2023 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid - She's Still Got It

Plucky Toyota Camry has seen off almost all of her competition. Falcon? GAWN. Commodore? GAWN, and took the company with it. BOOM.

The whole passenger car segment is a cockup in a tin cup, and why, do I hear you ask? Some clever clogs started marketing SUVs as the absolute must have, for the “it” girl (and boy). Only 16% of the Australian market are hatch/sedan/coupe/convertible takers. That leaves a lot on the inimitable shoulders of the long-running Japanese nameplate, Camry.

We took the range topping Toyota Camry SL Hybrid, of course.

This is a great time to talk about those nomenclatures (that make absolutely no sense): Ascent, Ascent Sport, SX and SL? Entry level Ascent has a choice of the 2.5L hybrid, or 2.5 petrol with an 8-speed automatic, but all the rest enjoy the 2.5L hybrid that sips the drink like a teetotal granny. It is a development of that first Toyota hybrid all those years ago.

Camry is aging well, bless her. She still looks quite sexy, especially wearing the SL badge. The front end has nicer lights with high-quality LEDs, whatever that means. SL has 18” wheels, an inch smaller than the model below it. It makes the ride all nice and plush, and with a multi-link rear end, the handling feels equally on point.

Although LGBTI buyers like a badge, they also appreciate comfort and value, not to mention reliability. Buying a badge does not mean buying a car that doesn’t break down, and if your moody Merc, bummed-out Beemer, or jiggered Jag falls at the first hurdle, be ready to dip into a 3^rd mortgage for sort it all out.

Video Review: 2023 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid – She’s Still Got It. Alan Zurvas GAYCARBOYS FULL REVIEW #gaycarboys

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ABOVE: 2023 Camry – Ascent and SL

Inside is a lovely spot to spend time.

Cosy front powered-seats also have heating and cooling built in, and are part-covered in cow. JBL Speakers do a good job, with the sound via a 9” touch screen that includes wired CarPlay and Android Auto. There is no Qi pad, dash it all.

The driver gets 2 dials with a 7” colour LCD between, rather disappointing given the full-LCD driver displays elsewhere in the fleet.

SL adds rather useless paddle shifters with a 6-speed ratio to the e:CVT. Slightly more useful drive-modes include ECO, Normal, Sport, and EV-only, the latter handy in ULE (ultra-low emission) zones. Some hybrids will save the electric power if it knows it is being navigated to such areas. It will save on tolls, and reduce local pollution, and at that, it is a great success.

SL has a head-up display (HUD) which should be in every car, like CarPlay and Android Auto. They are no longer luxury gadgets.

The back seats have oodles of space, and while the claims of being a genuine 5 seater may be exaggerated, 4 are conveyed in great comfort. The cabin is fairly quiet to.

While Camry does not conjure images of stately mansions, and power-wigged flunkies, it certainly does a decent job of a posh night at the opera house.

There is little change to report since our very first drive of the pre-facelift Camry model in 2017, which shows how good it was way back then.

There is handy (now ubiquitous) keyless door/start, but the voice control can be a dim-witted. It worked now and then, but I chose to ignore it. Siri was far easier, and if I want to change the radio station or temperature, I’ll use a dial.

Driver aids

In the intervening years, Toyota and daughter company LEXUS, have explored and developed their safety and drive aids. It may not be leading, but is keeping up nicely will do, and is all that is needed for a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Apart from the onboard systems like active steering to keep you in your lane, and active cruise control, connected services allow Camry to swap stories with the outside world. You can hit SOS if things get a bit eggy, where contact is made, and help will come.

Importantly, the aids Can be turned on or off as the driver wishes. By now, most drivers have experienced at least some level of vehicular autonomy. My suggestion is that you learn to trust it, but it is an aid only, and is not meant to replace careful motoring. All of those videos where some idiot bogan destroys a supercar is because they’ve overestimated their ability by turning off the nannies. Do it at your peril.

See the brochure for detail HERE:

The Drive:

160kw of calm, controlled, will-delivered power moves from the hybrid system to the front wheels through an e:CVT. Even with paddles simulating 6 gears, there is a rubbery feeling about the acceleration. At low speed, and with enough stored energy, Camry SL will glide silently from a standing start. In quite underground garages, the feeling is eerily like being pushed by unseen hands. There is not a peep from the undercarriage.

Steering is neutral, as are the brakes, so nothing will frighten even the newest of drivers. In bends, Camry SL is slipped into sport mode to elicit a smidge more oomph, but the SL is tuned to comfort, where it excels. Cornering remains a casual but comfortable affair.

The acceleration is equally casual, at around 8.1seconds for a 0-100. You have to keep in mind that Camry SL is not a sports car, nor is it an SUV. You can’t expect it to carry 7 people, or corner at warp 9.99.

Our 5L/100k economy for a week of inner-city chores was admirable for a reasonably-priced mid-size runabout. A small battery gathers otherwise wasted energy that is then used by a smallish electric motor. It handles very gentle acceleration, and should power be called upon, the petrol engine kicks in. The power monitor is mesmerising, showing which way the energy is flowing.

Other things to consider

I had wondered at the reticence of Toyota to green themselves in the eco-glow of EV goodness, but a conversation with an industry executive shed a little light. It seems Japan is decommissioning many of the coal-fired generators that have aged beyond efficiency, and power might be a thing of increasing rarity. Converting Japan’s fleet to electric propulsion could be more of an issue than here in Australia, and for the same reasons, conservative governments. Progressive countries are having far less of an issue, and in socialist Scandinavian countries, no issue at all.

As always, the aim was less about improving transport and more about protecting and prolonging fossil fuel investments for as long as possible, even if it leaves the planet looking like an overdone roast.

Final thoughts:

Camry SL is decent value, drives nicely, uses as little fuel as possible, but above all, is not snooty. The brand doesn’t make you feel like an alien for walking into a showroom uninvited. The buying process is fairly painless unless you select a model with an “extended wait time.” That warning appears plastered on almost every page of the public website.

2023 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid