Step into the car and you’ll see a blue Power button (instead of a start/stop button). Pressing that button doesn't result in the usual sound of a starter motor cranking the engine to life; this does take a little getting used to. Instead, the dials and the “READY” indicator light up. That’s it. No tachometer here, but there is a gauge that tells you if the batteries are charging or if you're in ECO / Power mode.
All you need to do after that is slot the gear lever into D and you're all set. If you dab the accelerator slightly, the car will start rolling with absolutely zero sound in electric mode. The petrol engine turns on only when extra shove is required, or if the batteries are below a certain charge level.
There are 3 driving modes present for the driver to choose from. ECO, EV (Electric Vehicle) and ECO mode OFF. These driving modes have different characteristics which help to extract the max performance or efficiency. In all 3 modes, the car decides the way in which power is transmitted to the wheels. The gearbox doesn’t even have a tiptronic option. The average driver will never know what source is driving the wheels unless they look at the energy monitor on the display screen. It's completely seamless! The Hybrid drives like any other automatic car. If you’re observant, you'll eventually change your driving style to suit the Hybrid and extract even better efficiency. There's a large number of people out there who would take pleasure in seeing the fuel efficiency needle climb up (instead of the RPM needle).
- ECO Mode: This is the normal driving mode for the Hybrid. It's the best trade-off between performance and efficiency, and the mode I recommend for most driving conditions. In ECO mode, the Hybrid system tries to minimise the use of the petrol engine. Moving from a standstill, the Camry will only use electric power. Of course, you have to be gentle with the gas pedal (if you can even call it that); a heavy right foot will result in the petrol engine firing up.
The accelerator feels lazy in this mode and you actually feel some resistance as you press the pedal, and when the gauge starts to move towards the Power zone. Even when the petrol engine starts up, it's in a high efficiency mode and you barely hear it. If you are pottering around town, the petrol engine will start up only to charge the batteries (when the charge level falls below a preset threshold). Although if you floor the accelerator at any time (say, to overtake another car), the petrol engine kicks in right away. Out on the open road, the petrol engine starts after 60 kph and will remain in high efficiency mode. Engine power is split between the wheels and charging the battery. The minute you lift off the pedal, the petrol engine shuts off, and the resultant coasting charges the batteries through regenerative braking.
Based on my drive, ECO was the best mode for a regular driving style. There is ample torque available, thanks to the electric motor. You can comfortably drive around town or cruise on the highway. The only time you feel a lack of performance is during hard acceleration. No doubt, there is also a slight lag from the E-CVT when you bury the pedal. That classic CVT rubber-band effect comes in where engine revs go up, but the actual push is felt a little later.
The fuel-efficiency in ECO Mode will be highly optimised. The Camry Hybrid's ARAI rating of 19.16 kpl is higher than small hatchbacks like the WagonR (18.9 kpl) and the Swift (18.6 kpl). On a narrow village road with its fair share of speed breakers, light traffic and a mixed driving style, I saw 14.xx kpl on the MID.
- EV Mode: There isn't much of a difference between the ECO and EV modes. In EV mode, the drive system tries to use only the electric motor as far as possible. The minute you go above a certain speed (approx 40 kph), it switches to ECO mode. EV mode works if the batteries have a certain amount of charge and for a limited distance. It requires you to be feather light on the pedal; you can forget about EV mode if you are heavy on the accelerator.
For the time that you manage to keep the car in EV Mode, fuel consumption is effectively zero as it's only the electric motor delivering power to the wheels.
- ECO Mode OFF: This mode works like the power / sports mode. The minute you turn off ECO mode, there is a noticeable change in the Camry's behaviour. The accelerator pedal suddenly feels sprightlier and more eager. A gentle dab and the petrol engine comes alive with a throaty growl. Even a slight press is enough to move the gauge into power mode, with none of that hesitation seen in ECO mode. This is a good mode to be in when you are in a hurry, or on single-lane highways which require you to overtake from the other side.
The low-end torque in ECO OFF is superb. The electric motor + petrol engine combine to give you instantaneous response. You can reach triple digit speeds in no time, this is when you really feel the 202 BHP on tap. Naturally, ECO OFF will get you the lowest fuel efficiency as it keeps the engine on the boil, as well as the electric motor.
The braking unit on the Camry Hybrid is a complex one. It uses two methods to slow the car down. One is the regular braking system with discs all round (friction brakes) and the other is the regenerative braking system. In essence, regenerative braking slows down the car by engaging a motor. The motor when engaged to the wheels turns, and the resultant resistance in turning the motor slows the car down. The motor actually starts working like a generator and produces electricity which is used to charge the battery pack. Basically, if you supply electricity to a motor, you get mechanical power and if you supply mechanical power, you get electricity and it becomes a generator.
Again, both of these systems work in the background and you never know which one is slowing the car down. The regenerative braking system is activated when you are decelerating slowly. That is, during coasting or when you press the brake pedal lightly. Since the petrol engine shuts down when you're not pressing the accelerator pedal, there is no engine braking. Regenerative braking takes care of this aspect.
When you press the brake pedal lightly, regenerative braking is used to slow the car down until a certain point. To come to an absolute stop, the regular friction brakes take over (as regenerative brakes aren't as effective). Hard braking is usually handled by the friction brakes.
Overall braking capability is very good, but the problem with these complex systems is the lack of feel. The brake pedal tells you very little, and it took me some time to get a feel of the Camry's braking. You end up pressing the pedal lightly, but when you're about to stop, you realise the braking isn't enough and end up jamming the pedal at the nth moment. That can be a bit disconcerting. Another strange thing I noticed was a
very audible humming sound whilst braking. The sound would only be heard a few meters before coming to a stop. At first it sounded cool...like a whine, though after a while you get used to it.
B Mode: Toyota has another mode selectable via the gear lever called “B”. This mode stands for engine braking mode. This mode is not like the “L” in regular automatics. B mode is to be used only when going downhill. It basically engages the petrol engine to provide normal engine braking. Also, when going downhill, you end up charging the battery via regenerative braking. Once the batteries are fully charged, the system switches from regenerative to friction brakes to prevent overcharging.
The Camry Hybrid has a stiffened suspension setup due to the additional 150 kilos of weight. Most of that weight is at the rear where the battery pack is located. Over broken roads, ride quality is exemplary and the Camry pretty much soaks up everything thrown at it. As speeds build up, the Camry feels composed and solid, although certainly not "Euro solid" like the Superb and Passat.
Ground clearance remains the same at 160 mm. While this is sufficient on most roads, I worry that the car might scrape over large Bangalore speed breakers because of the long wheelbase (2,775 mm).
The steering is a typical Toyota unit. It's an ultra-light Electronic Power Steering, but the 17” wheels and low profile tyres offer better feedback. I drove the Hybrid on Toyota’s test track through a slalom course and was reasonably impressed. Body roll is well-contained for such a large sedan and I was comfortable going through the cones at 60 kph. The Camry is equipped with
Vehicle Stability Control that is tuned on the sensitive side and cuts in very early. Drive a little aggressive and the VSC reins in the car by applying the brakes.
In the end, the Camry is all about the back seat. Ride comfort, smooth acceleration thanks to the E-CVT, sofa-like seats and supreme refinement levels come together to give you a luxurious experience. In fact, the refinement levels are something you don’t get used to easily. In electric mode, you can’t hear a thing! Even with the petrol engine running, it’s all hushed inside, thanks to the extra shielding up front. Noteworthy to mention that the windshield is an acoustic glass that cuts down wind noise.
Energy monitor shows power flow from the wheels or engine to the battery. Picture below is after idling for long, resulting in the petrol engine firing up to charge the battery:
Medium-level acceleration results in the petrol engine driving the wheels as well as charging the battery:
Full electric mode:
Trip computer shows you the fuel economy for the last drive, as well as the amount of energy generated by the regenerative brakes:
Notice the small energy monitor in the instrument console: