Toyota made several updates to the Camry for the 2021 model year and the new Camry Hybrid got more than any other. Most of the updates are to styling and technology, but the hybrid model also gets a new sport variant. The five-seat Camry sedan is the midsized flagship in the automaker’s lineup and the hybrid adds efficiency as a bonus.
The 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid has new exterior styling at both the front and rear, giving it a little more aggression and a smarter look. Sporty highlights include changes to the rear deck and lighting while the side profile gets enhanced by corner aero changes. A new XSE sport model for the Camry Hybrid adds a rear aero fin on top of the deck, larger wheels, and some badge highlights and stripes. Inside, the XSE gets metal interior trim additions and options for a head-up display and surround-view camera system.
The 2021 Camry Hybrid feels a little more spacious thanks to a slight change to the dashboard layout and some changes for storage options. A larger infotainment touchscreen is now available in the Camry Hybrid and driver’s assistance technologies and crash avoidance systems get some enhancements as well. All of these systems are standard equipment with add-ons including a surround-view camera system, rear automatic braking, and a head-up display. We do very much recommend upgrading from the base 7-inch touchscreen to the larger 9-inch screen, which has more clarity and options for remote connected services. That larger screen is an option on the base level Camry Hybrid and standard on the XLE and XSE trims.
On the road, the 2021 Camry Hybrid is a smooth drive with confidence. It’s not quick, but neither is it sluggish. Fuel economy is phenomenal for a midsized sedan at 51 mpg in the city and 53 mpg on the highway. Our highway loop test returned 53.9 mpg as an average, showing that the rated mileage is very realistic, even at high altitude. On the highway, however, the Camry Hybrid is not very engaging to pilot and has a disengaged floatiness to it that some may not like.
As an everyday drive, the Camry Hybrid is a nice fit with plenty of back seat room and good front seat comfort. Taller folks will find headroom to be at a premium in the Camry, however, especially if the sunroof or panoramic glass roof are optioned. Trunk space is good, though not large compared to others, and usable.
As it is, the Camry is best-selling sedan for good reason and we see no reason to argue why that shouldn’t be. Pricing for the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at about $28,000 and rises to around $35,000 for the XSE we drove. That hybrid premium over the standard Camry is about $3,000, but fuel economy nearly doubles with that upgrade, so it will likely return that investment sooner than later.
This review originally appeared on DriveModeShow.com.
