2025 Toyota Camry Review: All-hybrid family sedan still a winner
Pros: Hybrid powertrain; available all-wheel drive; high-quality cabin; sharp-handling SE and XSE; clever interior storage
Cons: Looks a lot like the old one; does anyone care that the V6 and TRD are gone?
It may be tough to tell, but the 2025 Toyota Camry represents a new generation for the tried-and-true family sedan. It sure looks similar than the outgoing Camry and even rides on the same mechanical underpinnings, but rest assured, it has been worked over thoroughly from stem to stern.
Key updates include a new, next-generation hybrid powertrain that’s quieter and smoother in its operation. It’s also more powerful, compatible with all-wheel drive and the only way to get a 2025 Camry now. Oh, and it gets between 44 and 51 miles per gallon combined depending on trim level. As before, there are SE and LE trim level lines (and their more luxurious “X” variants) that provide customers with a choice of sporty and cushy driving manners. If “sporty” sounds good, know that the Camry SE is particularly better to drive, with a composed suspension, good steering and great brake pedal feel.
The interior gets the latest Toyota infotainment system along with clever storage up front and improved materials, including upholstered dash and door trim that differ by trim level. It all looks and feels premium. Not surprisingly, space remains excellent up front, in back and for your luggage.
All told, the Camry didn’t need to be fundamentally different, even if the popularity of midsize family sedans is waning (as are the number of choices). They still represent great value compared to small SUVs, and if you’re still interested, the new Camry as well as the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5 are still worth checking out.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s new for 2025?
The Camry has been redesigned for 2025. You can read more about the changes in our 2025 Camry First Drive.
Interior of the Camry XSE (red) with the dash trim of the XLE (quilted) and SE (the other one)
What are the Camry interior and in-car technology like?
Aesthetically, the 2025 Camry benefits from interesting fabric combinations in each trim level, which not only make the seats look snazzy, but serve as dash adornment. So, instead of some plastic that looks like wood, metal or something supposedly fancy-ish, you get black or bright red SofTex pleather in an XSE, a plush quilted microfiber in the XLE, a textured pinstriped fabric in the SE and a lovely gray cloth in the LE. They all look great, and kudos for not excluding the lower trim levels from interesting design (though it’s probably fair to be concerned about stains long-term with the lighter-colored dash fabrics).
8- and 12.3-inch touchscreens are available, both running the latest Toyota tech interface that recently got a lot better to use with Apple CarPlay – though not so much Android Auto. Both come standard, though, and are wireless. Speaking of which, the Camry is the rare car in this price range that comes standard with wireless phone charging. There are also five USB ports spread throughout the cabin, while a long bin next to the wireless pad is perfectly shaped to hold both a big phone and its cord. The result is that your passenger’s phone won’t be filling a cupholder with a wire snaking all over the console.
How big is the Camry?
Toyota redesigned the front seats for better comfort, but that’s really the only change for the Camry’s seating and space. As such, both are still excellent. If it wasn’t for the colossal Honda Accord, the Camry would be the segment’s standout in this regard. Someone 6-foot-3 can sit quite easily behind another up front, so most drivers and passengers should find themselves luxuriating with room. One disappointment: the Camry still has fixed headrest bumps in the back seat, which can be a pain when installing certain forward-facing child seats.
The trunk once again offers 15.1 cubic feet of space, which is less than an Accord or a Sonata. It’s still really big, and even though we haven’t cargo tested the new Camry, the old one with the exact same trunk volume performed like this in our luggage test.
Camry XLE and XSE
What are the Camry fuel economy and performance specs?
Every Camry is now a hybrid. The system consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a lithium-ion battery pack and either two motors (standard front-wheel drive) or three (optional all-wheel drive). An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission blends it all together. Total system output is 225 horsepower with FWD and 232 hp with AWD.
Fuel economy is an eye-popping 53 miles per gallon city, 50 mpg highway and 51 mpg combined for the base LE FWD. The others get 47 mpg combined but, with one exception, drop to 46 mpg with all-wheel drive. The XSE AWD is the exception that gets 44 mpg combined.
What’s the Camry like to drive?
The Camry’s hybrid system is hugely improved over the previous generation. Its electric motor runs longer before the engine engages, and when it does, the transition is far smoother. The whole powertrain is much quieter, too, and the noises you do hear are more pleasant.
The Camry offers two distinctive dynamic flavors: the cushy LE and sporty SE, with those with an X at the beginning signifying more equipment and fancier finishings. Although the LE became far less of a marshmallow last generation, the difference between it and SE is even greater for 2025. The SE and XSE’s take corners far flatter and with better composure, while the steering is tauter on-center, more responsive when turning in and generally just more engaging. The LE drives more like the relaxed A-to-B transport that’s probably more expected of a Camry.
Ride quality for both “flavors” is quite good; it just depends on how much cushion you prefer. Both also benefit from an upgraded braking system that boasts an impressively firm and progressive pedal feel. We don’t normally comment on brakes, but they really are good enough to mention.
What other Toyota Camry reviews can I read?
2025 Toyota Camry First Drive Review: Hybrid-only overhaul is a hit
We dig deeper into the changes for 2025 as well as the differences between the LE and SE lines.
What is the 2025 Camry price?
With every Camry now a hybrid, the lineup gets a lot simpler for 2025. Still, the Camry is distinctive in that its trim levels don’t just represent a stepped increase of standard equipment. As we’ve already touched on, the LE and XLE are more comfort-tuned with more classic design touches like chrome trim and plush fabric on the dash and doors. The SE and XSE are sport-tuned and have more modern exterior and interior trim. Each trim has a slightly different grille. Equipment also still increases with the X trims.
You can see the visual differences between the different trim levels below, although the LE is sadly missing.
All prices below include the $1,095 destination charge. All-wheel drive is a $1,525 option on them all.
LE: $29,495
SE: $31,795
XLE: $34,495
XSE: $35,695
What are the Camry safety ratings and driver assistance features?
Every 2025 Camry includes as standard equipment forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning (often optional), and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering steering assist. Also standard is a unique “Proactive Driving Assist” feature that slows the car down when coming up to a slower car ahead or when approaching a turn. It feels like having adaptive cruise control or low-level EV regenerative braking engaged, and although the description of it sounds a bit HAL 9000, it works in a surprisingly natural manner.
Optional on the Camry XSE and XLE is the Premium Plus package, which among various niceties adds front cross-traffic warning, rear cross-traffic emergency braking, an automated steering element to the blind-spot warning system, front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking, a driver inattention warning system and a panoramic parking camera system.
The 2025 Camry had not been crash tested at the time of this writing.
