The Toyota Camry Hybrid is a more spacious, luxurious, comfortable version of Toyota’s popular Prius hybrid, with equally impressive fuel economy. The Camry hybrid lacks the aspects of the Prius that some buyers might find off-putting, such as the compact size. The Camry hybrid establishes a perfect balance of fuel economy, ‘green’ living, and a functional family sedan.

The electric qualities of the Toyota Camry hybrid are subtle compared to its counter parts. While driving the Toyota Prius, the driver can tell when the gas engine has shut off and the car’s power is coming from the battery. Likewise, one can also tell when the gas engine has kicked back on, and the car is needing more power than the battery can provide. This is not the case with the Toyota Camry Hybrid. This car offers a smooth, seamless ride. One has to be really paying attention to the engine to determine which source is powering the car.

With the 2008 model’s reduced retail price, and the high gas prices facing our nation, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a breath of fresh air. As far as I’m concerned, nothing available right now can match the quietness, comfort, and fuel economy of the Toyota Camry hybrid.

Toyota wisely chose to keep the engine light, pairing their hybrid drive with a 3.3L V6. The result is a car that is a fully functional family-sized SUV, with much better gas mileage than almost any competitor in its class. It feels noticeably larger than the old model, with both storage and seating space improved, but driver reviews and road-tests have consistently reported capable handling and a soft and easy ride that is slightly better than average for this size of SUV. The engine puts out a combined 270hp, which is far from sporty for the size of the car, but gives it an acceleration that is barely below similar sized non hybrid models.

Most impressively though, is the performance and savings in miles per gallon. At 27 city miles per gallon and 25 highway miles to the gallon, it sits comfortably on the higher portions of the curve for SUV fuel economy. The increased city miles over highway is not unusual in this class of hybrid car. The engine takes more advantage of the hybrid drive at lower speeds, and has more power from recovering the energy of frequent breaking.

For the family that wants to be environmentally responsible, but still be able to pack everyone and everything they need into a roomy SUV, the Toyota Highlander is a hard choice to beat.