10 Things that Make the New Toyota Camry Great
The all-new 2025 Toyota Camry has made huge strides with a new, hyper-efficient hybrid powertrain, stunning new looks, and awesome driving dynamics.
Making Ordinary, Extraordinary
The Toyota Camry is about as meat and potatoes as a sedan gets. Maximizing reliability, affordability, and livability, the Camry’s reputation for value has long preceded it. And yet…in the last five or so years, the competition with its perennial rival the Honda Accord and upstarts like the Kia K5 and the Hyundai Sonata has heated up. The all-new 2025 Toyota Camry looks to re-establish its position atop the mid-size sedan segment with a thorough-going refresh. The results have certainly impressed us here at Carsforsale.com.
In fact, the new Camry has so many things going for it, new and old, that we wanted to run down a list of the ten most exciting things about this supposedly “normal” car.
New Suspension & Brakes
Toyota has upgraded and re-tuned the Camry’s suspension and brake systems. The sport models (the SE and XSE) are 20 percent stiffer with front-wheel drive and 16 percent stiffer when equipped with all-wheel drive. The Camry is still comfort-oriented, but the retuning aids in better handling and a sharper feel. The brakes have also been improved with the addition of a brake booster to mitigate the odd feel of the hybrid system’s regenerative braking system.
The Camry’s a Better Drivers’ Car
These changes plus new chassis updates result in a Camry that is much more dynamic on the road. New-found body control makes for fun cornering and a compliant ride. The one knock on the last generation was, when compared to the athletic Honda Accord, the Camry was often found lacking the same level of excitement. The new 2025 model now rivals if not surpasses the Accord in overall drivability.
Sleeker, More Stylish Exterior
The 2025 Camry also received a big exterior makeover that gives the car a more cohesive and modern look. The front grille echoes those of Toyota’s Lexus brand while the headlamps share styling with the newly revamped Prius. New wheels and two-tone paint schemes allow you to further customize your Camry’s looks. Overall, the new Camry’s design is less busy than in previous years and is all the better for it.
More Livable Interior
Naturally, the 2025 Camry’s cabin has also been overhauled. The seats, in terms of material, support, and comfort are greatly improved. A new dash design is less florid and more functional, including more knee room for the passenger. Material quality is above average throughout. Ergonomics are improved as well, and we’re thankful to report the inclusion of physical buttons for HVAC and other controls.
All-New Hybrid Powertrain
As we hinted above, the 2025 Camry has a new powertrain. Now all Camry’s are powered by the same 2.5L four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors. The Camry offers either front-wheel or all-wheel drive on all trim levels. In front-wheel drive cars, output is 225 horsepower while all-wheel drive cars, with an electric motor powering the rear axle, bumps up to 232 horsepower. The hybrid system works in perfect tandem with the CVT (continuously variable transmission) for smooth power delivery while avoiding any of the hum and drone associated with many CVTs.
Incredible Fuel Efficiency
The all-hybrid Camry is incredibly efficient, rivaling even the new Prius in mpg ratings. The LE with FWD get the Camry’s more efficient rating at 51 mpg combined. Other FWD trims get around 47 mpg combined. AWD versions with the LE netting around 50 mpg combined while other trims hit 46 mpg combined.
Loaded with Standard Safety Features
Toyota pulled out all the stops when it came to safety in the new Camry. The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of safety and driver assistance technology comes standard and offers a laundry list of choice features that include forward automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, rear seat alert, and traffic sign recognition. Optional safety features include a 360-degree camera view, rear-cross traffic alerts, front and rear parking sensors, and Level 2 semi-autonomous driver tech covered by traffic jam assist and lane-change assist.
The Best Infotainment in the Segment?
Toyota also updated the Camry’s infotainment system for a simpler, more intuitive interface. This includes a new arrow tab in the top left corner of the touchscreen that brings up your shortcuts. While this might seem simple, it’s a valuable fix that reduced distraction. We also appreciate what Toyota kept analogue, retaining physical buttons for climate control and other go-to features rather than housing them exclusively in the touchscreen. Ease of use, responsiveness, and snappy graphics give the new Camry one of the best infotainment systems around.
Simplified, Affordable Trim Levels
For 2025, Toyota chose to reduce the number of total trims available on the Camry. If you’re at all familiar with the Jeep Wrangler, you’ll know that having too many options can lead to decision paralysis. With the elimination of gas-only options as well as the Nightshade and TRD trims, Toyota makes your choice easy. The 2025 Camry is offered in four trims: the well-equipped base-model LE starting at $28,400, the SE at $30,700 with sport suspension and 18-inch wheels, the XLE at $33,400 with leather upholstery and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and the range-topping XSE at $34,600 fully-loaded with 19-inch wheels and a heated steering wheel among its many bells and whistles.
Loaded Base Model
The 2025 Toyota Camry is an exceptional value even in its entry-level form. The base LE model starts at $28,400 and comes equipped with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, Bluetooth, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, dual-zone climate control, cloth upholstery, wireless charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, 16-inch wheels, pushbutton start, and an optional moonroof ($870). The Convenience package ($1,050) adds a power driver’s seat, keyless entry, a universal garage door opener, and more. The Cold Weather package ($610) gets you heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.
The all-new 2025 Toyota Camry has taken a major next step in its evolution, positioning itself squarely atop the segment once again.
