Test Drive with Kyle Ashby

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE Sedan

Living in a small community at the top of Utah offers many benefits including natural mountainous beauty, low crime rates and relatively short commutes. My four mile daily commute averages about 7 minutes. Comparing to larger metro areas where commutes within the same distance can take 3-4 times longer, I know my commute is a dream for big city life commuters.


Over the years, I’ve always believed that the Toyota Camry is a reliable and comfortable commuter vehicle and has always been a efficient driving option with great gas mileage. Place a hybrid engine in a very reliable and comfortable Camry with all of the options and now the gas mileage and commuting experience is improved for even more efficient, money saving driving experience.

The 2.5L 4 cylinder 16 valve hybrid engine with the electronic continuously variable transmission (ECVT) is quiet, yet peppy compared to other vehicles I have driven with a 4 cylinder gas engine. The smooth, non-shifting acceleration from zero to highway speeds can be directed by a heavy or light foot with the responsive gas pedal. Toyota’s power assisted front and rear disc brakes and smart stop technology made it extremely simple and safe to go from highway speeds right back down to zero. Also, the “B” mode position located on the shifter stands for braking and uses the engine to slow the car rather than the brakes. Traveling down mountain passes at highway speeds or strolling down a neighborhood hill at lower speeds in “B” mode was very noticeable and affective.

The model I drove for a week provided many comfortable and entertaining features inside the car to make any commute seem shorter. This past week, the fast heating leather trimmed ultra suede front seats were used with much appreciation because of the single digit Cache Valley morning temperatures and only reaching highs in the mid to high 20’s for the afternoon. Listening to a predetermined playlist from my phone through Bluetooth or enjoying my favorite satellite programming via SiriusXM through the 10 JBL GreenEdge speakers including subwoofer which can all be accessed from the steering wheel controls or 7” touch screen.

The convenience package came with features like blind spot monitoring, backup camera, HomeLink, emergency assistance, automatic collision notification and turn by turn navigation system, just to name a few. The overall style inside the vehicle was very pleasant with leather trim dash and doors. Hands-free capabilities included phonebook access, advanced voice recognition, text-to-speech and as I previously mentioned, music streaming via Bluetooth.

While some commuters wish for a shorter commute, I purposely extended my daily commute so I could enjoy the experience with the Camry hybrid. After all, I didn’t worry about the cost of fuel because this car is rated to expect 40 city miles per gallon. I averaged 37 MPGs while driving it more than 450 miles and still had over a quarter of a tank left.

Base MSRP: $27,400
Price as Driven: $34,547