That's a little cheaper than I was expecting. Still about 5K above a Prius, I wonder how it will sell.

Obviously a bigger engine than the Prius (what's the 0-60?), nearly same cargo space officially (the 16.1 cubic feet of a Prius must be everything behind the back seat up to the rear window). Official mpg estimate of 39 mpg, real world? That's 30% above gas-only version, but 30% below the Prius EPA average (17% below a Prius average reported actual mileage). You could drive a hybrid essentially anonymously (innocuous normal-looking car), that may appeal to some people. Less people asking you if you really think you'll be making money over a "normal" purchase.

My guess is it will sell, but again not with the demand the Prius does.

Toyota has their information at http://www.toyota.com/camry/

nerfer

nerfer,
Totally agree, the Camry will sell, but probably not as feverishly as the Prius.

Why? Lets not look at tech specs, they don't accurately portray what goes through the mind of your average driver. Let's instead look at real selling points between the two models:

Camry:
1) #1 selling car in the US (dare I say the world?)... and most people are sheep
2) New sexy model, familiar styling/design
3) Mileage is good enough to brag about.
4) Handling/Noise is better (well, not sure, but they better be!)

Prius:
1) Best mileage in any production car you can buy
2) HOV lane approved in many US states
3) Unique look that tells people "you care about the rest so you buy the best" ™
4) Less expensive than most reliable cars with the similar size/features, including the HSD Camry.
5) Best name recognition of all hybrids... again, people are sheep, even us ecologically minded ones.

Agree about most of the above... but I'll add one more thing. There will be some Camry Hybrid buyers that will chose that over the Prius because they feel the Prius doesn't have enough power.

You know I hear people saying they got thier cars at MSRP or below.. But I wonder is thier savings just being tacked onto the end of the payment cycle?

I will have paid 30k after 60 months for my 04' per my calculations.....

At 'full' production the TCH will be just about the same volume as the Prius. It's an extension of Toyota's 'hybrid strategy'. For all of those of us who chose the Prius there are possibly even more who are not thrilled by the styling.

After being in Camry's since 1989 there is a very very high comfort level in owning one and continuing in that line.

At ~$26500 the new TCH is in the same league as an '06 Prius Pckg #6 @......... $26300!!. What a coincidence! Loaded up it will be @ $30300 vs $29600 for the Prius Pckge #8. Now the full range of buyers can choose from innovative to traditional. Hopefully that will mean that there will be 200,000 buyers annually in HSD vehicles.

Next the Sienna and then... the Corolla?

I myself rejected a Prius for a 2006 Civic Hybrid, but I'm displeased with it and will trade in for a 2007 Camry Hybrid. What I disliked about the Prius was the high windshield, spartan interior, weird center-offset dashboard, tiny fickle gas bladder, and that it was just not very fun to drive. The Civic has none of those problems, though it's slower, has worse fuel economy, isn't a full hybrid, and it's much jerkier for some reason. I test-drove a 2007 Camry LE and found it very comfortable, smooth, and confident, and the hybrid will be even quicker and probably smoother. The windshield was a bit small, but no worse than my 2006 Civic's.

I feel the Camry Hybrid will have none of the problems of the Prius, aside from the obviously worse fuel economy due to its weight and somewhat to the engine's power, but at least it is faster. And maybe its greater weight (over 700 lbs more!) will improve its stability, especially in crosswinds and the like.

I agree with the last poster. I think many people who didn't like the flaws of the prius, would go for the Camry.

Also, I'm almost about to conclude that Toyota targeted the 06 Civic with their Camry. It's bigger, it's faster, gets almost as good mileage as the Civic and is only a few thousand more. It looks like a normal car...

Hybrid Accord owners are buying for power... so that's a completely different audience.

I'm waiting to see the real world MPGs for the Camry before I make a decision, but I have to admit, at first glance the Camry looks like a winner. I feel more comfortable buying a $30k Camry than a $30k Prius for some reason. I don't know why but that's how I feel.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clintd555 @ Mar 29 2006, 09:29 PM) [snapback]232071[/snapback]</div>

Well the standard $26k Camry Hybrid has almost everything a $30k Prius does, and a loaded Camry Hybrid does have everything as far as I remember, save the backup camera.

Standard on the Camry Hybrid:
* Halogen headlights
* Good-quality 8-speaker sound system with 6-disk in-dash CD changer
* Smart key system
* Auto-dimming rearview mirror w/ compass and HomeLink garage door opener
* Tons of airbags
* Traction control
* Cargo net

...not to mention many things the Prius doesn't have even as an option.

Options on the Camry Hybrid:
* Navigation
* Bluetooth
* Moonroof!
* Heated leather seats
* Heated side mirrors

It's hardly a fair fight.

Well that's a $4000 difference and you surely won't make that up in gas savings especially since the Camry Hybrid should get high 30s, low 40s. I noticed the Camry has knee airbags... that's a new one on me.

Perhaps the different audience statement holds true which is why Toyota allowed so much overlap. I'm just wondering how will this effect Prius sales.

specs for those who want to check them out: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=16719&hl=

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DeadPhish @ Mar 30 2006, 02:01 PM) [snapback]232483[/snapback]</div>

My post was 100% accurate; all data came direct from Toyota's own website www.toyota.com. I made a mistake in thinking halogen and HID lights were the same, but everything else was true. I was pointing out that the Camry Hybrid had many things as standard that were options on the Prius, so the $4000 base price difference is very misleading. The fact is, a Prius configured similarly to a Camry Hybrid costs roughly the same.

Of course you get 10-15 mpg more in the Prius, along with carpool access and a larger tax credit, and it's a hatchback with obviously more cargo room, but the Camry is more comfortable, smooth, quiet, fast, and user-friendly (I hate the Prius dashboard) with better speakers I believe. Also it has a much larger fuel tank -- even if you just get 35 mpg in it, you'd go 525 miles before the low-fuel alarm comes on, and about 600 miles before it empties, assuming you do not top off. Whereas it seems like most people just get 400 miles out of a Prius even when they're getting 50 mpg, and of course its bladder takes forever to fill completely, and you never know how much remains after the alarm goes off.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Mar 30 2006, 07:17 PM) [snapback]232635[/snapback]</div>

Sorry for the confusion; the two things were actually unrelated. I meant some of the things that are standard on the Camry, which I didn't list, weren't available on the Prius even as options. Specifically I was thinking of the power seats (including height adjustments), tire pressure monitoring system... and I guess that's it. I then listed, for completeness, all options for the Camry.

All new Vehicles less than 10,000 pounds must have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (hereafter known as TPMS) standard by 2008.

As far as I know, Toyota will have it on all 2007s anyway.