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Which 2018 Camry Hybrid Trim Level To Buy? Or....

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by moparjer, Aug 18, 2017.

  1. moparjer

    moparjer Junior Member

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    I currently own a 2014 Avalon Hybrid Limited which I bought new and love, but for a few things that irk my wife and I-trunk space and cup holders. I know, cup holders-WTH. We're in our 60's but still 30 at heart. I can fit more stuff in a Costco shopping cart than in the Avalon's trunk. :mad: Also, I'm not sure what they were thinking not molding bottle holders into the door panels. On longer trips my wife and I always have to utilize the rear seat pull down cup holders to hold our water bottles after we stop and buy pop or coffee.

    So, along comes the 2018 Camry Hybrid. The thought of getting 50+ mpg, 60-40 split fold down rear seats, and enough cup holders for a family of four made my prostate shrink.

    Then, when I learned only the LE gets 50+ mpg I felt betrayed by Toyota, the only car maker I have bought for nearly 40 years. I'm spoiled that the thought of giving up leather and other amenities for the LE's 50+ mpg frankly seems like punishment. Stepping up to the XLE lowers mpg considerably and considering I can get 40-44 mpg in my Avalon around town is it even worth it?

    Should I go for the 50+ mpg LE, the more Avalon comparable XLE, or stay put?

    Please, any advice is appreciated. For these are the tough questions senior citizens must deal with on a daily basis. :)
     
    #1 moparjer, Aug 18, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2017
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    stay put. it's certainly worthwhile looking at, and driving the hycam, but i think you'll find the economic loss won't be worth any gains in satisfaction.

    and i agree with you on the le. to me, it's a circus sideshow, and the upscale models are the real mpg numbers. disappointing.
     
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  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Swapping out the SE and XLE 18 inch wheels for 16 inch ones and the tire size of the SE will improve the fuel economy. Can't say how much though.

    Keep in mind that it is a first year, and the chance of problems will be greater. Better off waiting for the 2019 eitherway.
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Camry XLE will be quieter and nicer to drive than the 2017 Camry. It may be as quiet as your Avalon (can't say for sure) but definitely will ride better. The trunk is also the same size as the regular Camry (~15 cu. ft.) because the battery is now under the rear seat.

    You will get Entune 3.0 (Safety Connect, Destination Assist and Remote Connect among other things). Gen 4 Prius owners are getting ridiculous mpg numbers. An educated guess would say that the 44mpg in the XLE is underrated (Ditto the 50mpg LE). You can wait and see what new Camry owners are getting before making your decision. It is the first year and your Avalon is pretty new so there's no rush.

    @amped here has ordered an LE Hybrid so you can ask him questions once he gets it (sorry Amped haha.)
     
  5. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    Having driven an '18 HyCam, I think your biggest concern may become ergonomics. The seating position is without exaggeration much lower than expected. If for any reason you or your spouse have mobility limitations, you really ought to drive any version HyCam before you proceed further.

    It isn't just the lower seating position, it's the distance between seat cushion and floor that's a little lower meaning that it's less chair-like, more like a grand touring car. Could be either good or bad depending on your preference. I like it a lot, it really accents the lower CG they advertise and makes the car feel more secure and planted during semi-spirited driving.

    Otherwise, if you're accustomed to a posh Avalon, wait for the 2019MY. It was shown at the national dealer show earlier this year and friends say that the all-new Avalon raises the bar for the segment at least as much as the all-new HyCam, especially the interior that they described as pretty much an LS Lexus clone.

    @Tideland Prius, no worries mate, glad to sound off about HyCams, no holds barred.
     
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  6. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    The thing is, comparing content of the LE to the SE or XLE, there's really very little difference and that can mostly be matched with option packages available for the LE.

    I also think the LE cloth is vastly improved to the point where it's a tough call between it and leather since seat coolers aren't available in any trim while seat heaters are standard across the board.

    The one exception is the availability of adaptive headlights only available on the XLE HV. I had them on a Lexus and found them to be a significant safety feature where I drive half the year, unlit mountain roads in the rain.
     
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Good to hear that the Avalon continues. The current model is quite nice (and a pity that not too many people purchase it, but in Canada, we don't see a lot of Impalas, Avalons or Maximas).

    Do we know if the adaptive headlights are the swivel type or the LED array type?
     
  8. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    I think when Toyota start putting Li-Ion battery in the SE and XLE, their MPG will get close to the LE.
     
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  9. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    Not from anyone I've talked to about them. The brochure and ordering guide only mention them as an option package, no details otherwise.
     
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  10. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    I really wonder how much it would help. Of the estimated 100 lb. weight delta between LE HV and the others, I calculated from the tirerack.com site that about 65 lbs. of that are from the 18" wheels and tires so 15+ lbs. per corner of rotational mass may be more of a culprit than the battery.
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i hope these cars are rentable. there are just too many mysteries to make an educated decision from a test drive.
    disappointing to hear the seats are lower. as we age, that is or will be a problem, forcing us into other cars.
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Can the seat height be raised just enough to give it a more normal seating position? Or will the lower mounted steering wheel get in the way?
     
  13. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    Good question that I asked myself afterward.

    I only adjusted the seat for length and didn't adjust the wheel at all, everything lined up for me that way. I'm not sure if the driver's seat was fully lowered or not. The LE and SE HV's have 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar, the passenger seat is 6-way adjustable. The XLE HV has 8-way power adjustable and power lumbar on both front seats.
     
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  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    and the ceiling may have something to say about that as well. more importantly, the top of the door jamb as you get in.
     
  15. amped

    amped Senior Member

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    The sill height seemed about right for easily lifting a leg over to slide, or drop into, the seat where it was adjusted to at the time.

    The headliner is interesting. It's sculpted above both front seats, obviously engineered to get the best
    headroom measurement without a sunroof.
     
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  16. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The Li-ion battery has about the same usable capacity as the NiMH. Toyota is using them more to reduce weight, and the extra weight in the larger wheels will have a bigger impact. Anything not being supported by the suspension is referred to as unsprung mass, and it hurts fuel efficiency more than weight on the suspension.
     
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  17. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    You can always change the wheels and tires yourself to reduce weight and rotating mass but the Li-Ion must come from the factory.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    hard to believe the wheel size and weight is eating up that many mpg's, but what do i know.
     
  19. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    You also strip weight from other areas of the car to make up the difference between the Li-ion and NiMH. The weight difference is the Li-ion's main contribution in Toyota hybrids.
    @austingreen and others have put larger wheels on their Prii. Always reduced fuel economy, possibly as much as 5mpg.
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    does it affect ride comfort and smoothness? i think we have 18" now, i'll have to look.

    17" on a 2013 xle.