Next-Gen 2025 Toyota Camry Will Be Hybrid Only
The next-gen Toyota Camry will be offered as a hybrid-only model — and that’s a big deal because the Camry isn’t just one of many new hybrids, but the bestselling sedan in all of North America.
Related: Why buy a hybrid car?
With this move, Toyota is making a big bet on the car’s future, and potentially risking its status as the top dog among passenger cars. In 2021, hybrid models made up just 14.8% of total Camry sales. In 2022, that declined to 14.2%, and so far this year, it’s fallen to only 10.1%.
In fact, since Toyota began selling the Camry Hybrid in 2006, its share of overall Camry sales has continuously oscillated between about 6-11%, with no significant upward trend. Does Toyota think it can convert 90% of Camry buyers to finally swap over to hybrid, even though it hasn’t already happened in over two decades?
New design and features
One thing that may entice new buyers are the 2025 Toyota Camry’s new design and features. The car’s exterior look has been brought more in line with the current Crown and Grand Highlander. It’s a sleek style that should appeal to customers seeking a ride that appears sophisticated yet doesn’t break the bank.
The interior has been touched up as well, with nicer materials and ocean wave-inspired seat patterns. The touch screen is suitably large — 12.3 inches — and joins a digital gauge cluster of the same size on higher trims. Wireless smartphone connectivity and wireless device charging are standard, and a 10-inch head-up display is available. The Toyota Safety Sense System is updated to the 3.0 version, up from 2.5+ on the current model.
Under the hood
Say goodbye to the V6-powered Camry. Under the hood of every new 2025 Camry will be an inline four-cylinder engine combined with Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid technology, including two electric motors. It will generate 225 horsepower, or up to 232 with optional all-wheel drive. There’s no fuel economy figures yet, but the current Camry Hybrid gets 52 mpg combined and we expect the new model to improve on that number.
The new Camry looks nice, but the upgrades and redesign are on par with what we’d expect from a new-generation model. Demand for large hybrid vehicles is going up, but the Camry isn’t large, and time will tell if customary non-hybrid shoppers will go along with the switch or move on to other models.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.