How does a comparably equipped '07 Camry compare to a TCH? Another way of asking this is what premium do we pay for the hybrid over the same (or close as possible) non-hybrid? I would like to see where the trade-off is on gas price, mileage, etc. I am fine with the hybrid for "green" reasons but am curious about the number side as well.

I apologize if this has already been answered elsewhere. I tried the search function but couldn't find the answer.

Roger

 

The Hybrid is comparable to the 4 cylinder XLE not LE.
16 in alloys,6 cd changer, etc.

Do the math and the so-called premium is between 1000 - 3000 (MAX). Throw in the tax rebates some of us ( I got 1600) got and that premium literally disappears or becomes a profit based on your driving technique and distance. If you drive over 20,000miles annually, the TCH is a better bargain even when compared to the poorly spec'd LE. I've had mine for 22,000 miles since Sept 13, 2006. Do the math.....I'm profiting.

 

Yeah, I've tried to spec out the cost of equipping an LE with what came standard in my TCH, and it's been a while but I believe they come surprisingly close. Trying again right now, I'm coming up with maybe a 4k difference in MSRP, though I'm still not sure all the included features I got are covered in the LE+options package (like the leather steering wheel cover and gearshift ****?). Plus the TCH has more power than the 4-cyl LE. You can throw out numbers for loaded LE, v6 LE, or XLE, and TCH will probably be more expensive than all but the highest-end options, but as mentioned, I got mine a year ago and got $2600 in tax credits. Plus the mileage is great, and it's an amazingly smooth and quiet drive. Not all the features of the TCH are available on the other models at any price!

 

A loaded (NAV, Leather,Moonroof ...) TCH dollarwise it's close to the XLE-V6 similarly equipped. The XLE has a few more niceties. Rear sunscreen, auto-up driver's window, some woodgrain accents, sliding front arm rest, fog lamps, and an actual towing capacity but otherwise they are the same. The performance of the TCH is less than the XLE-V6 but it's fuel economy in the city is much better and on the highway a little better. I speak from firsthand experience. I am fortunate enough to have one of each.

 

Most notable are the:

Acoustic noise reducing windshield (although some might argue this is not a great thing due to the cost and difficulty of getting a replacement and the apparent ease with which it seems to crack).

Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM)

Constantly Variable Transmission.

Standard on the Hybrid but also available as an option on the 4 Cylinder XLE are: Smart Key with Push Button Start and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Traction Control.

 

Well definitely those, but I was actually thinking more of the amazing quietness of the drive even in gas mode, forget about the near silence in EV mode (I actually drove up behind someone in the parking lot at work and rolled down the windshield beside her, making her jump because she literally hadn't heard me drive up!), and the great fuel economy.. the actual _hybrid_ stuff!

But yeah the windshield may have issues, I've replaced mine already... wasn't that difficult to get, just had to make very sure they were aware of the different windshield required for the TCH, and verify they had the right one when I got there.