How does it drive, ride and handle?
The Camry Hybrid uses a combination of the same 2494cc, four-cylinder 2AR FXE DOHC VVT-I petrol engine from the regular Camry, which makes 160PS of max power- 20PS less on the regular petrol, and an electric motor rated at over 140PS. The total system output for the Camry Hybrid stands at a respectable 205PS.
Let’ get one thing straight here. The Camry Hybrid’s no hoot to drive. It’s more of a gentleman’s machine, built to coast, not rip. The driving experience cannot be called sensory, but the Hybrid Synergy Drive makes it pretty distinctive. Stick it in D, and the leviathan silently takes its first few steps in all-electric mode. It’s pretty brisk in the beginning, with all the instantaneous 270Nm of torque making for a pretty nice shove. Maintain a light foot on the throttle and it will keep running on electric power alone up to about 50kmph or till the battery charge runs out- which takes about 5 minutes. Put your right foot down and the petrol motor cuts in- the transition is pretty seamless and you’d have to be really keen to notice it at all.
Once speeds build up, the e-CVT gearbox is a deterrent, sapping the engine of its enthusiasm and lacing the drive is the rubber-band effect. At higher coasting speeds, power is garnered solely from the engine. However, if you are heavy footed, both the engine and the electric motor do their bit to hustle around the 2.1 tonne behemoth. She isn’t too glad for spirited drives however, with the engine booming in protest when given the beans, although performance on paper is pretty rampant- with the Hybrid finishing the 0-100 km/hr dash in 9.1 seconds.
The Camry Hybrid comes with three driving modes: EV for a fully electric drive, Eco for those record breaking efficiency runs, and a normal driving mode for everyday driving. The normal mode offers the best of both the worlds, with both the engine and the electric motor whirring in tandem to give a fuller driving experience- the HSD sensing when to switch between the two power sources. The electric motor almost never comes on the highway. Only when you push the throttle deeper does the electric motor come alive to assist the engine but the car never runs on electricity alone unlike in the city. With the Eco mode, the Camry needs to be driven with a really deft right foot to get the maximum fuel efficiency, by minimizing the contribution of the gasoline engine. Throttle response becomes lazier and the Camry just begs to coast. Even the HVAC output is noticeably reduced. EV mode allows for a full electric drive till juice runs out, but we couldn’t try that feature.
The dynamics are pretty well sorted out, with the big machine managing its bulk quite nicely. Turn-in is decent, and if driven around sedately, it’s a pleasure to steer around in the city, considering it’s size. However, the car doesn’t like to be pushed hard, and voices its discomfort instantly. The steering is pretty vague, and is remarkably dead off centre, so there’s no point driving it by the scruff of its neck.
The ride is stellar, with the big Camry simply eating up undulations and bumps. That combined with the good NVH levels make it a pleasure to be inside, with all the leather around you keeping you cocooned inside. Also, wind noise and tire noise are taken care of well, and end up being virtually non-existent.
The Camry Hybrid also has regenerative braking, with the batteries getting recharged from harnessing the energy from the heat generated while braking. Brake feel, however, left a lot to be desired, and is marred by sponginess. For such a big car, the brakes don’t inspire much confidence, although they perform well enough with ABS and EBD. On the safety front, the Camry doesn’t disappoint and comes with Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-start Assist control and a total of four air-bags. However the omission of curtain airbags is a surprising for this segment.
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