Toyota Camry Two Years On: Going Hybrid-Only Did Not Cost It Buyers
Toyota dropped the gas-only and V6 Camry for 2025 and still cut the starting price. In 2025 U.S. sales rose 2%, and the 2026 model costs about $300 more.
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In 2024, Toyota took the biggest risk in the Camry's history: every 2025 Camry would be a hybrid. The four-cylinder gas engine and the V6 were gone. Two years on, the numbers show that buyers followed.
The 2024 story
All 2025 Camrys use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with electric motors and an eCVT, making 225 hp with front-wheel drive and 232 hp with the extra rear motor of all-wheel-drive models. The surprise was the price. The base LE started at $28,400, below the $28,855 of the 2024 LE, which had used a non-hybrid engine. The XLE dropped from $33,745 to $33,400.
What happened next
Toyota sold 316,185 Camrys in the U.S. in 2025, up 2% on 2024, according to Toyota's figures reported by Motor1. It did so while the midsize sedan class kept shrinking: Chevrolet ended Malibu production in November 2024.
The 2026 model added a Nightshade Edition based on the SE, with black exterior trim and 19-inch satin-black wheels, and left the powertrains alone. Prices rose by about $300 across the range, CarsDirect reported. Early reviews of the 2027 Camry, such as The Auto Channel's, describe it as largely carried over.
2024 vs 2026
| 2024 Camry | 2025 Camry | 2026 Camry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrains | Gas, V6, hybrid | Hybrid only | Hybrid only |
| LE starting price | $28,855 | $28,400 | About $300 more |
| Output | Up to 301 hp (V6) | 225 hp FWD, 232 hp AWD | Unchanged |
Our read
The hybrid-only bet worked because Toyota did not charge for it. Making the hybrid cheaper than the old gas car removed the usual reason to hesitate, and sales grew in a segment others are leaving. The lesson for rivals is about price, not technology.
