Yesterday I had my first opportunity to drive a hybrid Camry. Before I start, I will admit I am an engineer and therefore am a supporter of new technology in automotive applications. However the test drive left me unimpressed as the driving sensation is bizzare.
The positives
- good brakes aided by the regenerative braking
- no noise when on electric power
- fantastic for stop-start driving in crawling traffic
The neutrals
- up to 80km/hr the rate of acceleration is almost linear which is due to the combined efforts of the two motors. Good for a 4cyl but nothing spectacular.
The negatives
- I was expecting the car to be quicker off the mark when using the electric motor due to the torque characteristics at low revs
- the odd sensation that the transmission is slipping badly when the petrol engine kicks in. There is no direct relationship between vehicle acceleration and engine noise. No matter how fast the car is accelerating or moving the engine always sounds like it is in the same (wrong and too high) rev range. This is obviously due to the CVT transmission.
The last item would "do my head in" if I had to drive this vehicle on a daily basis. I'd be continually waiting for the transmission to grab the next gear and the petrol engine revs to drop but this would never occur.
Verdict is this car is OK for those who use vehicles to commute but definately not for those of us who like to drive.
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