Prius v storage volume vs Camry Hybrid

The Camry Hybrid rear seat folds down, but there is only a small opening to pass something through. It has to do with the HV battery placement in the Camry. If length is important, you will be better off with the Prius v.

 

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Firepa63 is right on. After seeing the Prius v trunk and fold down cargo volume, and then seeing the Hycam's I was overwhelmed with a sense of claustrophobia with the Camry. Just not much you can use the Camry's backseat pass-through for other than a couple sets of snow skis or a few 2x4s.

Remember, too. The Camry has the typical sedan problem of getting past the rear window ledge and trunk arms before you can even take advantage of the Camry's nice trunk. Tough to do with large pieces.

 

Based on my research, I could not justify getting the hybrid version of some other car. Yes, you get higher MPGs, but I think nearly all cost/benefit analysis indicate that you're pretty much just fronting the gas savings in the increased costs. Especially for a decent MPG car like the Camry, it puzzles me that people would spring for the hybrid version. I'm not saying it's a bad car by any means. I used to own a Camry. I'm just saying, why not just get the regular Camry? Is it for environmental reasons?

 

Well, don't forget, the Camry is, in heart, a standard sedan. The Prius v is more of a Cross-over/Minivan/Wagon type vehicle, so it will have more overall cargo space. When you also look at the Camry, the cargo area, like most sedans, are going to be basically the trunk area.

The Prius and the Prius v does not 'cap' the back area, so it offers more 'filling' room in the back area.

 

Well, don't forget, people are going to be used to a certain kind of car. A hybrid of a normal car will often times help with the fuel economy situation for a person without really sacrificing the 'feel' for another vehicle type.

Like for me, I went to the Prius v over the Prius for two reasons. One, the space was more than what my old car was, although I did end up using the back seat to take up some of the stuff that was in the backseat of my old car. The other was not liking the Prius' back window bar, which the Prius v allowed me to have a better rear view than the Prius.

So may feel also more comfortable with a particular sedan style. I mean, I also seriously thought about the Camry Hybrid, but in the end it was the space and just not liking the look of the interior that leaned me more to the Prius v.

 

According to fueleconomy.gov (interior/luggage):

v: 97/34 Camry 103/13

 

I think you missed my point. I can understand why someone would prefer the Camry Hybrid over the Prius v. What I'm saying is, I don't understand why someone would get the Camry Hybrid over the regular Camry. The fuel savings is offset by the increased cost, and you're getting basically an identical car.

 

Again, the belief on saving money over fuel costs. Often times it will be the perceived savings in short terms, just like while people bought the Volt. They bought it because they aren't fueling up their car nearly as often as the Prius, and that the cost to charge is less than the price over time of fueling up the car. However, in one study, if you go beyond a certain range, because the Volt does support beyond its electric range, you find the cost at range is more than a Prius or a Plug-in Prius which has a shorter electric range than the Volt.

This is not to say a Prius is better, but it is the perception or belief it is there.

 

You are only 'fronting' the money if you pay cash. Otherwise you are leveraging your saving by getting a loan. Done right, you can save money from the first day until you get rid of it. If you don't drive as much, you save money as the price of fuel increases. In another thread I showed a $4,000 profit over ten years (using someone else's assumptions). Do the math.

 

I suppose there could be some scenario where you would save money in the long run with the hybrid Camry vs. regular Camry. What I'm saying is, that scenario is unlikely for the typical driver. Therefore, why get the hybrid version in the first place? Anyway, the conclusion that I reached was that the Prius was the only hybrid worth getting in part because there is no "regular" version of the Prius to compare it to.

 

I've driven the v, Cam Hy, and Cam 2.5L. Frankly, the Cam Hy has, hands down, the best drivetrain of the 3. That 2.5L HSD is quick, quiet, and efficient. The 1.8L HSD is efficient, but considerably slower and less refined as far as noise, harshness, and vibration. The 2.5L gasser from the Camry isn't particularly efficient unless you're driving all highway. It is faster than the 1.8L HSD, but it doesn't touch the 2.5L HSD. It isn't as smooth as the 2.5L HSD either.

If Toyota made a Camry Hybrid with the interior from the SE version, I'd have ordered that instead of the v. The chassis is better damped and the drivetrain is fantastic*. The only thing that really holds it back is the lack of a proper passthrough from the trunk to the cargo area. As someone that chooses practicality over all else, the v was the ultimate winner in my comparison, but I never thought the Camry Hybrid would be that good until I drove it.

Motortrend has some great things to say about the Camry Hybrid, too.

Finally, the CamHy should have a better resale value than the regular gas model in a few years when gas is hovering around $5/gal or more. You should at least get some portion of that hybrid premium back.

* Driving the exact same 6 mile loop in both the v and CamHy, I observed the exact same mpg. The CamHy was considerably quicker.

 

When I learn that BMW came up with several hybrid versions, some of which gain only a few MPG, but the much less CO2 emissions may be good enough to please some of their loyal customers.

 

Are you comparing the TCH to the 4 cylinder or the 6 cylinder gas version? The performance of TCH is closer to that of the 6 cylinder, and the price difference you mention possibly vanishes. A quick check of prices on thecarconnection website is showing me:

GAS 4 Door Sedan V6: $26,910 MSRP
TCH LE 4dr Sedan : $25,990 MSRP
TCH XLE 4dr Seda: $27,500 MSRP

 

We recently bought a 2012 Camry Hybrid, and it is a great car. It hits a sweet spot for power and economy, rides well, and is very nice inside. I agree that it should be compared to the V6 for pricing purposes, not the 4 cylinder.