Handling is nicely balanced despite the added weight in the back. Cornering maneuvers are not bad at all, to tell you the truth. Compared to the Prius, the Camry's brakes are more progressive. The regenerative braking system (which charges the batteries) is a bit present at lower speeds yet totally invisible at higher speeds.
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| This is still the good old Camry as we know it. |
Few worthy rivalsHandling is nicely balanced despite the added weight in the back.While pricier, the Nissan Altima Hybrid ($33,998) offers solid driving dynamics and a slightly more inspiring performance. At General Motors, the Saturn Aura Green Line ($24,240) and the upcoming
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid (about $25,000) are both less expensive than the Camry Hybrid. Of course, we should not overlook the Prius ($29,500), which offers roughly the same interior room though in a different configuration.
Wrap-up The 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid looks like any other Camry. However, it targets two specific types of customers: those who merely want to make a green statement and those who wish to save money on fuel. Both will be extremely pleased with this car. True, they will have to pay more upon purchasing the vehicle (when compared to a similarly-equipped gas-powered model) and wait five years until they finally start to save money, but they will significantly reduce their carbon footprint in the process. And you can't put a price on that.
Photo Credit : Toyota
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