The Toyota Camry isn’t a model known for making waves. In fact, it may well be one of the most unassuming vehicles on the market. But Toyota has decided to do something radical for the all-new 2025 Camry, ditching all the traditional gasoline engines in favor of a standard hybrid powertrain. It’s a bold move for a conservative brand, and it remains to be seen how it will affect the Camry’s vaunted position as the best-selling sedan in America for over two decades. Toyota’s hybrid technology has proven itself and is now available on more models than ever, but how will shoppers take the lack of choice? And what other changes has Toyota made to this midsize legend?
The Big Change
While there are certainly lots of smaller updates for the new ninth-generation Camry, everyone’s attention has been grabbed by the announcement that the new car will only be sold with a hybrid powertrain. Now, a hybrid powertrain isn’t anything new for the Camry––Toyota introduced the first Camry Hybrid back in 2006––but the hybrid option was always just that, an option. Since its debut in 1983, the Camry has always come standard with a four-cylinder gasoline engine, and a punchy V6 has also been an option since 1987. The hybrid hasn’t even been a particularly popular pick in terms of total sales volume, with just 14% of the 295,201 units sold in 2022 rolling off the line with an electrified powertrain.
Toyota has made some changes to the hybrid powertrain, adding its new fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System, which uses smaller but more powerful electric motors. The end result is 225 hp in front-wheel drive models and 232 hp in all-wheel drive models. That’s a small but noticeable increase over the 208 hp of the 2024 Camry Hybrid, which was already a touch more powerful than the standard 2.5L gasoline engine. Still, drivers who appreciated the optional 3.5L V6 engine in the eighth-generation Camry are likely to miss its 301 hp output, and the often overlooked Camry TRD performance trim that boasted that engine has also vanished from the lineup.
For the average Camry driver, the move to a hybrid powertrain likely won’t mean much in the performance department, and the improved fuel economy will be a nice bonus. However, someone looking for a midsize car with some muscle will almost certainly jump ship to another brand since Toyota’s only alternative is the significantly more expensive Crown i-FORCE MAX hybrid. Unfortunately, this is a rapidly shrinking segment, with the only remaining options being the Hyundai Sonata N Line and Kia K5 GT.
An Interior Refresh
The exterior of the 2025 Camry hasn’t changed all that much, apart from a sleeker and more modern grille design. However, the interior is a different story. Toyota has put more modern technology front and center, adding a much larger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and matching 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on the XLE and XSE trims. The lower LE and SE trims now have a standard eight-inch infotainment display and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also now standard features, which is a welcome upgrade over the old model, which did not offer wireless smartphone connectivity. Another added convenience is the integration of Toyota’s Digital Key, which allows you to use your smartphone as a keyfob for your car.
Aside from the tech features, Toyota has aimed to make the cabin of the 2025 Camry a more comfortable and relaxing place to be. The optional power tilt and slide panoramic sunroof now has a power-retractable sunshade to block out harsh glare, and acoustic laminated glass has been used for the front side windows to reduce road noise. Each trim now has unique seats designed to provide more support and character. The base LE has embossed woven cloth, the sporty SE has SofTex with white accents, the luxurious XLE has leather and Dinamica upholstery, and the XSE has perforated leather available in a vivid Cockpit Red shade.
A New Chapter for an Automotive Icon
Once you look past the news that Toyota is going all-in on hybrid power for the 2025 Camry, the ninth generation of this industry stalwart is less radical than you might expect. The exterior styling updates are fairly minimal, and the interior updates mainly consist of bringing the available technology more in line with the latest models in the industry. Overall, the Camry looks set to remain a safe, reliable, comfortable, and somewhat unassuming vehicle that is perfect for a wide selection of drivers––as long as they can get past the missing gasoline engines.
