2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid First Drive

With side-impact, side-curtain and a driver’s knee airbag standard, safety is a key element to the Camry Hybrid’s value. Combined with other standard features, such as Antilock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), these safety systems make the Camry Hybrid a car that is easier to control during adverse situations, and a car that will likely protect its occupants better if a collision occurs. In addition to the bevy of standard safety features, the 2007 Camry also offers larger wheels and extra side impact bracing. Furthermore, the 2007 Camry Hybrid features Toyota’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, which anticipates a loss of control and uses the Camry’s braking and steering systems to apply brake pressure and steering input to stay in control.

The real treats that come with the Camry Hybrid, however, have to do with vehicle efficiency and comfort. With a newly updated Hybrid Synergy Drive, the Camry Hybrid is as state-of-the-art as hybrids get – at least until the 2007 Lexus GS 450h bows. The Camry version consists of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 147 horsepower. Add to that an electric drive motor that produces 45 horsepower, an inverter with a compact battery and a transaxle, and the result is a smooth-driving, fuel-efficient powertrain. One of the keys, of course, is the internal combustion engine: the efficiency of the four-cylinder is enhanced through the electric motor. This is a full hybrid, the kind that can run in traffic and at slow speeds on electric juice only, further enhancing your fuel economy, and it’s a real car, as well, offering sprightly acceleration, smooth transitions from electric to gas propulsion and, all in all, the feel of a typical vehicle.

Inside, the Camry Hybrid gets a Plasmacluster system, which sounds like a special Willy Wonka candy but is really another techno treat, a climate control system that adds ionizer technology to assist in the reduction of mold spores, microbes, odors, germs and bacteria. Plasmacluster is available only on the Camry Hybrid and the Camry XLE.