While checking out the Toyota Camry discussions, I ran across the most informational post about the redesigned 2025 Camry. Here are the words of Mason (@carconfections), who has owned the new Camry for six months. Here's what every potential Camry buyer needs to know.
He wrote:
"I've owned this 2025 Toyota Camry for six months, and there are a lot of things I love about it, but there are five things that absolutely drive me crazy."
There are plenty of good things about the next-generation Toyota Camry, such as its fuel efficiency, comfortable ride, and spacious interior. But what are the quirks you don't know until you've owned the car for a while? Before I discuss its faults, what are the newest improvements over the previous generation model?
What Are the New Camry Upgrades?
Here are the key improvements.
Exterior
- The new Camry has a sleeker profile with a refreshed front end, thinner taillights, and chamfered bumper corners.
Interior
- It has an open-style cockpit with a digital instrument cluster, an available head-up display, and an upgraded multimedia system.
Powertrain
- Its new four-cylinder hybrid powertrain combines a gas engine with an electric motor and gets 47 mpg.
Technology
- It has a new wireless smartphone integration, driver assistance features, and an available 12.3-inch touchscreen.
This Camry owner found five things that drove him crazy. Are they deal breakers?
Five Things That Drive This New Camry Owner Crazy
Number one.
Mason says, ”Now, I'm not a negative person, but one thing that drives me crazy is the fact that I'm supposed to have wireless CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. Yet, every time I get in the car, it doesn't pair automatically. I have to go through all the menus to turn it on."
Number two.
"This Camry has some creaks and squeaks that you might not expect from the Toyota brand. Now, this is one of the first units made, so that's probably why, but things like this armrest creak a lot when you put your arm on it."
"Then, here at the top where the interior light switch is, it has some rattles and vibrations from this piece."
Number three.
"Now, the third thing I dislike is the lane-centering feature. Unless you buy this top model, it doesn't have the sensor that monitors your eyes to ensure you pay attention."
"So, I constantly have to turn the steering wheel, even if I'm going on a straight road, so the car knows I'm paying attention."
Number four.
"I like that the Camry has a digital gauge cluster, but it is complicated to use. I review cars every day, but this is one of the worst for burying basic functions deep within, and there are lots and lots of menus I have to wade through."
Number five.
"The fifth thing I hate is that the driver's seat is a little bit harder than I would like. However, I do like the red seats,” Mason concludes.
Are They Deal Breakers?
So why did this new Camry owner put his money where his mouth is and buy the 2025 Toyota Camry XSE? Here's why.
He says, "Well, considering this XSE trim is well below the average new car cost in the U.S., this popular sedan provides a ton of value. And though there are a TON of Camrys on the road, you can spec it out to make it exciting, as I did with the two-tone paint and red interior."
So, Is This 47 MPG Buy the Best He Could Do For its $38,000 Price Tag?
"My New 2025 Toyota Camry is MORE expensive to insure than a BMW! You heard that right; even though we have the same drivers, coverage, and records as when we bought our 2023 BMW 330e, the new Camry surprised me by being more expensive,” Mason says.
"Now, as to why? I'm no insurance expert, but I think it revolves around Toyota's hybrid system and high resale value” (it's more expensive to replace).
Does the New 2025 Toyota Camry Live Up To its 47 MPG Rating On the Highway?
"Well, the EPA rates the 9th Generation Camry at 47 MPG on the highway, which was quite good. And, after driving and manually calculating the results, I actually exceeded the EPA rating at 47.4 MPG."
What Is the Price Of the 2025 Camry?
- The 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at $29,495.
- The new LE and XLE models start lower than the outgoing hybrid equivalents, but the SE and XSE are roughly $300 higher than before.
- All new Camrys feature a hybrid powertrain, and all-wheel-drive models cost $1525 more.
Final Thoughts and Questions For You
Mason says, "Though I love my 2025 Toyota Camry, there are some things that I don't love as much after living with it for 6 months. Some of the materials are a little off, including a creaking armrest and hard driver's seat."
"Also, the tech has been a bit buggy, including our very finicky lane-centering function. But, overall, I'm still glad I bought it."
Does This Make or Break The 2025 Camry For You?
Can you live with the new generation Camry's faults? Are they deal breakers for you? Your opinion matters. Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know what you think. Your insights could help other potential buyers make an informed decision.
Check out my Toyota Camry story titled; I’ve Had My Tesla Model 3 For 2 Days and I Already Want My Toyota Camry Back, Don’t Believe Them If They Tell You a Tesla is Better Than a Camry
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Mason
Comments
I am an older female…
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I am an older female considering the Camry for my next purchase. Mason's number one and number five in this article are concerning for me. I am not very tech savvy and these issues could be a deal breaker for me.
Regarding the lane tracing …
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Regarding the lane tracing (lane centering)feature on 2025 Camry what I have found is that if you hold your hands on the top half of the steering wheel the car tends to not send you notifications to engage with the steering wheel. Where if you hold your hands on the bottom half of the steering wheel the car will give you all kinds of grief in the form of notifications and I even had an alarm go off. I have used lane tracing programs in other makes of cars but this is by far the most annoying.
I have a new Tucson, Hyandai…
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In reply to Regarding the lane tracing … by Steve Kline (not verified)
I have a new Tucson, Hyandai 2025 limited Which has everything on it.
I can relate with the steering wheel notification. I always have my hands-on the bottom of the steering wheel. So now I will try the top to see if it stops coming up. I mean, it comes up a lot to where the alarm goes off and the steering shuts down, Automatic steering and lane assist.
.I even stare at the eye control and bring my glasses up, so it sees my eyes, but usually that does not work either. When it does that, it is very distracting Very, very. You have to take your eyes off the road and stare at the eye monitor. So I will try the hands up on the steering wheel on the top 10 and 2.
Otherwise, I love love the Hyundai Tucson Limited 2025.
I bought 2025 camry XLE and…
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In reply to Regarding the lane tracing … by Steve Kline (not verified)
I bought 2025 camry XLE and I love it. Mine was delivered end of August 2024. I agree with the lane change which is why I verified that I could turn it off during my test drive. So now it only does it if you cross lanes without signaling or when you cross solid lines into burm. I tried keeping it on for a day and it was like driving a bumper car. Definitely turn that off. The display is great along with heads up display which no one talk about. This is how fighter pilots fly keeping their eyes ahead while seeing your speed and speed limit. The wireless charging is not fast charging and will keep your phone from decreasing or slightly increase but if you want fast charging I have the option from center console 3rd party high speed charger. The touch screen is great. I have 2 tone white leather interior with black highlights and dark gray exterior. The car looks aggressive. I love it and can't believe it's a 4 cylinder camry....since it's AWD it has 2 electric engines with 2 gas engine and it moves quick from 0 to 45. A little slower from 45 to 60. Then after that it's accelerating on highway is great. Being able to see 360⁰ around the car is great and I've become a stickler for perfect parking. You can turn off most of the features.
I have a 2013 toyota camry, …
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I have a 2013 toyota camry, had it for 3years, I love it the only thing I had to replace on it is the battery and alternator. I keep up with regular oil changes but I love mine. Should I try to get a new one an upper year.
I wouldn't do it. The new…
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In reply to I have a 2013 toyota camry, … by Mary Gulley (not verified)
I wouldn't do it. The new CVT transmissions rob so much power and are very lackluster in response to your gas pedal input to the point of ruining an otherwise pleasant driving experience. Toyota does have fewer reliability issues with their CVT transmissions than other manufacturers but I wish my 2024 Corolla had a normal automatic transmission that I know would get 300K miles.
As an owner of a 15 y/o 2010…
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As an owner of a 15 y/o 2010 Prius, with absolutely NO difficulties experienced,and averaging 44.5 mpg, starting easily in -10 degrees Far.while parked Outside…It would take more than ‘Good Looks’ to convince me to take on a new vehicle at todays rates..
The 2025 Camry is definitely a HYBRID that is worthy of consideration…
But the “Prius Brotherhood” is hard to relinquish…
We keep lane centering and…
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We keep lane centering and assist turned off. They're useless and a nuisance.
Same thing on my Bolt.
Auto pairing for AA you turn on in your phone. Our 21 is dead silent WRT squeaks and rattles. Show it to your dealer. Yes, navigating the menus is challenging! My Bolt is much better. The seat may break in a bit. Ours is my wife's car and it's been literally flawless for about 60k miles and she loves it. I wish the seat heaters were on the climate controls instead of on the console where you can't see them.
The lane centering feature…
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The lane centering feature may be a deal breaker for me.
Can you disable the feature altogether?
I like to drive my car, not have it control me.
We have a 22' Camry XLE, you…
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We have a 22' Camry XLE, you can go into the menu and turn down the sensitivity of the assist, and at each start turn off lane centering, but not lane keeping unless you disable the whole system, which I do not recommend. The sway ( I think that's what they call it) can be turned off. Ours never gives you an alert unless you are in lane centering mode and completely let go of the wheel for about 5 or more seconds, it never bothers us no matter what hand position is. When you first get the car, go into the menus and turn off/ down things until it works for you. IE: slowing the car automatically in corners definitely not for me....turn it off!
I have some of the same…
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I have some of the same issues with my Corolla XSE. The trim cover behind the rear view mirror is loose and vibrate so fast it buzzes. Same issues with the glitchy infotainment system and having to switch it manually for Android Auto all of the time. You have to hook up to a cable or it drops the Android auto out constantly. I use the same cord and Samsung S21 in my three other vehicles and it doesn't drop the signal. I had such a bad issue with it in my Camry that I sold it as Toyota had no plans for updates to fix the issues, that and the red leather seats that look so cool but are too hard for a long drive. I also found the exhaust note to be a raspy drone and the Corolla is much quieter.
I was very close to buying a…
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I was very close to buying a Toyota mostly because I found their lane centering and adaptive cruise control to be better than the other manufacturers but I ultimately bought a Tesla and I'm super happy with it. If you own a garage, I highly recommend it.