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Toyota Camry 2008 Review

The silent Toyota Camry Hybrid starts with a slight judder, the electric motor maybe deciding if it needs help to get away.

This hesitation is sometimes felt at freeway speeds on our US test drive, where the Camry has cruised quietly at 120km/h, running electric before needing more power to overtake.

In the US the Prius's bigger brother Toyota Camry Hybrid comes with a 33kW electric motor, 110kW, 2.4 litre petrol engine and Constantly Variable Transmission.

For the most part, aside from those occasional judders under heavy load, it is a quiet and comfortable sedan.

The front end on this one was a touch doughy, and not as responsive at the steering wheel as Australian petrol Camrys.

Whether the different feel was down to the Hybrids' steering and suspension or North American specifications, we're not sure.

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Yet the electric-petrol-CVT powertrain and a soft front end did not stop this Camry Hybrid from a couple of free-spirited runs, one behind a pack of bikers on the twisting, turning Highway One north of San Francisco.

And through all of this — climbing steep city streets, running with the pack down freeways and mixing it on country roads — the car returned just under nine litres per 100km. That's not bad for a fair-sized family sedan.

Luggage space is more limited than in a normal Camry, but it is a usable sedan not lacking any traditional passenger car attributes.

 

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Pricing guides

$7,590
Based on third party pricing data
Lowest Price
$4,950
Highest Price
$10,230

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
Altise 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $4,950 – 7,260 2008 Toyota Camry 2008 Altise Pricing and Specs
Ateva L Special Edition 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP AUTO $6,160 – 8,690 2008 Toyota Camry 2008 Ateva L Special Edition Pricing and Specs
Grande 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP AUTO $7,260 – 10,230 2008 Toyota Camry 2008 Grande Pricing and Specs
Ateva 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP AUTO $6,930 – 9,790 2008 Toyota Camry 2008 Ateva Pricing and Specs
Bruce McMahon
Contributing Journalist

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Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.