Hormazd Sorabjee
The past few weeks have been quiet Camry Hybrid,In the true sense. Quietness is not because that is a characteristic of cars (especially in EV mode), but because the strict lockdown imposed to combat the second surge of COVID-19 means that, in most cases, we have a Camry, which It has been fine, and stopped quietly. However, I still have to drive it enough to appreciate it as a car and not just an environmentally friendly device, which means lying in the back seat, driving it like a normal car and playing with gadgets in the cabin. But before that, let us first solve the most important issue-fuel efficiency. Now, when you invest Rs 4.059 lakh in the Camry Hybrid, is efficiency really that important? No, it is not, but it measures the efficiency of the hybrid system and the efficiency of fuel saving; this means reducing exhaust emissions, but also means saving the environment, or at least doing our part for our blue planet. Anyone who buys a Camry hybrid has a certain environmental awareness. Even if you don’t do this, the more you drive the Camry hybrid, the sooner you will develop an environmental awareness.
BACK UP The well-cushioned back seat is very comfortable.
Driving a large and heavy luxury car that consumes gasoline frugally like a WagonR is a deeply gratifying thing. Yes, the efficiency of the Camry hybrid is amazing, especially in the city than on the highway, because the low-speed environment allows the 130-horsepower electric motor to calmly take over from the 2.5-liter gasoline engine in a short time. In addition, unlike on the highway, you brake more in the city, and more brakes mean more power regeneration and longer distances that can be powered by batteries.
I achieved the best fuel efficiency data of 14.9kpl, which is amazing when you consider that the closest gasoline competitor to the Camry Hybrid, the Skoda Superb, can’t even reach half of this number. Of course, the diesel Superb is much more efficient and can easily reach double digits in city driving, but I doubt whether it can approach the efficiency of the Camry hybrid. On the highway, the situation is different. Diesel cars have the advantage, but since my trip to Mahabaleshwar (see long-term report for the April 2021 period), Toyota cars have been limited to Mumbai. So, how did it find urban life?
Ventilation: The rear air-conditioning outlet is cheap and fragile.
Prior to the lockdown, traffic in Mumbai almost returned to the level before COVID-19, which meant a lot of crash driving and long waits at traffic lights. Driving conditions like this will frustrate any driver, but this is where the Camry Hybrid’s advantage lies. The 7-kilometer drive to the office is mainly done in EV mode. Only when the battery power drops, the engine will quietly start to charge the battery and, of course, provide power to the car. It is this ability to easily switch to electricity that greatly reduces fuel consumption and greenhouse gases. Think about it, after sitting in traffic for a few hours, the exhausted internal combustion engine is replaced by a quiet and clean battery power supply. The more I drive Camry hybrids in cities, the more I feel that hybrids are a good stopgap measure to improve the air quality in cities.
Two are companies: there are two USB ports on the back for easy access.
Let’s put the hybrid hard sell aside for the time being and treat it as an executive car. The most striking thing is the incredibly comfortable back seat. Yes, Superb has more legroom, but in other respects, Camry, with better under-thigh support, perfectly judged cushioning and tilting functions, allows you to enjoy sofa-like comfort in the back seat. As a passenger, you appreciate the linear power transmission of hybrid vehicles. There are no twitches, no vibrations, just a seamless change of rhythm, which makes simple tasks such as reading emails on the phone easy without causing motion sickness. The touchpad in the flip-down armrest allows you to conveniently adjust the multi-zone rear air conditioner.
Behind the times: analog dashboards and digital displays look outdated.
But despite having excellent hybrid technology and future preparations, Camry’s dashboard stands out like an old thumb. The analog instruments feel dated, and even the touch screen lacks the modern look and feel you would expect from a Rs 4 lakh car in 2021. Yes, like the rest of the car, the cabin experience is not dramatic.
See also:
Toyota Camry long-term review, first report
The new Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 officially unveiled
Toyota Hilux competes with Isuzu V-Cross in India in 2021
Toyota City Cruiser: Which variant to buy?
