2010 Prius or 2010 Camry Hybrid?

ok, I am now down to two choices. I presently drive an 06 Camry (not Hybrid) and am looking for a second car (actually third). I can get the TCH at almost the same price as the Prius after the discounts so I am looking for your opinion as to which you would prefer and why. Also, if you own both of them, it would help. I initially preferred the Prius due to the excellent gas mileage which I am looking for but I noticed the quality of the interior is not up to par after driving a Camry. There is way to much plastic in the interior (dashboard, door trim etc) and I am afraid that in the long term, it might develop rattles. I noticed on the older models, that was not the case for the dashboard materials. However, the TCH is much quieter in the interior but suffers in gas mileage by almost 30%. Please let me know what you think? Thanks and I hope I can decide soon as my wife is really looking forward to a hybrid vehicle.

Hi I did not own a camry hybrid but I hope this helps (a copy from what I posted in another thread) I have two 2010 Prius's now a IV base and a V w/AT but both have leather, I love the Prius over the camry, and due check out the lack of space in the trunk of the camry hybrid, that was the killer for me not getting it in the first place (besides it would have cost me 2k more at the time).

"On my 2009 v6 XLE w/nav Camry loaded (that I traded in for the Prius V w/AT), seats were a little (very little) more comfortable, but my right knee would hit the center console and cause pain in my knee, had to use a cushion in between my knee and center console all the time while driving, not with the 2010 prius at all!"

Best of luck
Don

The use of plastic in the Prius is deliberate. Toyota has been going all out on its emphasis on creating the best ecologically-sound vehicle possible, from extensive recycling to the use of imaginative materials. In this case, the Prius uses something called ECOPLASTIC, which seeks to create a carbon neutral footprint because it is derived from plant materials grown before being used. The Lexus HS also uses this, not sure about the Camry hybrid, although I'm sure it gets some of it too.

New Prius gets plant-sourced eco plastic | Toyota UK news, reviews, video and pictures | Today Tomorrow

As to the Camry vs Prius question, it all probably comes down to whether you want a sedan vs a hatchback, and how much you want to save on energy. Both have Toyota build and quality (I hope), and both will probably last a long time.

Personally, I would not hesitate to go with the Prius. Speaking from a brand perspective, a camry is just a camry to me, nothing special, whether hybrid or not. A Prius is already an iconic brand, and has developed a very strong following of loyal users (I was surprised to even find relatively large Prius Flickr groups).

Speaking for myself there were three main factors to persuade me to go with the Prius 1. High mpg 2. Hatchback utility 3. Toyota track record of dependability It comes down to personal preference and needs. Best wishes in your choice

This is why I went with the Prius. It looks unique, there aren't as many and it's basically the poster child for techy/fuel sippin'/green cars. I also liked that the Prius is an all-new design for '10 so it'll probably still look "new" in 5 years. The Camry hasn't changed much since '07.

If I favored a car like the Camry more, I'd give strong consideration to the Fusion hybrid.

Just my 2 cents. I own a 2010 Prius and a 2008 Altima Hybrid. I love them both and for different reasons. The Altima is just way more comfortable but the 2010 Prius has much more utility. Reason I have finally decided to trade in my 1994 Inifinit Q45 for the Prius last august due to the Cash for clunkers and I really need a car with some cargo room. If you think you can live without the comforts of the camry then I would definitely go with a Prius just for the MPGs and the utility. But sometimes I just miss driving my Altima due to the comfort and interior room.

To me the main difference is in the "quietness" factor and having owned a Gen II Prius and an 07 Camry Hybrid, plus now a 2010 Prius V w/ATP, I believe the Camry wins hands down on being quieter. The 2010 Prius is much quieter than the Gen II, but the Camry is much closer to being Lexus quiet. Other than that, the Camry has more interior room especially in the rear seats. The trunk is not so small as it appears, and I carry quite a lot in it even with the battery box intrusion. It is a tough call as you have found the price to be similar if you are considering a Prius IV or V. In the end, you won't regret either one. Both are great cars. The Camry for me is the better long distance travel car, but in the end, you have to decide. The Camry is the first car I've owned in years that I haven't wanted to trade after a couple of years. But I can say the same for the Gen II Prius which we kept 5 years and were completely satisfied with until the Gen III came along and we traded it for the V version with leather.

In summer 08 I rented a Camry Hybrid for a 1700 mile business/holiday trip.
This summer I bought a G3 Prius.

The Camry was OK but I prefer the Prius for the following reasons:
- Much better fuel efficiency
- Much better road feel
- Much smoother transition between regenerative and friction breaking
- Able to carry larger and longer items
- I prefer the appearance
- More fun

I put 67,000 miles on a loaded 07TCH. Averaged 37+ mpg. Easily went over 39 until the wife started using it mostly for interstate commuting. I really don't notice that the Pruis interior quality is any different than the TCH. The TCH is quieter, though the Prius doesn't bother me. I believe the TCH is a tad wider if you need three in the back, but for 4 people I think the Prius is just as comfortable. However the TCH does have power seats. I find that annoying on the Prius. If only one person drives then it's not an issue.

I like the styling of both cars, but the Prius seems like a fresher design, especially now that the new Camry's are everywhere.

I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

The Prius will probably have a much better resale value.

Two options, one choice. If it were me, I'd go with the Prius. This is entirely a personal choice since both are great cars. I like the Prius for its great mileage and the utility of a hatchback. With the Camry you get a heavier car that will cruise smoothly.

If you lean toward the Camry, have you looked at the Ford Fusion? A lot of good things are being said about it.

Tom

We originally were thinking about a Camry hybrid and test drove a used one. Seemed like a nice car. There were no new ones available at the first dealer we went to. I called another dealer and the salesman said there were no new Camry hybrids anywhere on the east coast. He said he thought he had one Prius left if it hadn't been sold the night before. He called me back a few minutes later and said it was still available but would likely be gone that day. I put a hold deposit on it and called my wife who met me at the dealer. She drove it and liked it as much as the Camry so we bought it, left our '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee there and drove the Prius home. We got a really good deal in the cash for clunkers program.

We're happy with the Prius. It really is a mid-size car with plenty of room. It drives well and has sufficient power for the wife. I do wish it had power/memory seats, mirrors, and steering wheel like our Lexus RX400h. We got 55 mpg on the second tank of gas with the wife using it for her commute.

If you have more money to spend, there's the Lexus HS250h. A nicely equiped Premium model with Nav will run $40k sticker. A loaded Camry will run $33k sticker. But the memory seats, mirrors, and steering wheel do not appear to be an available option on the Camry. They come with the Lexus HS250h Premium. The Lexus will probably have more power than the Camry but get similar gas mileage.

We were in a rush to get in on the cash for clunkers program so we jumped at the Prius. Having it to do over again, we might have considered paying $12k more for the Lexus.

But, no regrets on the Prius. It's basically the wife's commuter car and will be used for little else and rarely driven by me. We've got the RX400h that she usually uses on weekends and I've got my BMW 330Ci rag top that I use daily except when the weather gets sloppy. The extra $12k for the Lexus HS250h might not have been worth it in our case.

Whether it's the Prius, Camry, or HS250h, you can't go wrong. It really depends on the trim/convenience/luxury level you want and how much you want to spend.

Hi -

I'm an owner of a 2010 Prius and a 2007 HyCam. Although the 2010 is a much improved car over the 2004 I had before, there is no doubt the ride and comfort of the HyCam are still better. The Camry handling is not going to impress anyone, if that matters to you. I don't really think the interior room difference is significant. If I were buying a sedan, I would at least look at the Ford Fusion Hybrid, assuming you can find one. You also need to consider your driving needs. I can tell you from personal experience that if most of your driving is short trip driving, the mpg difference may not be as great as you think (low to mid 30s in the Hycam; low to mid 40s for the Prius - I have the 17" wheels in the Prius though). We much prefer the Prius for running around town. If we were doing a long highway trip and didn't care about mpgs, the HyCam would still make for a much more relaxing drive.

27500 for a base model - that is assuming you pay over MSRP. I also drove the Camry, it's a way different feel than the Prius. I feel old in the Camry and the Camry feels like a big, heavy car. I think quality wise they're pretty equivalent. I think it's more about personality - which suits you more? Go with your gut!

I just bought a 2009 Camry Hybrid. I love it. I average 40mpg. I wanted a Prius V but would have to wait so I went with the Camry. Got a decent discount since it was a 2009. So far it's been great!!

i only test drove the camry hybrid 2 years ago.

i could stand the lack of utility, wallowly disconected steering, and that f*cking mpg needle going up and down all the time.

A lot depends on your personal preferences. Both are good cars. We considered both and test drove both. The smaller trunk of the TCH vs. the larger cargo area plus folding rear seats of the Prius made the decision for us and we bought the Prius. Overall, the Prius seemed more practical and more fun at the same time. Just my opinion.

When Australia (finally) gets the Camry Hybrid in February next year, expect this question to be raised again. But the pricing will be different to the US. Prius pricing is $40K AUD plus on roads, up to $53½K AUD. Oz Camry Hybrid will come in 2 flavours, starting off at around $33-34K AUD and up to about $41-$42K AUD (guesstimate pricing at this stage).