Unlike like the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the SUV that matches a V6 engine with electric motors for performance and not penny-pinching, the Camry Hybrid is similar to the Prius in that its sole reason for being is to save gas and reduce emissions. It does a good job of it, too. Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powers this newest of Camrys, featuring a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 147 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 138 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm combined with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor that adds 45 horsepower and 199 lb.-ft. of torque between 0-1,500 rpm. The marriage results in an engine that delivers plentiful torque and around 192 horsepower. The Camry Hybrid’s powertrain is mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for maximum fuel efficiency, and the battery pack is a Nickel-metal Hydride Unit that weighs in at 150 lbs.

The benefit of using a Hybrid Synergy Drive system that mates a four-cylinder engine with an electric motor is that the car can not only keep up in traffic, but it gets great fuel economy, too. Toyota estimates a city rating of 43 mpg and a highway rating of 37 mpg. On a short drive, we were able to average around 38 combined miles-per-gallon. With 192 ponies in place, which is what the 2006 Camry V6 made, Toyota says the 2007 Camry Hybrid will accelerate to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds, plenty quick enough to keep up in traffic. That’s more power and better fuel economy than the four-cylinder Camry – which, of course, will cost less money. Heck, no one ever said being right wasn’t expensive.

While the steering remains a power-assisted rack-and-pinion setup, underneath Toyota engineers have tinkered with the existing front MacPherson and rear dual-link independent suspension. Connect this revised suspension to a wheelbase that’s two inches longer, keep the vehicle’s dimensions the same, add larger 16-inch wheels, and what you’ve got is a sedan that can easily handle the increased weight requirements of a hybrid powertrain. The Camry Hybrid weighs in at 3,637 lbs., around 200 lbs. more than the regular Camry.

For battery recharging purposes, the Camry Hybrid’s brakes are different from the standard models, offering front ventilated discs with ABS and an integrated regenerative brake system. Rear brakes are solid discs, and also have a regenerative system built in.