We spent a week and 600 miles in a 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid XSE AWD to see if Toyota’s now-hybrid-only midsize sedan justifies its price against the Honda Accord Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.
For 2025, the Camry goes all-in on hybrid: a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four paired with Toyota’s latest e-CVT and lithium-ion battery. Output is 225 hp in FWD form or 232 hp with the new e-AWD that adds a rear motor. EPA figures vary by trim, topping out around 51 mpg combined on the LE FWD and dipping into the mid-40s on heavier, larger-wheel variants. Pricing starts near $29,000 before destination; our XSE AWD tester with the 12.3-inch touchscreen, panoramic roof, and JBL audio landed in the high $37,000s.
Testing covered a 72-mile mixed commute loop, a 200-mile highway run at 70–75 mph, and a curvy backroad section, temperatures from 42–68°F. Our car rode on 19-inch all-seasons at 36 psi. For benchmarks, we cross-drove an Accord Sport-L Hybrid and a Sonata Hybrid Limited on similar routes the same week. Performance is quietly competent.
The Camry Hybrid steps off smoothly and merges with confidence; expect mid-7-second 0–60 mph in FWD and roughly eight seconds with AWD. The e-CVT avoids droning unless you floor it, and the added rear motor helps stability on wet launches. Ride quality is controlled on the XSE’s firmer tune; sharp impacts are felt more than in the Sonata, but body motions are tidy. Steering is light but precise, and brake tuning shows incremental improvement—there’s still a brief soft bite at the top before friction brakes take over, yet repeated downhill stops produced no fade.
Efficiency is the headline. On our highway loop, the XSE AWD returned 45 mpg indicated; the mixed commute averaged 44 mpg. That trails an LE FWD we sampled briefly (low 50s observed) but edges the Accord Sport-L Hybrid we measured at 42 mpg on the same route and matches the Sonata Hybrid Limited we saw at 44–46 mpg. Noise isolation is better than the outgoing Camry—wind hush is notably reduced—but the 19-inch tires transmit coarse-chip road noise more than the Accord’s smaller wheels.
Inside, the Camry feels familiar and functional. The optional 12.3-inch screen is quick, with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto standard and a responsive UI; physical climate knobs remain, a win for usability. Front seats are supportive over long stints, and rear legroom is ample for adults, though the Accord still offers a touch more knee space. Trunk capacity is a useful 15.1 cu ft, with a wide opening.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard (adaptive cruise with lane centering, proactive assist); lane-keeping is steady, though the Accord’s lane-centering reads more naturally on faded markings. Value calculus: the Camry undercuts most Accord Hybrid trims at the low end, offers available AWD the others lack, and delivers best-in-class efficiency on LE FWD. Running costs are favorable: 2 years/25,000 miles of included maintenance, strong resale, and an 8-year/100,000-mile hybrid system warranty (battery 10-year/150,000-mile in CARB states). Downsides are modest—sport trims ride firmer and the brake feel isn’t class-leading.
Recommendation: the LE or SE FWD are the sweet spots for maximum mpg-per-dollar; choose XLE AWD if you live in the snowbelt. If rear-seat space and the most polished driver assist matter most, the Accord Hybrid remains compelling, but overall value tilts to the Camry.
