2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Camry earned its place as one of the default family sedans in the mid-1990s and continues to sell in respectable numbers today. Toyota has sold the Camry sedan in North America through eight generations of production. The automaker added the Camry Hybrid to the lineup for the 2007 model year. The current-generation debuted in 2018 as a new Camry, and got a mild makeover for 2021, so changes for 2022 are minimal.

It may be mostly carryover, but the 2022 Camry Hybrid can surprise and delight with its exterior design. Its front end is futuristic and expressive, with a sneering face and muscular features. The base model comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, while upper trim levels get 18-inch and even 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Camry’s interior is similarly futuristic and expressive. The dashboard is wild, with a sweeping curve from the top of the driver’s side slashing across the centre stack and forming the passenger’s side of the centre console. A control centre occupies the upper half of the centre stack, with a big infotainment touchscreen at the top. The gear selector and dual cupholder occupy space in the centre console, leaving an open cubby below the centre stack.

The second row is roomy and comfortable, even for the middle seat (usually a neglected perch), which gets a nicely bolstered seat cushion.

As always, Toyota’s level of fit and finish on the exterior and interior is very high, with even gaps, smooth, glossy paint and trim, and quality material selection.

If you’re shopping for a mainstream midsize sedan, you’re probably not considering track days. You’re probably hoping to stay away from the gas station as long as you can. The Camry Hybrid can help with that.

Entry-level LE models achieve Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption ratings of 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 4.8 on the highway, and 4.9 combined, while the other trim levels burn 5.3 L/100 km city/5.0 hwy/5.1 combined.

The hybrid uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, direct injection, and port injection. It also uses two electric motors, and boasts total system power specs of 208 horsepower. An electronically controlled CVT sends power to the front wheels. On SE and XSE models, the driver gets paddle shifters to simulate the operation of a six-speed transmission.

A centre console-fixed button set controls drive mode selection between EV, Eco, Normal, and Sport. EV-only mode operates in a very narrow range of parameters—it’s challenging to feather the throttle lightly enough to keep from switching EV mode off again.

Handling in the Camry Hybrid is good, maybe even better than the gasoline-only Camry, thanks to a lower centre of gravity with the placement of the lithium-ion battery pack low in the floor. If you’ve spent a lot of time in tall-riding crossovers or SUVs recently, the hybrid will feel like a race car to you.

Our only complaints with the Camry Hybrid’s performance are picky ones. As mentioned above, it's difficult to keep the car in EV mode. We also noticed some occasional droning from the drivetrain, and the focus on fuel efficiency comes at the cost of responsiveness.

The Camry does so much right in ride height, seating position, and general ease of use. Unlike a low-slung sports car, the Camry driving position is a reasonable, comfortable one. Unless you’re at one of the extreme ends of the height bell curve, you’ll be able to find your best setting in the Camry. Maybe you’ll even have a few favourite settings, depending on how you’re feeling or what kind of driving you’ll be doing on a given day. Whether you scoot the driver’s seat closer to the steering wheel with knees bent for technical turns or splayed out and legs stretched for highway trips, the Camry's ample headroom allows for plenty of options.

The driver and front passenger seats have lots of options for storage, too. In addition to the spacious glove compartment and space under the front centre armrest, there are multiple nooks and crannies throughout the dash.

The second row is easy to get into and out of, and once you’re back there, it’s a comfortable, roomy space, too. Bottle holders in the doors and map pockets in the backs of the front seats have to be considered generous, even if they’ve become expected in new cars.

The Camry Hybrid has the same 428 litres of trunk space as the standard Camry, thanks to the low-mounted battery pack. A passthrough allows long items (like skis) to extend into the cabin, and the second row can fold down to accommodate even more oversized cargo. Don’t be surprised if your family and friends ask you to test this feature next time they buy something that won’t fit in their compact vehicle.

Toyota’s basic warranty covers the 2022 Camry Hybrid for three years/60,000 kilometres. The powertrain warranty is for five years/100,000 kilometres, while the hybrid battery is covered for 10 years/240,000 kilometres, and specific hybrid components are covered for eight years/160,000 kilometres.

The Camry Hybrid is loaded with Toyota’s latest and most sophisticated technology features and options—including a specially tuned audio system.

Harman International’s JBL division tuned speakers, receivers, amplifiers, and equalizing software specifically for the Camry while the current generation was in development. The resulting premium audio system is very impressive, with nine speakers (including a subwoofer) and sophisticated algorithms that can extract and translate the most audio information from compressed digital sources like satellite radio and MP3 files. This system is equipped on the XLE model only; a more basic six-speaker system is standard on others.

Embedded navigation is also available on XLE models. Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto compatibility are standard on all models, so as long as you’ve got a smartphone, you don’t need the embedded nav. The LE gets a standard 7-inch touchscreen, while other Camry Hybrids get a 9-inch touchscreen.

Every trim level of Camry Hybrid comes with Toyota’s smart key system and push-button start and a projected-path feature for the rearview camera. Automatic LED headlights are standard on all models, as is dual-zone automatic climate control.

A 10-inch colour head-up display is available on XSE and XLE models. On XLE, it’s bundled with a bird’s-eye view camera, intelligent clearance sonar with rear cross-traffic braking, and multi-stage ventilated seats, bringing the upper trim level of Camry Hybrid close to Lexus levels of luxury and tech.

The Camry Hybrid comes with the latest iteration of Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+). This standard system includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection (encompassing forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking) adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, Lane Tracing Assist, and automatic high beams.

Camry Hybrid also gets Toyota’s Star safety system as standard equipment, including expected safety features like stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop technology.

The Camry Hybrid comes with 10 airbags, including driver and front passenger advanced airbag systems, driver and front passenger side airbags and knee airbags, rear seat-mounted side airbags, and front and rear side-curtain airbags. There are three-point seatbelts for every seating position and LATCH lower anchors for child safety seats on rear outboard seats. The rear doors have child protector locks and window lockout controls on the driver’s door. A tire pressure monitoring system is standard, with direct pressure readout on all but the base LE model.

A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert is included on every trim level but the base LE.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2022 Camry Hybrid the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2022 Camry Hybrid a five-star overall safety rating.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at an MSRP of $31,050 for a base LE model. The Camry Hybrid SE starts at a retail price of $34,290 and the SE Nightshade starts at $35,190. Next up is the Camry Hybrid XSE, which starts at $37,350, and finally the top Camry Hybrid XLE starts at $39,850 (all prices exclude an $1,820 destination charge). These prices are about $3,500 to $4,000 higher than the corresponding gasoline-only Camry models. Equipment levels are mostly the same, but the gas model's option list includes all-wheel drive (AWD), a more powerful V6 engine, and a sporty TRD model with a flashy rear spoiler.

Figuring out how much money you'll save on gas with a hybrid is always tricky because of fluctuating fuel prices, but to start, the Camry Hybrid LE's 4.9 L/100 km combined rating is 2.5 L/100 km lower than a comparable non-hybrid Camry LE. The LE gas will cost about $1,480 in gas to travel 20,000 kilometres (the average distance a Canadian driver goes each year) according to NRCan, and the LE Hybrid will cost about $980, a potential savings of $500 per year.

At that rate, it will take about six to seven years of ownership to recoup the difference in cost between the gas and hybrid models. Your math will be different if you drive less or more, if you choose a higher trim level with less fuel efficiency, or if gas prices go up or down. That’s why the math is so tricky—there are many variables. There’s no math equation to apply to the positive vibes you can accumulate by driving a hybrid and avoiding burning hundreds, if not thousands, of litres of gas throughout ownership, though. Money is only part of the ownership experience.

Of course, other mainstream midsize hybrid sedans like the Honda Accord Hybrid (starting at $37,170) and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (starting at $42,150 with fees in) compete for the chance to give you those vibes. If you're willing to downsize, compact hybrid sedans like the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid ($26,851 with fees in) and Toyota's own Corolla Hybrid (starting at $25,250) are also worthwhile options. Toyota and its rivals offer multiple hybrid crossover SUVs as well.

The Camry has never run from the competition, and the Toyota Camry Hybrid presents a solid case for itself as perhaps the best Camry ever built—and that’s saying something.

Note: Images show a US model.