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Frequently Asked Questions
Fuel efficiency
Hybrid Camry has the lowest fuel consumption of any Australian-built car. With its Hybrid Synergy Drive® system and improved aerodynamics it achieves a combined fuel economy figure of just 6.0 litres per 100km*.
By driving a Hybrid Camry you could save over 1,500 litres of fuel in an average year of driving* compared with other cars in its class.
Over a year, with an average of 20,000km of city driving, this can add up to savings in excess of $1700, based on a pump price of $1.20 a litre for regular unleaded petrol.
While Hybrid Camry is extremely efficient around town - especially in stop-start traffic - it’s also really economical.
Hybrid Camry’s 2.4 litre engine produces 142 grams per kilometre of carbon dioxide*. This is equivalent to a small car with a 1.3L engine. Compare this to petrol-engine cars in its class which produce up to 60% more CO2 per kilometer.
Hybrid Camry also produces far less particulate matter and nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases which are prominent by-products of diesel engines. These smog forming pollutants are harmful to human health.
Hybrid Camry is rated the maximum five stars in the Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide. In doing so, it becomes the only medium-sized vehicle and first Australian built vehicle to hold this honour.
Design
Aerodynamic styling features such as the redesigned front bumper with a large centre air dam, satin chrome grille, sharp outer edges and flat sides distinguish Hybrid Camry.
Overall, Hybrid Camry has an athletic and elegant build with signature blue tinted headlamps, and rear LED tail lights with clear lenses that use less power and contribute to lower fuel use.
Inside and out, Hybrid Camry has been designed to maximise the space available to driver and passengers. The boot space gives you 389 litres of storage – that’s ample room for up to four golf bags or two large suitcases for the family holiday.
Plus the 60/40 rear split-fold seats give you the through-loading flexibility you need for those harder to carry items, plus the versatility to adjust and increase the boot space to suit your needs.
Hybrid Camry has fast acting Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) tail lamps rather than conventional bulbs because they provide improved visibility to other drivers as well as use less power.
Handling and Safety
VDIM is an electronic system designed to help you maintain vehicle control under adverse conditions. It links braking, steering, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC) systems to provide steering assistance to you in challenging driving conditions and helps minimise loss of traction in a turn.
Drive by wire braking is an electronically controlled brake system. This technology uses electrical connections instead of mechanical connections to reduce weight and provide more advanced and reliable responsiveness giving the driver optimised braking control on any surface, in any weather conditions.
Performance
At takeoff and at low speeds, Hybrid Camry can run on electric power alone. It can also stop the petrol engine whilst stopped or while coasting.
However, Toyota’s hybrid system is designed to achieve maximum efficiencies by combining the strengths of two power sources – a petrol engine and an electric motor – while minimising waste.
Yes. Hybrid Camry can easily achieve and maintain highway speeds. Through the efficient use of both of its power sources, Hybrid Camry can produce V6-like performance, which is more than sufficient for overtaking.
No, quite the contrary. With 140kW of hybrid power from its unique Atkinson-cycle petrol engine and highly efficient electric motor, Hybrid Camry is more powerful than most other cars in its class and is the most powerful Camry available in Australia.^
Unlike standard automatic transmissions that have a fixed number of gear combinations, Hybrid Camry's Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission (e-CVT) represents the new standard for automatic transmissions, providing, seamless acceleration, without the jolting of gear changes you experience with a conventional transmission. The e-CVT even contributes to the impressive fuel economy.
Hybrid Camry’s battery is automatically charged while you drive. This means Hybrid Camry never needs to be plugged in to your power supply to have its battery recharged.
When you brake or slow down, the energy that is normally lost as heat is converted into reusable energy and stored in the hybrid battery.
It is not suitable to tow with Hybrid Camry. The hybrid engine is designed to maximise performance with efficiency and economy. The innovative technologies at the heart of the hybrid system may be adversely affected by any significant increase in load.
Technology
Optitron uses vacuum flourescent gauges to provide outstandingly clear readability - leading to less eyestrain - and enhanced driving concentration, whatever the ambient light conditions.
Hybrid Camry’s Optitron combination meter contains an instantaneous fuel economy meter, Eco Drive Level display and Eco-zone display to help you optimise fuel economy and minimise environmental impact.
Conventional air conditioning systems run off the engine and are a major fuel drain. But Hybrid Camry’s air conditioning system is powered by the car's batteries and runs on a separate motor.
Its innovative ECO function – the first-ever for Toyota in this segment - reduces the load on the engine so you don’t need to worry about any siginificant impact to fuel efficiency while keeping everyone on board in total comfort.
Keyless or smart entry is part of a computerised security system that uses electronic sensors and transmitters to prepare your car for automatic unlocking. As you approach your car, the key in your pocket or bag is detected and verified by the car. All you need to do is grasp the door handle and it unlocks the door for you.
Servicing and running costs
The running and upkeep of a Hybrid Camry is comparable to any other Camry. Hybrid Camry owners can expect to pay no more for servicing, parts or any other incidental running costs. In fact, due to potential fuel savings, all things being equal, running costs would be expected to be substantially less than a similar sized petrol engine vehicle.
Toyota is well-known for its low cost of car ownership. Hybrid Camry has routine service costs similar to our other models. Our Toyota Service Advantage initiative caps the price of standard scheduled servicing costs for new Toyota vehicles. Terms and conditions apply. http://advantage.toyota.com.au for more information.
Batteries
The Hybrid Camry battery is automatically charged while you drive. This means Hybrid Camry never needs to be plugged in to your power supply to have its battery recharged.
No. You definitely never have to plug Hybrid Camry batteries into a power point to charge. The batteries recharge automatically as you drive.
Our hybrid batteries are designed to last the typical life of your vehicle.
We're so convinced with the outstanding reliability track-record and longevity of our hybrid batteries that our warranty covers 8 years or 160,000km (whichever occurs first).
There are many corporate and taxi fleets operating hybrid vehicles around Australia. For these businesses reliability is essential as these their vehicles travel tens of thousands of kilometres per year.
Toyota's hybrid batteries will typically last the lifetime of the vehicle. Only a small number of hybrids in Australia (less than 0.2%) have required battery replacements since the vehicles were first launched in Australia in October 2001. There is no major cost difference for battery replacement between the two vehicles.
Toyota Australia provides 8 years or 160,000 kilometres warranty (whichever occurs first) from the warranty commencement date. The 8 years or 160,000 kilometre warranty (whichever occurs first) is fully transferable to a new owner of a vehicle.
General
No, not at all. The locally made Hybrid Camry is not affected.
Quite the opposite. We have been working on hybrids for over 30 years – long before the arrival of airbags, anti-skid brakes and climate control air-conditioning.
Toyota is committed to hybrid systems as a core technology moving forward. Globally, our goal is to reach one million hybrid sales per year during the 2010s. At the same time, it is our intention to have a hybrid version of every model in our range by the 2020s.
A hybrid powertrain system combines two types of power sources. In the case of Hybrid Camry, it combines a petrol engine and an electric motor.
Hybrid Camry’s system offers improved fuel economy, lower CO2 emissions, improved performance, driveability, and lower noise levels.
Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive® is able to make the best use of two power sources. It can operate on petrol alone, electric power alone, or a seamless combination of both - and it can also charge the hybrid battery while the car is running.
Toyota’s full hybrid system can switch between the electric motor and the engine, or run off the combination of both. Known as a series parallel hybrid, it intelligently manages the energy flows from the two different power sources, so that each dimension of driving – acceleration, open road, braking and stop-and-go – is optimised.
Full hybrids offer more advanced driving performance, better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.
Toyota leads the world when it comes to hybrid technology and hybrid car sales. Since its launch in Japan in 1997, we've delivered over 2.3 million hybrid cars worldwide, far more than any other manufacturer.
As testament to Toyota’s reliability, its hybrids have clocked up more than 60 billion kilometres worldwide, in all conditions and every imaginable terrain.
In the US, the 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid achieved a reliability score of 10 out of 10 by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS).
We've also been honoured with a number of awards for our hybrid cars, along with 10 awards for Hybrid Synergy Drive®, Toyota's superior hybrid technology.
Toyota has currently committed to importing Prius and building Hybrid Camry in Australia. Worldwide, Toyota has plans to build hybrid variants of all major model lines by the 2020s.
While there are no short-term plans to introduce any additional hybrid models into Australia at this time, Toyota Australia continually monitors local demand and its model range to ensure we deliver to Australian customers cars they want to own and drive.
Pure electric cars run on electric power alone. While it is true that they emit zero emissions, there are still significant hurdles ahead before electric cars become viable to a wider audience. At present, they are expensive to produce and purchase, and there is limited infrastructure available to support them.
However, Toyota remains committed to best solutions motoring, and we will continue to research and develop alternative technologies, including pure/plug-in electric cars, as part of our worldwide goal to approach zero impact.
At present, we believe that hybrid cars offer the best solution, with the least compromise, that consumers expect from their motorcar.
Toyota's decision is the culmination of an intensive study which included discussions with the Federal and Victorian governments, which have a strong desire to see new, environmentally-friendly technologies introduced to Australia.
Both governments continue to provide strong support to the Australian automotive industry and shared in this historic announcement which is positive for Toyota, local car manufacturing and the Australian community.
In addition, the growing demand for our Prius hybrid also confirmed that there is a need for more hybrid models in our line up.
Hybrid Camry starts at $36,990 plus dealer delivery and statutory charges. Built right here in Australia, Hybrid Camry brings together brilliant engineering with world-leading hybrid technology and delivers an outstanding package of performance, handling and world class safety, with the luxury, technology and features of a car twice the price.
If you want to read more about the Hybrid Camry, you can download our eBrochure. Of course, to experience the Hybrid Camry, just contact your local Toyota dealer and book a test drive.
* "City driving" refers to the ADR 81/02 city cycle; "open road" refers to the ADR 81/02 highway cycle; "combination" refers to the ADR 81/02 combined cycle. Emissions data based on ADR 81/02 combined cycle. Fuel consumption/range will vary depending on driving conditions/style, vehicle condition and options/accessories. Fuel consumption data ADR81/02 combined cycle (L/100km).^"Maximum combined engine and hybrid battery output and torque constantly available within a specified vehicle speed range (Toyota Australia in-house testing)"
Find out how the Hybrid Camry compares with your car or other vehicles in environmental performance and fuel savings.
See how much you can save with the fuel comparison calculator
At the heart of every Hybrid Camry is Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.
Low cost servicing that is genuinely better for your Hybrid Camry for an amazing $130 per standard scheduled service†.
Customer Relations Centre - 1800 252 097 or Extra Care & vehicle financing enquiries -13 72 00
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