The new all-hybrid lineup of the 2025 Toyota Camry SE includes sporty affordability.
Although sedans aren’t the newest products in the automotive sector, a complete redesign of the best-selling midsize four-door and a switch to a hybrid drivetrain says a lot about the firm that makes it and its potential customers. The 2025 Toyota Camry is available exclusively with a hybrid drivetrain that costs no more than what rivals charge for their non-hybrid variants and offers more power (and better fuel economy) than the previous entry-level engine. The previous Toyota Camry was available with four- and six-cylinder engines.
Apart from being limited to hybrid power, the Toyota Camry gets a complete makeover that borrows styling cues from the elegant Prius, which won the 2024 MotorTrend Car of the Year. Even though our Camry’s Underground Dark Gray color didn’t stand out as much as other color options, it’s still easy to notice the different styling adjustments and Toyota’s new, more refined and premium design language.
The Toyota Camry is renowned for its efficiency, comfort, and space, and the 2025 Toyota model raises the bar in all of these categories. With pricing starting at $29,495 for the more sober-looking LE model, the revised car is a nice step up over the outgoing generation, getting higher fuel economy, adding more capability, and improving ride quality. Best of all, it still offers great value.
Even though crossovers are the current favorite family car, the Toyota Camry can seat five people comfortably. Legroom in the second row is one of the things that impressed us the most; even with three people in the back, there’s enough for adults. Headroom is a completely different matter. If you’re under six feet three inches tall, you shouldn’t have any problems, but only if your sunroof is closed. Taller folks may find the sunroof problematic because it consumes a substantial 0.8 inches of headroom, as we pointed out in our evaluation of the Camry XLE AWD.
In addition to having better padded leatherette (fake leather) seats that don’t get too hot after a full day in the sun, the midgrade Toyota SE model has sharper looks and wheels than the base LE model. The leatherette feels like something we’d expect from a high-end vehicle, not a Toyota Camry that’s in the middle of the pack, but the fairly thin gray fabric inserts of the dash and door panels do reduce the luxury sense.
The $735 multimedia upgrade option, which includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, was installed in our test vehicle. Compared to the traditional 8.0-inch touchscreen, it’s a nice upgrade. The driver’s instrument cluster is dominated by a 7.0-inch screen, a welcome upgrade over the small and outdated digital readout on the previous model. The trim around the infotainment screen, which lengthens and widens the dashboard, is another feature we like.
The Camry is excellent overall in terms of comfort and convenience, although we wish the cupholders were a little wider. The cupholders in the center console are too small to hold a 32-ounce water bottle, and there’s no room for a cupholder in the door panels either.
The 2025 Camry SE starts at $31,795 and is $2,300 more expensive than the Camry LE, but it’s still a great car. It’s economical, but not only that — its basic hybrid powertrain returns 48 mpg in the city, 47 mpg on the interstate and 47 mpg overall. The lesser LE model has features like wireless charging, dual-zone climate control, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and stylish 18-inch wheels. However, the SE has a sport suspension, power-adjustable driver seat, and faux leather seats for better handling and looks.
