All-new, all-hybrid 2024 Toyota Camry revealed

The new-generation 2024 Toyota Camry has been revealed in the US exclusively with hybrid power and the optional availability of all-wheel drive for the first time.

Confirmed for Australian release in the second half of next year, the latest in a long line of Camrys produced by Toyota since 1982 looks a lot like a heavily facelifted version of the fully imported current model that was launched Down Under in November 2017.

Indeed, the ninth-generation XV80-series Camry is based on the same TNGA-K platform as its predecessor but features a bolder Prius-inspired front-end design with matching tail-lights, although most of the key body and character lines of the current Camry have been carried over.

The same can’t be said of the interior, which has been given a major overhaul and now brandishes a new rectangular theme to replace the outgoing model’s curvaceous lines, seemingly freeing up more cabin space in the process.

Enhancing the new dash is the integration of Toyota’s next-generation wide-screen infotainment interface, which now sits on the same level as the digital instrument cluster and above a minimalist centre stack and rectangular centre console.

New seats have also been thrown into the mix, along with updated connected services, wireless smartphone mirroring and charging, and more USB ports covering both USB-A and USB-C.

The North American market will have access to four model grades – LE, XLE, SE and XSE, with the latter two being the more sports-focused variants compared to the former two more vanilla offerings.

This sportier intent will be reflected in their exterior designs, which feature more aggressive air ducts and intakes, functional front canards, a rear diffuser and rear lip spoiler, but the XSE flagship goes one step further with a unique body-coloured ‘sports’ grille.

There will be no V6 this time round, even for the US market, so hiding under the bonnet of every variant will be a newly-developed 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain good for an “estimated” 168kW in front-drive guise and 173kW in all-wheel drive form.

Both systems build on the current Camry Hybrid’s 160kW peak power figure and AWD will be offered across the US line-up for an undisclosed price premium.

However, all-paw versions of the new Camry are unlikely to be offered in Australia, where the existing front-drive Camry line-up is already all-hybrid, except for the entry-level Ascent (from $34,320), which is likely to increase in price.

Toyota USA says the replacement for North America's top-selling sedan rides on “retuned” suspension set-up designed to yield sharper dynamics and improved ride comfort across the board, however, the SE and XSE will score their own unique ‘sport-tuned’ set-up to match their more athletic persona.

Standard equipment highlights across the range include the aforementioned tech features, as well as automatic LED headlights, alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, four drive modes and the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 safety suite.

The digital instrument clusters in the LE and SE variants span 7.0 inches whereas the corresponding units in the plusher XLE and XSE measure 12.3 inches from corner to corner.

It’s a similar story with the infotainment systems, which span 8.0 inches in the base models and 12.3 inches in the higher grades, with a 10-inch head-up display also offered on the latter.

Toyota Australia sales, marketing and franchise operations vice-president Sean Hanley said the new Camry’s move to just hybrid power was reflective of the brand’s “multi-pathway approach to helping customers lower their carbon footprint through electrification”.

“Beyond the broad appeal of hybrid technology under the bonnet, we anticipate strong demand for the new Camry with its distinctive design, impeccable craftsmanship and premium interiors along with new-generation advances to dynamics, safety and convenience,” he said.

Despite no long being built in Australia, the current Camry continues its long run as the nation’s favourite mainstream mid-size sedan, but once again this year the Tesla Model 3 will be the most popular medium sedan overall.

Strong local demand and tighter supplies of the existing Camry Hybrid recently forced Toyota dealers to stop taking orders for the model amid growing wait times of more than two years.

It’s unclear when Toyota Australia will reopen the Camry Hybrid order book and whether customers in the queue will have their orders price-protected against the inevitable increases the new model will bring.

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