Up until a few years ago when Americas obsession with SUV and truck-like vehicles pushed the Toyota Rav4 to the top of the non-pickup sales heap, the Camry was the best selling car in the country for nearly 25 years. While sales of the Camry have slowed a bit in recent years, it remains the best-selling sedan in the country with over 214,000 units moved in the first nine months of 2023. With that continuing momentum, it’s no wonder that Toyota is continuing to invest in updates with a reworked model coming for 2025 that is now propelled exclusively by hybrid powertrains.
Looking at the new Camry, it doesn’t appear to be a complete redesign, but rather a very thorough refresh. Much of the sheet metal, especially on the sides actually appears to be carried over, but that’s actually just fine.
The Camry already had good proportions and a roomy cabin. The exterior changes are mostly at the front and rear with the face now taking on a cleaner, less cluttered look with distinct DNA from the new Prius. Where it differs from the Prius is having a substantially larger grille. The rear also gets some reshaping, but nothing particularly outrageous.
Inside, the changes are more substantive with an all-new dashboard design that loses some of the curves and swoopiness of the current generation. Instead, there is a more horizontal theme that makes it look wider and more open. The center touchscreen is now more blended into the dashboard rather than standing completely apart.
The LE and SE trims get an 8-inch touchscreen while XLE and XSE get a 12.3-inch display. Regardless of screen size, they all get the new Toyota Multimedia system that is a huge improvement over the old Entune system. Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay are also included across all trim levels. Like all other recent Toyota introductions, the Camry gets Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 driver assist package as standard. That means blindspot monitoring with cross traffic alert, radar adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and more come on every Camry.
Perhaps the most important change is under the hood. Camry’s have been available with an optional hybrid powertrain since 2006 but for 2025, it’s no longer an option. An electrified powertrain is now the only choice in the Camry, just as it is in the Sienna, Crown, Sequoia and of course the Prius.
The familiar 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine returns, now bolted up to the latest fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System. This is a two-motor hybrid drive with electronic continuously variable transmission. This time Toyota has tuned the combination to run the engine at lower speeds. Typically, under hard acceleration, one of these Toyota hybrids will rev the engine to 4,000 rpm and hold it there while the car catches up, creating a sound environment that isn’t always the most pleasant.
The new system is designed to keep the engine a bit slower while using more electric power from the battery to provide additional torque. On front-wheel drive Camrys, the net output of the system is pegged at 225-hp. This year, for the first time, the Camry hybrid will be available with all-wheel drive, with an extra electric motor on the rear axle to provide some added effort in slippery conditions. The AWD version gets 232-hp total and is available on all four trim levels.
The 2025 Camry will be available in spring 2024.
