Back in 2001, we completed our first - and heretofore only - Four Seasons test of a gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle: a Honda Insight that yielded an observed 49 mpg. Our 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid's mileage fell far short of the itty-bitty Insight's economy figure, but the Toyota's twelve-month average of 34 mpg was impressive considering that--unlike the basic Insight two-seater and, to a lesser extent, Toyota's own Prius hatchback--the Camry is a mainstream sedan capable of carrying five adults in comfort.
But comfort and fuel economy aren't everything for automotive enthusiasts like us. Nonhybrid Camrys certainly aren't brilliant sport sedans, and the hybrid components, which add about 300 pounds to the car's curb weight, don't help. Staff members complained that the Camry Hybrid offered few entertaining qualities: the handling was soupy, the steering felt artificial, the ride was bouncy, and the brakes were grabby and noisy.
"The Hybrid isn't simply a Camry that gets better mileage and pollutes less," noted senior editor Joe Lorio. "There are compromises: a bouncier ride because of the heavy battery pack; a smaller trunk resulting from all that hybrid hardware; and weirdly varying throttle responses due to the dual power sources and the continuously variable transmission (CVT).... Read full article