This Japanese Hybrid Proves You Don’t Need An EV For Impressive Range

Flying may be the safest way to travel, but for normal people stuck in the back of the bus – not fancy folks up in business class – modern commercial aviation can be a miserable way to get around. Legroom keeps getting tighter and tighter, the seats are too small, everyone’s fighting for limited overhead bin space, and certain passengers just don’t know how to act in public spaces. Sometimes, even on long, cross-country trips, it’s just nicer to drive than to deal with the hassle of flying.

Compared to sitting in a cramped metal (or, yes, sometimes carbon composite) tube packed with hundreds of total strangers, your vehicle is like a personal sanctuary, a rolling asylum shielding you from the worries of the surrounding world. Highway warriors, real lovers of road trips know that when tackling a long-distance drive, you need a vehicle with specific attributes. Comfort is, of course, of the utmost importance, so your backside doesn’t fall asleep like Rip Van Winkle after 15 minutes in the saddle. But beyond that, excellent fuel efficiency and lots of driving range are greatly appreciated, too, and one surprising Japanese hybrid delivers all this and a whole lot more.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including the U.S. EPA, Edmunds.com, and the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid: A Closer Look

The best-selling sedan in America for decades, Toyota’s venerable Camry is a blue-chip option in the automotive world, a safe bet that does just about everything extremely well. This car has attracted millions and millions of buyers over the years, and for good reason. The Camry has a unique blend of attributes that makes it a stand-out offering in the market.

For 2025, a wide range of different trim levels is offered, but just one type of powertrain is available in this four-door car. All models are now fitted with a fuel-sipping hybrid drivetrain, which makes perfect sense because this setup delivers good performance and exceptional efficiency. Exciting news for drivers that live in regions with icy winter weather, Toyota also now offers the Camry with all-wheel drive. This traction-enhancing option is just $1,525 extra, a more-than-fair price for the additional grip provided in slippery conditions.

Plenty of Stand-Out Features

From the entry-level LE model all the way up to the

highfalutin XSE trim
, every 2025 Toyota Camry comes standard with push-button start, an electronic parking brake with automatic brake hold, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, and a whopping five USB ports (one USB type-A and two USB type-C ports up front, and one of each type in the rear passenger area), so there’s no excuse for anyone’s phone running out of juice. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, both of which can connect to the infotainment system wirelessly, are included as standard fare, too, as is a six-speaker sound system. The LE and SE models feature an eight-inch touchscreen on the dashboard, while the XLE and XSE models come standard with a larger 12.3-inch touch-enabled panel.

When it comes to advanced driver assistance technologies, the Camry gives you plenty of the latest and greatest features. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard across the range. This suite of driver aids includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, road sign recognition, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, and more.

Impressive Driving Range – 663 Miles On A Full Tank

But back to road trips. How far can a Camry hybrid drive on a full tank of gas? Well, how does nearly 700 miles sound to you? Thanks to its exceptional efficiency and 13-gallon fuel tank, the base LE model is estimated to have a bladder-bursting range of 663 miles. Theoretically, you could drive from New York City to Los Angeles with just about four fill-ups, an absolutely staggering performance. The fancier SE, XLE, and XSE models are slightly less economical, but are still able to drive up to 607 miles with a full tank of gas.

The Fuel Economy Is Almost Unbelievable

The Camry is a midsize sedan, by no means a small car. It tips the scales at anywhere from 3,450 pounds for a front-drive LE model to 3,682 pounds for the all-wheel-drive XSE trim. Aside from that, this family hauler is also comfortable, has a spacious, adult-friendly back seat, and the trunk clocks in at a generous 15.1 cubic feet. Despite its sizable dimensions and roomy interior, the 2025 Camry with its standard hybrid drivetrain sips fuel like the thriftiest of economy cars.

Fuel economy figures are based on EPA estimates and may vary depending on driving conditions.

* Base LE model

That base LE model mentioned above is rated by the U.S. EPA at a whopping 53 miles per gallon in the city and 50 on the highway. Combined, this car stickers at 51 mpg. Naturally, opting for all-wheel drive cuts into those numbers, but nowhere near as much as many might expect, reducing them to 51, 49, and 50, respectively.

Higher-End Models Sip Fuel, Too

If you step up to a nicer trim, you don’t give up much fuel efficiency with this sedan. Front-drive SE, XSE, and XLE models are expected to return 48 mpg city, 47 highway, and 47 combined. See? That drop isn’t too bad. Grabbing all-wheel drive lowers things a little further, of course, but still, you should be getting 46 mpg across the board for the SE and XLE models, and 44 city, 43 highway, and 44 mpg combined for the top-shelf XSE trim.

This Car Offers Respectable Oomph, Too

The 2025 Toyota Camry’s gasoline-electric powertrain is built around a 2.5-liter four-cylinder. On its own, this engine delivers 184 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Helping keep costs in check, this powerplant is happy to run on 87-octane regular-grade gasoline. There is absolutely no need to spring for premium fuel.

Like other Toyota hybrid systems, this one features an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission, which, ingeniously, is comprised of a special gearset and a couple of motor-generators. This includes a drive motor that bolsters the gasoline engine, providing an additional 134 horses and 153 pound-feet of twist. This brings the front-wheel-drive Camry hybrid’s total system output to a more-than-respectable 225 hp (a total system torque output number is not listed).

All-wheel-drive models gain a rear-mounted electric motor that provides an additional 40 horses and 62 pound-feet of twist, bringing the total system output up to 232 horses. Whether it’s fitted with front- or all-wheel drive, this car also features a small, 4.0-amp-hour lithium-ion battery, the final part of the powertrain equation. This pack stores and releases energy as needed to deliver the best fuel efficiency possible.

Why You Should Choose A Hybrid Over An EV

Hybrids are the perfect solution for many drivers. Vehicles fitted with these gasoline-electric powertrains deliver incredible efficiency and driving range from each tank of fuel, all without ever having to plug in and charge up. For these reasons, and more, hybrids are an amazing stepping stone between conventional, combustion-powered vehicles and pure electrics.

High Quality, Low Maintenance

Toyota has a well-earned reputation for unimpeachable dependability and quality. The Japanese automaker has built meticulously assembled, incredibly reliable vehicles for decades, and that heritage of excellence should still apply to the 2025 Camry. Variations of Toyota’s hybrid powertrain system have been in production for around 30 years, meaning engineers have had plenty of time to iron out any bugs or other problems. Accordingly, the reliability of this fuel-sipping car should be extremely high.

Aside from unassailable dependability, expect the Camry to have extremely low ownership costs. According to Edmunds, the base LE version of this car is expected to cost just $37,461 to own for five years, yes, half a decade. That estimate takes into account myriad factors like insurance and maintenance costs as well as expenses for depreciation, fuel, and even repairs, however rare those might be.

This Super Sedan Is Surprisingly Affordable, Too

So, how much does this fuel-sipping super sedan cost? Well, a lot less than you might expect! The entry-level LE model with zero options should check out for less than $30,000 including $1,135 in delivery fees, which is a fantastic price for a new car in 2025, especially one that offers as much as this one does. If you need more luxury in your life, a top-shelf XSE variant with two-tone paint ($925), all-wheel drive ($1,525), the fancy Premium Plus Package ($4,075), and optional 19-inch wheels ($1,500) is still a great value, going for right around $44,000, less than many drivers might think.

*All prices include $1,135 in destination fees. All-wheel drive is an additional $1,525

If you’re looking for an efficient and reliable hybrid car with incredible range, the 2025 Toyota Camry is the one to get. This sedan is also, of course, extremely comfortable and spacious and comes with loads of standard equipment.