For over 40 years, Toyota Camry has excelled at being the ubiquitous choice for those seeking family transportation that isn’t minivan- or SUV-shaped. Now in its ninth generation, this all-new 2025 Toyota Camry all-new model seems some changes to cater to ever-changing buyer demographics, so we spent some time with it to see how the traditional midsize sedan fares in a market dominated by crossovers of all shapes and sizes.
By far, the biggest change to the Camry lineup for 2025 is the all-hybrid powertrain lineup. Gone is the option of choosing between a pair of gas-only engines or a hybrid powertrain, including the beloved V6. Instead, the 2025 Camry hones in on what buyers truly wanted over the last decade or so—the hybrid powertrain. Also, all-wheel-drive is standard on all but the base SE and SE Upgrade trims, giving the 2025 Camry a leg up over the Accord Hybrid.
Under the hood of every single 2025 Camry is a 2.5-litre normally aspirated inline four-cylinder gas engine, hooked up to a 100 kW electric motor. A second, 30 kW motor sends power to the rear axle, working out to a combined 232 horsepower—225 for front-drive models. Toyota doesn’t usually specify a combined torque figure for this particular hybrid powertrain, but the gas engine alone is rated at and 163 pound-feet of torque. The all-wheel-drive system operates on a slip-and-grip basis, sending power to the rear wheels when it detects slip, but remaining front-drive most of the time to maximize fuel economy.
On the road, the Camry feels quieter and smoother than ever, but with a little bit of pizzazz when you toss it into a corner. Since the Camry’s shift to the modular TNGA platform back in 2018, the sedan became legitimately fun-to-drive for the first time ever, and that carries over into the 2025 model. The chassis responds well to steering inputs while remaining fairly balanced. Interestingly enough, even with the warm milk personality of the hybrid powertrain, I found the Camry is still lively and light on its feet.
Obviously, Toyota knows the biggest draw to a hybrid is fuel economy, and the Camry does very well here. It’s officially rated at 5.1 L/100 km city and highway, and the 49-litre tank should, in theory, be able to pull off nearly 1,000-kilometres on a full tank. Despite the cold temperatures, we managed to surpass the estimates with our city-heavy commute with our tester, finishing off our week at 4.8 L/100 km. Also typical for the segment, regular-grade fuel is all the Camry wants.
Inside, fit and finish is mostly good, but the Camry’s material quality leans a lot more plasticky than we’d like. Compared to the Accord, the Camry feels a bit cheap, with rougher-feeling surfaces and a generally less-substantial overall feel. The piano black bezel that surrounds the main infotainment screen is fine, but the piece around the shifter should really be something that won’t show every single fingerprint, scratch, and speck of dust. Our tester only showed 9,000 kilometres on the clock, but the trim piece already looked worn. This is very much at odds with one of the Camry’s biggest draws: the ability to age well and still look new after many, many years.
An eight-inch touchscreen in our SE Upgrade tester looks positively tiny by today’s standards, though higher trims get a 12.3-inch display that looks much more modern. Toyota’s updated interface looks much better than the old system with its Windows XP-like graphics, though we’d like to see better resolution from the rear-view camera. Interior space up front and out back is generous, and the 428-litre trunk is roomy, even though the Accord Hybrid’s trunk is slightly bigger.
Toyota priced the 2025 Camry at $37,295 to start for the base, front-wheel-drive SE Hybrid. Our SE Upgrade tester sits one rung above in the trim level ladder; for $40,945, it has AWD, Toyota’s full suite of active driver and safety assists, heated seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a sunroof. What more could you possibly need? By comparison, the cheapest way to get into an Accord Hybrid is the Sport-L trim—for about $3,000 more than the Camry.
The market has spoken. With more crossovers debuting each year from every major automaker, the midsize sedan’s days are limited. Still, we applaud Toyota for sticking to its guns and not turning their backs on the loyal fanbase of buyers the Camry has earned in its tenure. This latest model is proof that the obvious choice is the best choice; the 2025 Toyota Camry offers everything Canadians need at an attainable price point.
