2025 Camry or ???

We are looking for a mid-size (?) sedan with high mpg for my SO to use as a daily work commuter, but also as a comfortable highway vehicle when traveling. We will probably be purchasing this in the next 6 months or so once my Taco is paid off. Would the 2025 Camry be the best current option for this? What trim level would be the best compromise between price and comfort?

 

The Camry is slowly trickling in, they are an amazing choice, they sure comfortable and reliable.

You will be paying a bit more as it’s the first year of a refresh.

 

Is it a refresh or all new?

 

2025 is a semi refresh/large change. It's kinda like the 2nd to 3rd gen tacoma.

All are hybrids now, v6 is gone, interior is new. Everything else is very familiar.

 

Better than all-electric, but I feel like there are gonna be no new V6s available by the time I can afford a new vehicle...

 

v6 is dead haha, I'm happy, single cylinder heads are always easier to work on.

The current Toyota 2.5 is a strong engine and it pairs nicely to hybrid. I'd rather have a hybrid camry than a v6 (2020+) The old hybrid camrys are trash and I'd rather walk.

 

A used Camry or RAV can be good options for a little less $

My '14 RAV is a steady 22/28 with only 80k on it, Limited trim.

The cost delta between it and new would buy a lot of gas.

 

I'm sure the 3.4 Tundra will still be around...

 

So is the 2025 powertrain largely a carryover from the '24 hybrid? That would alleviate a lot of my worries with it being the first year of a refresh. Are there competitors I should be looking at that have the same reliability such as the Accord? We have not test driven anything yet, I'm just trying to a get a general feel for that market segment before contacting dealers.

 

It’s all shared platforms, I’m not 100% on how much is carried over but nothing is designed from scratch, the Corolla all the way up to the grand Highlander all share dna, parts and design now.

The Camry hv is a very good choice. We just got our first one in and nothing looks worrisome.

 

Test drive it against the Civic, the Elantra (N line ), and the Mazda 3 (carbon).


A couple of years ago, the 3 had the most bells and whistles for the money by far, and it was a hell of a fun drive. Its the same engine and AWD as their small SUV lineup, but lower center of gravity. That's what we went with.


But then again, I'm a bit biased now.

 

I’ve taken 3 for test drives. SE, XSE AWD and FWD. I want to see what the Premium JBL sounds like before I make a decision about buying one. Powerful… Quiet… looks great. Apparently it’s an adaptation of the existing Prius drivetrain, so it’s not completely new. My daughter’s Prius is getting towards 15 years old, with zero issues except brakes and starting battery. I don’t think anyone comes close to beating the new Camry.

 

Have you looked at Honda?

 

I have thought about Honda, just not sure how the current Accord stacks up to Camry. My son had a Mazda 3 for awhile and liked it. He traded that off and regretted the trade almost as soon as it was completed. I had a Mazda 6 Sport MT in 2014 that I traded two years later on my first Taco. That was a great value for $20,000.00 and I wish they had not discontinued that car as it would definitely be in the running.
Everything I see and hear about the current Camry sounds like that will be the best option, just need to see which trim level and what availability looks like at the end of the year.

 

Go with Toyota over Honda. Honda is not what it used to be. Honda's are a little more fun to drive but their reliability is degrading. Honda's are now more expensive compared to Toyotas.

My wife currently drives a '19 Camry SE (4 cyl). Great car around town and on highways, and the 4 cyl is plenty powerful.

I used to drive an '01 Civic and wife an '04 Accord coupe, so I have lots of experience with Honda. They were great cars, but I think Honda nowadays is more concerned with performance/creature comforts over their old school thoughts of reliability.