2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid Exterior Review [ 2009 , 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 39 Camry-Hybrid reviews and test drives.
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
The Camry Hybrid's physical appeal lies in putting a hybrid vehicle in the conventional Camry's outfit. Newsday writes, "Wrapped around the Camry's gasoline-electric powertrain is a car so appealing - a not too big, not too small vehicle that does virtually everything right - that it's not difficult to understand its popularity."
Kelley Blue Book adds, "Unlike the Prius, the Camry Hybrid does not stand out in a crowd, an important difference for the eco-friendly driver who prefers to remain anonymous."
Other writers also comment on the Camry Hybrid's ability to blend in. "With the new Camry Hybrid, it's difficult to tell at a glance that this mid-size family car is any different from its basic gas-engine sibling, outside of the subtle badging on its flanks," the Detroit News notes. Likewise, U.S. News reviewer Rick Newman notes, "There's a 'hybrid' badge on the side of the Camry, but you have to go looking for other signs of the vehicle's high-tech pedigree."
After establishing that the sedan looks like any other Camry, many writers go on to praise the overall product's look. Car and Driver calls the Camry Hybrid intriguing and also notes: "It crouches with its nose low, ready to pounce as you approach from the front. The side glass arcs inward as it rises, suggesting a canopy." The Los Angeles Times adds, "What the Camry is on the inside -- safe, reliable, sturdy, bourgeois -- it is on the outside."
