Toyota Launches Sales of Australian-Built ’12 Camry Hybrid

Toyota Australia launches its second-generation locally built Camry Hybrid with a 5.4% price cut for the base model.

The A$2,000 ($2,108) reduction lowers the asking price for the H model to A$34,990 ($36,883).

However, the higher trim-level Camry HL gets upgrades worth at least A$4,500 ($4,743), boosting the retail price by A$1,500 to A$41,490 ($1,581 to $43,734).

The new Camry Hybrid for the first time in Australia offers a towing capacity of 660 lbs. (300 kg), enough to provide owners with the flexibility to haul a small trailer, the auto maker says.

The new model debuts with a revised version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, including a new 2.5L 4-cyl. gasoline engine and high-torque electric motor for a combined output of 202 hp.

As the flagship of the seventh-generation Camry range, the hybrid sedan delivers a 7.8% improvement in acceleration over its predecessor, with increased fuel economy of up to 17% on the city cycle, Toyota Australia says.

Compared with the current model, the Camry HL comes standard with a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system with a 7-in. (18-cm) touchscreen display, satellite navigation with live traffic updates, digital radio, 17-in. alloy wheels, electric rear sunshade, exterior mirrors that lower when the car is in reverse and memory settings for the driver's seat.

Toyota Australia says supply disruptions last year saw Camry Hybrid sales fall to 5,204 units from 6,400 in 2010. Both figures were well short of the target of 10,000 units announced when the model was launched.

For the moment, the specially modified engine for the Camry Hybrid is imported from Japan. But by the end of the year, it will be made locally on a revamped A$300 million ($313 million) production line at Toyota’s Altona engine plant in Melbourne.