Toyota Camry Hybrid

gillesmtl

I had noticed that the TCH was advertised as having a total power of 187 HP in the US and 192 HP in Canada. Since the ICE HP is the same, would the difference come from the battery ?

I assume batteries are the same, and some other measuring technicality, or printing date, is responsible for the discrepancy.

Also, regenerative breaking at 82 amperes and 244 volts equates to 20 kW and 26 HP, not ±20 HP, as I printed. Sorry.

njerald

When the specs were made "official" both in the US and Canada, the HP was dropped from 192 to 187.

That's what Toyota.ca shows now.

sibbald

what I drove yesterday in Victoria B.C. The A package included the upgraded stereo and automatic dual air condition. The three big knobs are the basic air conditioning model and fortunately not what the Canadian model hybrid has. CGI101 is absolutely correct about the navigation not being an option in Canada. But, for much less money, the Magellan 800 is fantastic and presently selling for $699.00 at London Drugs.

Cheers, Tom

tsy

I don't know if this has already been posted, but I just found out that the interior lights automatically come on as you walk up to the car at night! Kinda freaked me out at first! It's a nice little feature I didn't know it had.

tom

taxjerk

I've had my TCH for two weeks now and I couldn't be happier with my decision.

Quick question regarding the battery charge level: I've noticed that the battery only charges one bar short of being fully charged. I haven't been able to recharge the battery to its full capacity. I think I'm only charged 80% most of the time. The indicator briefly lights up lime green but quickly turns back to two bars below full charge and turns blue...which leads me to believe that I'm probably charged 85% most of the time. This has been constant for me for the past two weeks.

Just wondering if anyone has been able to consistently fully recharge the battery.

kdhspyder

Quick question regarding the battery charge level: I've noticed that the battery only charges one bar short of being fully charged. I haven't been able to recharge the battery to its full capacity. I think I'm only charged 80% most of the time. The indicator briefly lights up lime green but quickly turns back to two bars below full charge and turns blue...which leads me to believe that I'm probably charged 85% most of the time. This has been constant for me for the past two weeks.

You have noticed the key feature as to why the batteries are expected to last 'the lifetime of the vehicle' as stated on Toyota's website. The SOC is kept in a very narrow range where it never becomes fully charged nor fully discharged, except in error/emergency as noted above by devsienna.

This is why the cycling from charge/discharge can be repeated nearly indefinitely without deteriorating the battery's performance.

pandc

I keep seeing it talked about but what is it?
BTW...I picked up my TCH with nav, leather, sunroof...last Saturday...Paid MSRP 30,589 in Chicago burbs... desert sand mica...love the car..this message board is great also

gc77584

someone while you were sitting at a light could simply pop your trunk as they walked behind you and take what was there in the trunk.

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

gc77584

ICE = internal combustion engine

the engine that runs on gas vs the electric motor that runs on the big battery that takes up so much of the trunk space

carol33

Hi,

I am a 33 year old female, married, with no children yet. I am in the market for a new car. I have a 1992 corolla that is falling apart...it is time to get a new car. I have narrowed it down to 2 cars.....2007 Camry or 2006 Rav4. I can't decide if a small suv or sedan would be better. Both cars seem to have good ratings as far as performance and reliability. I guess it comes down to looks......I hate to be superficial but that is what it comes down to. What is your opinion on which car looks better? What is popular nowadays?
Also, are leather seats better than cloth?

Thank you

wvgasguy

Just wondering if anyone has been able to consistently fully recharge the battery.

Yes, several times on long down grades I have had the full green bars (I'm not sure because of my eyes and the lighting but it appeared the top bar was a little darker green.

Also when you get down low the bottom bar turns violet/purple

ericottawa

I picked up a TCH last week with the optional B package. It seems that there are quite a lot of differences between USA and Canada TCH's. In Canada, no tire pressure monitoring, sunvisor lights show as dimmable in USA, although I have not checked, I don't think ours are. The NAV apparently is not "yet" available as the regular Camry here has the NAV option (or accessory) and it does NOT have the Hybrid display....so they are working on getting this display function to work and then will have it available. I am anxiously waiting!

ericottawa

Two questions. Following the recent threads on running on electric after running out of gas. On full or close to full charge, how far would it run on electic mode(EV).

I understand that in the Asian and European markets there is, on the Prius and Hylander a button to the left of the steering column (Blank in NA) that says "EV" (Electric Vehicle). Apparently if you push this while at a stop, the car will run up to a slow speed (maybe 40 MPH) on electric. (the ICE, will however start if the battery gets too low) There is a firm in FLA that make a simple kit to modify NA Prius's as the computer function is already there. Does anyone know anything about this for the TCH?

Thanks
Eric

wvgasguy

I guess it comes down to looks......

I will not buy a car I don't like the looks of. However once my list is made of acceptable cars it then comes to make the final choice on something other than looks. Both vehicles are good looking designs in their class.

The Rav4 will have one of the best resale values in its class (probably doesn't matter if you keep it 14 years). A regular Camry (not hybrid) will also be a good long term vehicle. Although I have a TCH I don't necessarily believe it would be my choice if I planned to drive it for 14 years.

You don't indicate your milage/yr. There are considerations I believe you need to make to be responsible with your finances. An SUV, even one as good as the Rav4 will not be as cheap to drive as a Camry. Too many people are already driving SUV's when they don't need one. However and I don't know what your other family vehicle is, an SUV is a handy vehicle, just not a good daily driver. I have a TCH for most driving but I have a 4Runner to pull my trailer, jetskis and tractor. I used to drive an SUV for daily use and decided when I got the TCH that it's stupid and just not a good thing to drive something that gets 14.4mpg foor a daily driver.

Bottom line:

If you need to haul occasionally and don't drive a lot of miles consider the Rav4

If you drive a lot (>12,000 miles per year) the Camry is probably more comfortable and effecient.

I think another vehicle you should consider if you go SUV is the Highlander Hybrid. Right now they are being discounted heavily and if driven right will yield a very good mpg rating.

Cloth and leather is not a choice of better, it's a choice of what feels best. I've had leather for several years but my 4 Runner is a sport model and it came with cloth. I wasn't sure we'd like it but it has not bothered me. Some people don't like leather at all (they've probably never owned it either). Some don't like leather in cold climates but you typically have to have leather if you want heated seats. Some don't like leather in hot climates, but since automobiles have started using tinted glass I don't think it's that big of an issue (the leather used to get real hot with the sun hitting it while parked)

Personally, when I have a choice I choose leather

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Leather or cloth, Rav4 or Camry.

(My daughter has the Corolla S, I think that is a really good looking car and it gets great FE as well)

ericottawa

Well, you certainly are on the correct track with Toyota!
I am not an expert by a long shot, however really like cars and have had many very interesting automobiles in last 40 years. Corvette to Mercedes, BMW to Corolla!
You really need to drive both to see the difference. I suggest renting for at least a full day to really get the feel. Two years ago, after our daughter wrote off my wifes new Camry, we looked at the RAV4 (then a very different car to the current RAV4) and chose the Honda CRV because it was longer. (Less porpoising on the road)BUT that car sure is noisy at highway speeds, and we did not really see this in the test drives. I do beleive that the current RAV4 is a superb vehicle. If I were to get a similar vehicle for my wife today, I would get the RAV4 or the Hylander Hybrid (chech that out too). I just picked up a Camry Hybrid last week and am absolutely thrilled with it One of the best cars I have ever bought! BE WARNED, however these Hybrid cars are very different! Excellent, but different. The trunk IS SMALL!!!When it takes off from a start in normal driving, you feel a "tug" as the gas engine starts. (In the Hylander with a bigger and V6 engine the engine start is almost imperceptable. So, different but excellent. If one was to buy one of these with only a short drive, they may be surprised after driving a bit at all the differences. all this to say these are new and different and I bought one as I feel they are the future, I love it and enjoy getting into it every time! More luxurious than a RAV4 and probably has more features and probably is more quiet.

Have fun!
Eric

taxjerk

Hey Carol33,

Both wvgasguy and ericottawa have provided great arguments for choosing one from the other. I just recently purchased the '07 Camry and the RAV4 was not a deciding factor for me...although I think the new RAV4s are well-designed compact SUVs. I also like the way they look. My opinion, I really like the new design of the '07 Camry. The design not only looks great, it has a drag coefficiency of 0.28 (the hybrid version has a Cd of 0.27). Now, that may not be a significant factor for you but if you're concerned of saving fuel (in everyway possible)...it matters.

If you're just concerned of the way either vehicle looks on the outside, it's really a matter of preference...your preference. If you're considering other factors (i.e., hybrid, navigation, leather, interior space, trunk space), it really depends on what you'll be using the vehicle for. Like wvgasguy mentioned, if you're planning on primarily using your car as a commuter vehicle, then the '07 Camry is probably a better choice (especially the hybrid version). If you need the additional space to move things, you may want to go with the RAV4.

Many of the options or standard features available in the '07 Camry are also available in the Limited version of the RAV4. If money is a factor, you'll have to consider the base vs base of each model. If money is not a factor, compare the two with all the options that you prefer to have. Leather is a matter of preference again. You may like it in moderate weather but may hate it during extreme temperatures (hot or cold)...like wvgasguy said. You'll need to upgrade to leather if you want heated seats...a feature my wife really likes but I, personally, never use.

If your budget permits, you should consider getting a fully loaded Camry Hybrid. MSRP is approx. $30.5K ($33.5K after-tax). If you're able to purchase a Camry Hybrid before the reduction in the federal tax credit, you'll be able to reduce your tax liability by $2,600. So, after-tax credit cost is approximately $31K. You're still paying a premium to own a hybrid but if gas prices continue to rise (although the prices have declined in the past week), a hybrid will help with your gas consumption.

If you want a non-hybrid Camry, it's still a matter of preference. Do you want all the bells and whistles, which you'll have with the Camry XLE. It'll probably cost you approximately $35K+. I think the fully loaded RAV4 is probably the same but if you're looking for speed, it's the Camry XLE V6.

I think you're looking into the Camry Hybrid because this is a Camry Hybrid forum. Otherwise, you should find a forum that'll help you compare apples with apples because comparing the Camry Hybrid to any other Camry model is still comparing apples to oranges.

Bottom line: Go with the Toyota Camry Hybrid (TCH). It's a great car and so much fun to drive. All the electronic feedback allows me to see how efficiently or inefficiently I'm driving. I test drove a Camry hybrid (non-nav)...was originally impressed but I'm really impressed with my TCH. I've already noticed two Prius owners breaking their necks to check out my TCH. You can't travel the HOV/carpool lanes by yourself in the TCH (like the Prius) but neither can the RAV4.

Hope this helps...buy the TCH...it's a no brainer.

m0t0rm0uth

I think you will look much better in the Camry. Another consideration is that the Camry does a better job safety wise. Front, offset front and side are all better than the RAV4.

Another consideration is that the Camry Hybrid should hold much more of its value than the RAV4. If you end up not liking the Hybrid you can simply sell it at any time and not get hurt on resale. If you grow tired of the RAV4 you can also sell it at anytime but it will not hold its original value quite as well....good but not like the Hybrids that are in such high demand and currently limited production.

jtdpx

After much effort, I finally got the weight of these wheels...they are 9900 grams, or about 21. 78 lbs. So, if you replace them with aftermarket wheels, this is an important figure to keep in mind. Also, if you chrome wheels that are not chrome, that adds about 1 to 1.5 lbs. to the weight of the wheel.

Fortunately, I found some great looking wheels (hard for a 16" wheel!): Focal F6, No. 176. They are 20.2 lbs. Great looking machined lip on them, the spokes are shiny black. If you chrome the wheel, they will almost exactly equal the weight of the standard ones.

berg32

I see the SE is available with 17" wheels and now 18" wheels as an option. Can these wheels be used on a TCH? If yes, what are pros and cons? Cost of 18" wheels adds $2,100 to an SE. Can a Toyota dealer swap the standard TCH wheels at this cost?

cgi101

You say the TCH in Canada has no NAV *or* hybrid display. But did you notice the LCD screen below the speedometer can display a graphical status of if the battery/gas engine are being used? Each time I went to the dealership to test drive the TCH here in Halifax, there was a different one on the lot. I ended up driving 3 different TCH's... When I was driving one of them, I had noticed the little lcd display showed a spinning tire and a picture of a gas engine and battery, and little arrows. Depending on which engine was being used, or if regenerative braking was being used, the direction of the arrows would change to indicate the flow of energy. When I was test driving the other two models I noticed the screen did not show this; it simply showed information like the outside temperature. It sounds like there must be some setting/mode you can switch to so your lcd display shows hybrid-ish information on the Canadian TCH! I'd check out the user manual.

tsy

Thanks for doing that! Almost 22lbs! That's heavy for a 16" wheel. I would think Toyota would have tried to make lighter wheels for the TCH, taking weight off the wheels (unsprung weight) would seem to benefit handling and braking.

If you took 6 lbs off each wheel (pretty easy) that would be like taking almost 100lbs off the car. (about 1:4-5 ratio unsprung:sprung from what I've read)

I'm not sure how much this would affect mileage, though. Maybe the difference is negligible (although Honda puts lighter wheels on their hybrids- it must make some difference)

I think I need some 13lb wheels!

tom

pandc

there is a button on the steering wheel to change that display

ozarkgolfer

What does it take to remove the tire pressure monitors (tpm) inside the TCH stock wheels and install in a new set of rims. I've read previous posts about removing the tpm, installing in the new wheel, balancing the setup prior to installing the rim in the tire and then re-balancing again once the tire/wheel/tpm is finally together. But what is it that holds the tpm in the wheel? Is it attached to the inside of the valve stem?

muadib84

Hi there,
Just ordered a fully loaded TCH in Titanium. Am told my timing was really good, will be here next week! Was prepared for substantial wait.
This dealer is in Tucson. No markup over MSRP

spectrablue

What does it take to remove the tire pressure monitors (tpm) inside the TCH stock wheels and install in a new set of rims


Piece of cake. A deep socket wrench removes the "valve stem" from the outside of the wheel. The stem is attached to a small sensing/sending unit inside the rim. As long as the internal geometry of the new wheel is similar you shouldn't have any problem fitting it up. Didn't have any balance issues mounting the sensor, then the tire, then balancing the whole setup.

tomjc

I’m so paranoid that I’m going to get a huge door ding while parked. The door panels and body side panels seem totally unprotected from this happening, has anybody gotten a door ding on their new TCH?

I’m getting a lot of good exercise walking from the far reaches of the parking lot.

willybill

This past weekend, we had the opportunity to drive the TCH for the first extended period.. A trip of 150 miles each way, all Interstate with posted 70mph limit. Outside temp was hot at 93 degrees. Much of this trip was spent above 40 MPG econ. Quite a while drafting behind a semi. Avg at the other end was 41 mpg. Then running around while there, added 4 or five trips and about 40 miles. The return trip (150 miles) was cooler but strong headwinds and rain. Economy dropped to about 36.1 mpg. At the conclusion of the 340 mile trip, I added 9.54 gallons of gas for a tank average of 35.63.
AC was on ECO the entire trip. When I reset the trip upon gas fill, the BEST mpg now states 36.0 so it is not far off from actual useage calculation.
While this is less than some have experienced, I am quite happy overall with the economy I am getting. I have never made that trip in any other vehicle for less than 14-20 gallons of gas and this time had less than 10 gallons!
I noticed during the return trip in the headwinds that the MPG meter hardly ever went above about 35 mpg. I was surprised that these headwinds could make a 5-6 mpg difference.
I have just conculed my first 1,000 miles with the overall economy at 35.84 (calculated).

hybridriver

I’m so paranoid that I’m going to get a huge door ding while parked. The door panels and body side panels seem totally unprotected from this happening, has anybody gotten a door ding on their new TCH?

I’m getting a lot of good exercise walking from the far reaches of the parking lot.

I figure it's inevitable, but I do take certain steps to minimize it, like never taking a parking space which is really tight. Also, if possible, I'll park slightly closer to the car on my left figuring the passenger door of that car may not get used, but the driver's door to my right certainly will be. Gotta play the odds...

Speaking of paint dings, I got my first one this weekend. Turning left into a parking lot with a dip in front of the sidewalk driveway, and not slowing down quite enough, the front end bottomed, and took some paint off. You have to sort of squat and look closely to see it, but it's there. So, remember to really slow down for sharp dips!

sallyspal

Does anyone know any tricks to make the Homelink feature work with an older model Sears garage door opener (1/2 HP)? I have followed the instructions to the letter but without success; even tried the alternative method (for rolling codes) but can't find a "learn" button on my opener.

Thanks for all the great tips!

willybill

I have an older STANLEY opener with the dip-switch setting remote. I was able to get it going just by holding it near the homelink button and depressing both until the light flashes quickly.. Don't release too soo when it just begins to flash. Hopefully, that will work.

sandetm

Went to pop the trunk while washing my TCH the other day using the button just above the license plate and had the key fob on the passenger seat. It would not open. Not sure if it was because it was too far away or because it was inside the car. You might ask how would the sensor know if the fob was inside the car? Well, my wife was driving it the other day and the fob fell out of her purse onto the seat. When she tried to lock the door with the black button on the door handle it would not lock and she got a long tone instead of the normal short one when the doors lock.

houtex1

This is probably by design. The manual goes into great detail describing all the ways the car attempts to avoid you locking the key inside the car. It's not 100% fail safe, but it seems to do a good job of this. Some problem areas (where you can lock yourself out) may be if the key is in the glove compartment or on the floor.

lungdoc63

The instruction in manual are off a bit. Go to homelink.com and follow instructions for setting up 2006 camry.

kdhspyder

Solution: Take one of your own keys or a penknife and carve your initials in an unobtrusive place so as to be able to identify it if it becomes lost at camp.

It also relieves 'ding anxiety' as a side effect.

tomjc

Hope I didn't sound like a "Ding Bat"

tomjc

But seriously folks, on other vehicles I’ve owned I usually down shift (even with auto transmissions) when coming to a stop, or to slow down in traffic, in order to save the brakes. On my TCH I’ve been shifting to “B” (brake) and I like the way it really slows down the car when I need it. But, now I’m thinking this doesn’t recharge the batteries like the regenerative brakes would and I’m reducing the FE. Is this correct? Thanks

orgal

My dealer said just to use the B (brake) on a long incline, like going down a mountain.

dwight_burchak

I just got a 2007 Camry Hybrid and love it so far. But there is no unswitched DC outlet. I have heard there is a way to change this without dealership intervention... n'est-ce pas (is this so)? Thanx.

larsb

Look at your instruments when you are in "B" gear. If the instruments are telling you that the battery is being charged, then you know it is.

But in "B" mode, you are certainly not capturing any "brake energy" either way.

gampa

Ref door dings...

Your not alone... there are others out there that do the same thing just don't admit it... just don't let it control your life... and the next time someone askes why you parked out in left field just say...
" I do it for the exercise...(optional) and you know you could use a little excercise yourself!

Gampa

sallyspal

Thanks Lungdoc, you were right, the manual omits a very important step. I followed the online instructions at the Homelink website and it worked like a charm.

nguyep715

Could anyone of you let me know that the smart key on the TCH will actually auto lock the door when you walk away from the vehicle?

Do you need to reprogram it to automatically unlock all 4 doors when you approach the vehicle?

Thanks for your help.

droid13

According to the manual, the regenerative process that occurs during coasting works in "B" and "D" modes. The manual describes the decelleration achieved while coasting/regenerating as attempting to match the same that would be experienced on a regular gas powered car in "D" and the "B" the same as a regular car shifting to a lower gear for engine braking.

Whether all the "braking" provided by the "B" mode is created by the generator and how that compares to what you'd get using the brakes, the manual doesn't say. I find the "B" mode a bit agressive on braking and prefer to be light on the brakes and listen to the faint generator whine while stopping. It sounds cool.

muuher

>Could anyone of you let me know that the smart key on the TCH will actually auto lock the door when you walk away from the vehicle?

Not that I know of.

> Do you need to reprogram it to automatically unlock all 4 doors when you approach the vehicle?

Yes. As it comes from the factory, touching the passenger side door will unlock all doors and the driver side will only unlock itself. But that can be changed to unlock all doors.

rmayer99

Hi Hybridriver,

I am not a Hybrid owner, but I did just purchase a 2007 4-cyl Camry which comes standard with, I believe, the same JBL 440 watt, 8-spkr system that you have. I was amazed and disappointed to see that in this package the tweeters are in the BACK, coupled with a subwoofer, and the front pair on the dash are just MID-RANGE.

Did someone change the rules since I bought my last Camry in 2003? That had a perfectly good pair of (JBL) tweeters up front as part of a balanced system, and I was happy with it. Now the only way I can get clear speech on my FM talk station is to shift the sound behind me...which sucks when I'm listening to news-talk.

Yes, it's okay for music, but there is still a lack of high-end clarity. And don't get me started on how off-center the L-R balance is. :mad:

On the jbltoyota.com website, JBL proudly touts this arrangement as their new "Distributed SubWoofer System", which "optimizes bass response". That's great if you want more bass, maybe, but I'd rather have a balanced sound image, and as it stands now, putting tweeters in the back leads to anything but that.

Any ideas on how this can be countered?

Thanks,

AZRob

wvgasguy

Do you need to reprogram it to automatically unlock all 4 doors when you approach the vehicle?

Actually it's when you touch the door handle, not just "approach" the vehicle. Remember this is a safety feature before you change the programing. If your spouse is heading (running) to the car feeling a little insecure for some reason, having all 4 doors unlock is not a good feeling. If she/he is in a parking lot and open the door, somone standing in the lot on the other side of the car can just get in.

I don't live in an area where I really need to worry that much about this, but some of you do.

If you want to open all 4 doors you can always use the fob.

nguyep715

Thank you very much for your replies.

You've made a very good point regarding safety of not to unlock all 4 doors.

I am picking up the Jasper Green today after work. Probably the first of this colour from Toronto. My wife and I both think the colour is very cool especially under the bright sun.

njerald

Maybe you think the front of the car is the back?

The tweeters alone are in the front!!!!!!!!!!

The speakers in the back are coax speakers (tweeters and midrange).

kdhspyder

Good one..LOL

grandtotal

But seriously folks, on other vehicles I’ve owned I usually down shift (even with auto transmissions) when coming to a stop, or to slow down in traffic, in order to save the brakes.

It's your choice of course, but bear in mind it is a lot easier and cheaper to replace brakes than a transmission. Also it is better to spread your braking effort among all four wheels for stability reasons.