Toyota Camry 2021 price and specs: sedan range stacked with hybrid options in Australia

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The 2021 Toyota Camry range will be hybrid heavy, with Toyota only offering an atmo 2.5-litre four-cylinder on the base model and dropping the thirsty 3.5-litre V6 altogether.

Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia vice president of sales and marketing, said this was an easy choice for the marque, with the hybrid powertrain accounting for 70 per cent of total Camry sales in Australia. 

The Toyota Camry’s hybrid powertrain has been one of its key assets when fighting rivals like the Honda Accord and Mazda 6.

However, the 2021 update has seen Camry prices rise across the board. The most affordable Ascent is now $30,990 before on-roads, up $2,000 from the 2020 model, while the range-topping SL is now $4,200 dearer. A complete price list appears at the end of this article.

Some tweaks have been made inside the new Camry, where the touchscreen has grown to nine-inches in size – except in the Ascent base car, which retains the old seven-inch screen. The new screen sits proud of the dash, as seen in the Corolla small car.

Outside, the front and rear bumpers have been massaged to give the new Camry a more arresting stance. The updated design is particularly effective in the Ascent and Ascent Sport grades.

Safety equipment has been improved with junction assist for the AEB system, emergency steering assistance and traffic sign recognition. Lane-trace assist and adaptive cruise control remain standard across the range.

Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, while the $36,290 (before on-roads) Ascent Sport adds navigation (a $1,000 option on the Ascent), dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert.

Toyota has retained the athletic SX grade, which brings a sportier suspension tune, 19-inch alloys and paddle shifters while inside leather-accented sports seats and leather trim accents feature for $39,190 before on-road costs.

The SX was previously not available with the hybrid powertrain, but now that is the only choice for buyers.

Rounding out the Camry lineup is the premium SL grade which adds a nine-speaker SBL sound system, heated and cooled front seats, sunroof, power tailgate and a 360-degree camera for $46,990 before on-roads.

The Camry engine lineup has shrunk for 2020, but it’s not all bad. A new 2.5-litre ‘dynamic force’ four-cylinder engine is available on the base model Ascent that produces 152kW of power and 243Nm of torque, matching the RAV4 SUVs outputs.

Despite punching out 17kW more power and 8Nm more torque, the new motor claims 6.8L/100km fuel consumption compared to the outgoing 2.5’s thirsty 8.8L/100km claim.

But the hero of the Camry range remains the 160kW hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, dropping claimed consumption to 4.2L/100km in the Ascent and Ascent Sport.

All Australian Camry models send power to the front wheels; the 2.5-litre car now uses an eight-speed torque converter automatic, while the hybrid retains the CVT transmission.

The updated 2021 Camry will land in Australia next month from $30,990 plus on-road costs.

Toyota Camry 2021: pricing in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Camry Ascent 2.5 Auto – $30,990 (up $2,000)
• Camry Ascent Hybrid CVT – $33,490 (up $1,700)
• Camry Ascent Sport Hybrid CVT – $36,290 (up $2,500)
• Camry SX Hybrid CVT – $39,190 (new model)
• Camry SL Hybrid CVT – $46,990 (up $4,200)