India-spec Toyota Camry Hybrid Gets Minor Updates For 2018

Toyota has updated the 2018 Camry Hybrid with changes to its interior. Gone is the old black-and-beige dual-tone dashboard. Instead, you now get an all-black finish with refreshed faux wood inserts. Even the headliner and the door cards are now finished in black while the seats get tan-brown leather upholstery instead of the lighter beige seen on the older version. Toyota has even replaced the older four-spoke steering wheel with a sleeker three-spoke unit with controls for various functions.

Apart from these changes, the 2018 version also gets a 12-speaker sound system from JBL, a Qi wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones, LED fog lamps, a tyre pressure monitoring system, an updated infotainment system along with a total of nine airbags. In terms of features, the Toyota Camry is now more feature-loaded than its rival, the Honda Accord, which is priced at Rs 43.21 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The government’s move to increase taxes on hybrid cars last year has affected the sales figures of the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The asking price of the sedan has gone up from Rs 31.98 lakh in 2017 to Rs 37.22 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi) this year. The Japanese carmaker hopes these new additions will help it regain traction in the market. The updates to the sedan also indicate that Toyota is not yet willing to offer the all-new model, which made its global debut at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show, in India yet. Check out more details of the brand new version here.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid is powered by the combination of a 2.5-litre engine that makes 160PS of power and an electric motor that produces 143PS. Together, the total output is rated at 205PS, while our tests revealed a fuel efficiency figure of 19.16kmpl, which is quite staggering for a car of its size.