Comments on: Toyota Camry Hybrid more details revealed

By: Cameron

Cameron — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:15:44 +0000

Does that mean fast whitegoods? Somehow I don’t think so. The idea is efficiency, not performance. I really can’t say I rate wheels, CA journos are much better.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:11:20 +0000

Absolutely.
1. Think of the torque. You can load a diesel to the brim and not have a big penalty in efficiency. Try that in any petrol car and watch your consumption climb!
2. Those litres you save add up and are most noticeable when you only need to fill the car up half as often as a regular petrol and likely 3/4 as often as a hybrid.

Most people have never owned an efficient diesel car so just don’t appreciate the difference in real terms. My TDI consistently gets over 800ks pure city driving and over 1100kms on the freeway.

By: crazy_horse

crazy_horse — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:03:58 +0000

I had the same car albeit with air and steer – are you on drugs?
The reason I bought it was pure practicality and reliability, not performance or looks.
Your mates must have thought you a joke modding a camry |

By: wintechsw

wintechsw — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:29:25 +0000

Gee I wish the commentators about Prius taxi use would check their facts. Prius taxis are to be found all over the country, Melbourne, Brisbane etc. I am a second time Prius owner who regularly gets 4.1 litres/100km around the city for taxi-like driving. At 110km on a freeway I get 5.5 l/100km, but when I drop back to speedo 106kph(104 actual), I get 4.6 l/100km. I have a Scanguage II in the car and the LOD(engine Load factor%) figure of 79% is the magic figure for this difference in fuel consumption. The engine will turn off at highway speeds on a downhill run.
I recently sold my Prius gen II model to a taxi driver who flew down from Darwin and drove it home! The white colour saved him a $3000 respray job. I bought a new Gen II iTech.
The real drawback to increased private purchases of Prius is the exorbitant prices currently being charged by Toyota Australia for the Gen III cars. US prices are $1000 less than Gen II and the UK prices are the same. Aussie pricing for the iTech is +$8000, and we are at 80 Cents parity with the $US. Go figure.

By: Performer

Performer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:28:51 +0000

Its actually not the size which the problem, its the fuel economy on LPG and the maintenance. Camrys are having a lot more things go wrong than the equivalent Falcon, we are especially finding issues with CV joints, door actuators, O2 sensors, and transmissions. Not that its the Camry’s fault – its a very tough life being a taxi, its just that its being compared to Falcons which are very reliable and durable.

By: JohnQPublic

JohnQPublic — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:44:55 +0000

New York City taxi drivers are notorious for the kind of abuse they put their cars through, and Americans like big cars. And the Camry Hybrid is doing VERY well as a taxi cab here in New York City, a city with reputation for big things. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3646/3511701083_8ce427e02a.jpg?v=0

It is tough enough to withstand the kind of abuse taxi drivers put it through, and obviously big enough to haul people around NYC just fine.

Which is why I’m puzzled why it is “failing” as a taxi in Australia.

By: SilverTX18

SilverTX18 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:14:09 +0000

As for using the car as a taxi, most states in Australia have a minimum size limit on the vehicle to fit full size adults in the back seats. The Camry has been tried (being just near minimum size) and is failing. The car just isn’t big enough.

The talk of 8.8l fuel consumption for a Camry auto seems odd. I just drove from Canberra to Perth through Melbourne and Adelaide earlier this year and achieved an average for the whole trip Hwy and Cty combined of 8.6l/100km – and this was in a 2000 model Statesman V6S auto with 3 adults and the boot and one back seat filled with luggage. Maybe I was lucky.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:49:45 +0000

Camry = Dull boring lifeless – I’ll wait for the Holden Volt

By: S

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:05:14 +0000

DipStiK, the new Prius is better on the highway.

By: toxic_horse

toxic_horse — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:33:33 +0000

I sometimes have the misfortune to have to drive a current camry for work , wow these things are so dull and mundaine i think i would have more fun driving a kia rio.

Which is funny because a few years ago i had a 1990 SV21 camry with a 5 speed, no power steer or AC / was one of the most fun cars i have ever owned. I chucked on some old school mags with some decent rubber, put in some stiff springs. Was so light and such a sweet engine. where did toyota go so wrong.