underneath the rear-seat cushion.

2025 Toyota Camry SL

Driving the front wheels via a redesigned electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), the Camry’s power output maximum edges up 10kW to 170kW (Toyota shies away from quoting combined torque figures for some unfathomable reason), for a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds, on the way to a 180km/h top speed (no change).

Expect 0-100km/h acceleration in the mid-seven second range, which is acceptable.

Though touted as a new-generation model, this is a reskin of its predecessor that was the first Camry to switch to the 'Toyota New Global Architecture'. Launched late in 2017 once Australian manufacturing ceased, it retains (albeit-revised) MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link suspension out back, as well as a beefed-up body for improved dynamics.

Note, however, that towing capacity is a paltry 400kg, braked or unbraked.

So, how does all that upgraded electrification deliver out in the real world? Keep reading to find out!

2025 Toyota Camry SL

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 carbon dioxide emissions rating of just 91 grams per kilometre (down from 96-107g/km).

Result? Theoretically, with its modest 50-litre tank, this 'big' mid-sized sedan can average 1250km between refills. In reality, we averaged just 4.6L/100km, which should see you travel an impressive 1085km on a single tank.

Aiding this is slightly improved 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.

The only fly in the ointment for some consumers is, as before, the hybrid’s preference for 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. This means a Camry that’s recommended to run on regular unleaded is no longer available with the deletion of the non-hybrid variant.

Hopefully, you’ll never need to test the Camry’s safety credentials, but the latest model manages a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment. A broader array of driver-assist tech and a stronger body help.

These include the items that fall under the so-called 'Toyota Safety Sense2' umbrella, meaning AEB (with pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist and oncoming vehicle detection), intersection collision avoidance support, emergency steering assistance, acceleration suppression at low speeds, adaptive cruise control (with ‘curve speed reduction’), deceleration assist, lane trace assist with lane-departure alert, speed sign recognition and automatic high beam.

Every Camry also includes an 'Emergency Driving Stop System', blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a driver monitor camera, front and rear parking sensors, parking support brake, a reversing camera with guidelines, seven airbags and a pair of ISOFIX child restraint points with top tethers to match the trio of tether support latches out back.