Our first time behind the wheel of the all-new 2025 Camry yielded a startling discovery: The latest version of Toyota's best-selling midsize sedan is actually quite fun to drive.
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 Even though everyone and their mother is buying SUVs,
00:13 it doesn't mean Toyota has forgotten
00:15 about the humble sedan.
00:16 This is the 2025 Toyota Camry, all new for its ninth
00:20 generation with sleek looks and a hybrid-only engine.
00:25 Let's check it out.
00:29 The new Camry gets its new face from the new Prius.
00:33 And that is a very good thing because we
00:34 love the way the Prius looks.
00:36 And in this application, it looks fantastic.
00:38 Couldn't come soon enough because the old Camry was
00:40 starting to get very, very dated.
00:42 As we move along the car, I want to show you
00:46 that the new Camry still has significant backseat space.
00:51 Getting into this backseat might be a little hard for people
00:54 taller because of the sloping roof line.
00:56 But once you're back here, comfortable bench,
00:59 nice back support, good leg room, good recline,
01:03 all of these spacious things that the Camry
01:05 has been known for.
01:06 And finally, a thing that we all love and expect,
01:10 a spacious trunk.
01:13 OK, let's get to driving.
01:15 It's just a little funny that I am driving a Camry today
01:22 as opposed to sitting back there because I'm in an Uber.
01:27 The new Camry is now all hybrid.
01:30 In front-wheel drive setups, that
01:31 means a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that
01:34 is aided by two electric motors.
01:36 And total system output there is 225 horsepower.
01:40 This, the all-wheel drive version,
01:42 is that setup with a third electric motor driving
01:45 the rear wheels for a total system output of 232
01:48 horsepower.
01:50 It's not bad in here.
01:52 It feels spry.
01:53 The ride quality is also pretty good.
01:55 It corners pretty flat.
01:56 So it's actually a pretty enjoyable car to drive quickly.
02:00 I have to actively resist the urge
02:04 to drive it like a sports car.
02:06 It kind of makes you want to in a Camry.
02:10 How wonderful is that?
02:11 All those years of people criticizing the Camry
02:15 for being a washing machine, an appliance on wheels,
02:18 I think they would have to eat their words here.
02:20 You can feel the liveliness in the chassis here.
02:24 After driving it for just a short time,
02:26 here's what the new Camry does well.
02:28 The steering for sure feels tightened up.
02:31 It's quite responsive now.
02:33 And you actually get pretty good feedback through the wheel.
02:37 So you get more confidence driving this thing.
02:39 Sometimes with hybrids, there's a problem where you break
02:43 and you feel the weird trade-off between regen
02:46 and friction brakes travel through the pedal.
02:49 That is no longer the case here.
02:50 The braking feels very, very natural and intuitive.
02:54 Also, because of the hybrid setup,
02:57 there's a ton of low-end power.
03:00 I think something that could be a problem area for a Camry
03:04 is the all-wheel drive is not permanent all-wheel drive.
03:08 It's an electric motor that drives the rear wheels.
03:11 It really only steps in when the car senses it's needed.
03:16 So in a low traction situation, if it
03:19 senses any sort of slippage, then it
03:21 will activate that third motor for the rear wheels.
03:23 But otherwise, the car effectively
03:24 functions as a front-wheel drive car.
03:27 It makes sense, because you don't always need all-wheel
03:30 drive and your mileage will suffer.
03:32 But for some people, maybe the peace of mind
03:35 of just wanting consistent all-wheel drive
03:37 might balk a little bit at this setup.
03:41 Once you floor it, you see that it is not the most
03:44 powerful car in the world.
03:46 The urgency to get there is there.
03:48 So it's not a drag race winner.
03:50 It's agility.
03:52 That is the strength of the new Camry.
03:54 We're learning things on this journey, friends.
03:56 And the thing we've learned today is the new Camry is fun.
04:00 As the best-selling sedan in the United States,
04:03 the Camry is a very important car for Toyota to get right.
04:06 And it did.
04:07 The new Camry is spacious, comfortable, quiet,
04:10 also with the added bonus of being really, really fun
04:13 to drive.
04:14 I'm very pleasantly surprised.
04:16 And man, it makes me wonder, you know,
04:19 Toyota had the bravery to GR a Corolla.
04:23 What is stopping it from doing the same to the Camry?
04:27 I'm getting ahead of myself.
04:29 Camry prices start between $29,000 to $37,000,
04:32 depending on trim.
04:33 But regardless of whatever you get,
04:35 you can expect something that just works.
04:38 Thus, keeping the Camry as the cornerstone
04:41 of the American sedan market.
04:44 (dramatic music)