Toyota Camry Ascent 2025 Review

The all-hybrid Toyota Camry comes in three grades: the top-end SL at $53,990 plus on-road costs (ORCs), the mid-spec Ascent Sport at $42,990 plus ORCs, and the base Ascent – as reviewed here – at $39,990 plus ORCs.

As the only remaining strong seller in the medium-size sub-$60K passenger car segment (15,401 Camrys were sold in 2024 – more than Toyota’s Kluger, Corolla Cross or Yaris Cross models), it doesn’t really have much to compete with.

Other players in the segment include the Skoda Octavia (from $41,490 plus ORCs), the Hyundai Sonata N-Line (from $55,500 plus ORCs), the BYD Seal EV sedan (from $46,990 plus ORCs) and the now defunct Mazda6 (from $36,290 plus ORCs). All are essentially family-based but don’t necessarily fulfill the Camry’s brief as what could almost be described as the perfect Uber.

The base-spec Camry Accent is hardly spartan. It brings standard alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, self-dipping LED headlights, power windows all round and an 8-inch touchscreen multimedia dash display that enables GPS navigation via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (as in, there’s no integrated satellite navigation).

All this comes wrapped in mildly refreshed styling that ushers in changes to the rear roofline and introduces a longer overhang at the front end. Compared to some Camry upgrades over recent years it all seems quite restrained.

The Camry comes backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty while servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever comes first. Roadside assistance incurs an extra charge.

Hybrid Camry owners, however, benefit from an engine/driveline warranty that – provided the servicing schedule is followed at Toyota dealers – extends to seven years. Under the same provisions, the warranty for the hybrid system’s battery can be extended for up to 10 years.

Servicing costs are capped at $255 per workshop visit.

Under the umbrella of Toyota’s Safety Sense active safety technologies, the latest Camry has been paid some attention with the adoption of blind-spot monitoring, and rear (but not front) cross-traffic alert, as well as upgrades to the vulnerable road-user detection system.

Otherwise, most of the regular safety tech applies, with (high- and low-speed) autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, self-dipping LED headlights and driver-attention detection all standard. All Camrys also come with post-collision braking and steering, front and rear parking sensors and speed-sign recognition.

A driver’s kneebag is included among the Camry’s eight airbags, although there’s no front-centre bag to help prevent the driver and front passenger coming into contact in a side-on crash.

The outcome of all this is a full five-star ANCAP safety rating, scored in 2024.

The Camry’s interior might seem basic and understated but in reality there’s little missing in terms of what’s needed.

As already mentioned, inbuilt GPS for the base-model Ascent’s 8-inch touchscreen display might be missing but the provision of wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto provides a nice substitute. The Camry Ascent also features keyless entry/startup and four USB-C points: two at the very forward edge of the centre console and two accompanying the centre air vents provided for rear-seat passengers.

Toyota hybrids have always been impressive for their contribution to fuel economy and their impressive ability to wring the most out of a hybrid drivetrain in terms of performance.

Now in its fifth generation, the Camry’s hybrid system brings more urge yet better economy to the table. Following a lift in power for both its electric motor and its 2.5-litre petrol engine, combined output has increased from 160kW to 170kW. Despite the bump, the official combined fuel economy figure has dropped from 4.5L/100km to 4.0L/100km, while its CO2 output has dropped from 103g/km to 91g/km.

Consistent with what is normally experienced when comparing real-world figures with official Australian Design Rules (ADR) claims, our review Camry averaged 5.4L/100km during our week of ownership. Driving with a modicum of restraint would improve on that.

For accelerative thrust, the Camry turns out to be quite impressive, making the dash to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds – far from shabby for a mid-priced family-size passenger car with zero performance pretensions.

In its latest iteration, the Camry’s already well-resolved suspension dynamics have improved further. The MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension have been retuned and the slightly reworked steering system, though a bit lighter than before, manages to feel satisfyingly accurate and responsive.

The lane-tracking tech works pretty smoothly but the Camry is compromised by an over-reactive speed-reduction function that insists on slowing it down on tending-to-tight bends, often to the chagrin of following drivers.

The driveline offers Normal, Eco and Sport modes, as well as an EV mode that enables brief pure-electric running. Take it all as you will.

The all-disc braking system – ventilated at the front, solid at the rear – also benefits from an active hydraulic booster designed to work in harmony with the regenerative braking, Toyota claiming it brings improved feel and more effective energy recovery.

Combined with the torquey punch of the hybrid drivetrain, this makes for a nicely refined road behaviour that is almost in defiance of traditional Camry expectations. As a driver’s car, it actually measures up. There’s a pretty good balance in the ride/handling compromise and the cabin is soothingly quiet and serene.

About the only note of discord is the Camry’s dislike of high gutters when it’s being forward parked. Thanks to its increased frontal overhang, the conservative Toyota sedan needs to be treated as if it’s a low-slung performance car.

The cabin of the base, Ascent-spec Camry hardly has a welcoming persona with its unrelenting cloth-covered greyness, lack of power-adjusted seats and budget-look hard-vinyl steering wheel rim, but it is comfortable and spacious and nothing of any real importance is lacking.

Despite the lack of power seat adjustment, it’s not difficult for most drivers to find a comfortable seating position. And the stretch-out room provided for up to five adult passengers not only fulfills the needs of many Australian families, but also that of the national taxi fleet.

Loading up for a weekend away is hardly the problem it was with early hybrid Camrys, which located their nickel metal hydride batteries in a way that prevented folding of the rear seat. For some time now, hybrid Camrys have used a largely unobtrusive lithium-ion battery pack that enables use of a regular split-fold rear seat backrest, providing room for full expansion of the already generously sized 524-litre boot. And there’s room for a space-saver spare underneath.

Despite a notable lack of glitz in its interior fittings and overall presentation, the Camry is inoffensive, durable and well put together.

There are good reasons why the Toyota Camry is a survivor from a now largely extinct breed.

Its size and practicality are as important for taxi drivers as they are for family users who aren’t interested in higher-riding SUVs. The cabin comfort and quality are indisputable, as is the ability to accept a reasonable amount of luggage, while the on-road performance is stable and competent and the Camry’s hybrid fuel economy is impressive.

Add to that the Toyota’s pricing – particularly for the entry-level Ascent model – and its reputation for bullet-proof reliability and high resale value, and there’s something of an assured investment on offer here.

2025 Toyota Camry Ascent at a glance:
Price: $39,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 138kW/221Nm (electric motor: 100kW/208Nm)
Combined output: 170kW
Transmission: CVT
Fuel: 4.0L/100km
CO2: 91g/km
Safety rating: Five stars (ANCAP 2024)

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