The 2008 Camry Hybrid is Ridiculously Awesome

I was looking at the Prius until I discovered this smoothie. Whereas the Prius is a small car with a mid-size price tag, the Camry Hybrid is a true mid-size car for just a little bit more. The model I got was about $26K new, and the Prius I was looking at was about $23K new. How can you not get twice as much car for just $3K more? This is the first new car I have ever purchased, and though the new-car buying experience is exceedingly painful, I am not sorry that I bought this car. Having driven small cars almost all my life, the mid-size suspension and handling is no small luxury.

Of course, the reason I bought this car is that it's a hybrid. I didn't even look at a non-hybrid when I starting shopping for a new car. I was concerned with gas mileage for my own wallet's sake, but I was also concerned that I didn't want another small car that felt like I was still in college. This seemed like the ideal fit for me at the time, and after six months I still feel that way.

Actual driving style for a hybrid takes a little getting used to. To maximize gas mileage, you have to adjust the way you hit the accelerator and start to think about your route selection getting to and from places. I live in a place with a lot of hills, which can depress your mileage savings. Going uphill for any length of time is just like driving a non-hybrid 2.4L Camry. It'll make it fine, but it will kill your mileage. I am currently getting about 38. The gas tank is pretty big, too: about 17 gallons. It's nice not to have to stop for gas every single week.

To maximize your mileage, you have to find the place on your accelerator pedal that engages the gasoline part of the engine. If you lightly tap the accelerator, the electric only part of the engine will engage, saving gas. This works on city streets and parking lots very well, and even works in stop and go traffic, which is counter-intuitive. If you do it right in stop and go traffic, the gasoline engine won't engage at all. I have found that the gasoline part will engage no matter what you do at about 40-45 mph. I think this is a safety feature because the engine helps your brakes slow you down if you need to quickly. But it will also engage at odd times which makes me wonder how it's programmed. Highway driving is the most efficient use of a gas engine no matter what car you drive, and the Camry's mileage reflects that also.

It's not the best looking car in the world, although the front end is nice looking. The trunk is kind of small for a car of its size because the hybrid battery is taking up much of the room. And even though I call it a "mid-size" car, this is still a pretty big hunk of metal. It's longer than our old minivan (though it's more maneuverable), and it takes up a good amount of a parking space. Some things I have yet to get used to are: The visibility is fantastic, but the hood is curved such that I can't see the end of it, making it a little tricky to parallel park. It's a little too easy to activate the hands-free system from the steering wheel because the button is in a strange place, and it's a trial to get out of it and back to the radio especially while you're moving. The defroster is permanently set to blow on High for some reason. You can't just run the defroster on low to keep the windshield clear. You have to blast it from time to time to clear it off. It clears off fairly quickly, but it's still a pain to punch it every time it's needed. Yes, these little gripes are all that I have to say that's negative about this car.

Both the front and back seats are roomy and extremely comfortable. I got the leather package, which is worth every penny. This is a ridiculously awesome car.