2018 Toyota Camry Prices and Fuel Economy Ratings - More Money, More Power, More MPGs

The 2018 Toyota Camry will be priced from $24,380, including delivery, when it goes on sale this summer — a $425 increase compared with the base 2017 Camry.

Riding on an evolution of the Prius and C-HR’s Toyota New Global Architecture, the 2018 Camry is an all-new design for the first time since the 2012 model year. Market positioning is key, even for a Camry that’s been America’s best-selling car for 15 consecutive years, as demand for midsize sedans is quickly falling and even Toyota is seeing greater interest in the RAV4 than the historically dominant Camry. With new competitors approaching from Honda and Nissan, Toyota isn’t fooling around with this hugely important launch.

All eighth-generation Camrys are equipped with an eight-speed automatic. There’s essentially no tangible weight increase. The Camry offers the most standard horsepower in the midsize segment, the optional 3.5-liter V6 now produces 301 horsepower, and all Camrys now include Toyota Safety Sense P with pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and auto high beams.

Perhaps most notably, highway fuel economy jumps all the way to 41 miles per gallon; above 50 mpg for Camry Hybrids.

* Includes $885 delivery, processing, and handling fee.

Granted, the only 2018 Camry to earn the 41-mpg highway rating is the basic four-cylinder Camry L, which offers EPA ratings of 29 mpg in the city and 34 mpg combined. (The 2017 Camry was rated at 24 mpg city, 33 highway, 27 combined.)

All other four-cylinder 2018 Camrys are rated at 28 mpg city, 39 highway, and 32 combined, though four-cylinder XSEs produce three extra horsepower (206) and two extra lb-ft of torque (186).

V6 fuel economy likewise improves. In 2017, Camry V6s were rated at 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 24 combined. Those figures rise by just a single mpg in the city, but the Camry XLE V6 is now rated at 33 mpg on the highway and 26 combined. The sportier Camry XSE V6 is rated at 32 mpg highway.

Meanwhile, the Camry Hybrid is now a significantly more efficient car, as well. In 2017, Camry Hybrids were rated as high as 42 mpg city, 38 highway. The 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE now enjoys EPA ratings of 51 mpg in the city, 53 mpg highway, and 52 combined. The 2018 Camry Hybrid SE and XLE are better than in 2017, but relative to the LE drop to 44 mpg city; 47 highway.

2018 Camry LEs, priced from $24,380, include Toyota Safety Sense P and a driver’s seat with power lumbar support among other expected standard kit.

At $24,885, the Camry LE adds power front seats, a 60/40 split rear seat, an overhead console with sunglasses storage, anti-theft, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The $26,085 Camry SE, aside from thoroughly differentiated styling, adds single-zone auto climate control, Sport Softex seats, a leather trimmed steering wheel, and 18-inch wheels.

To the SE, the $29,885 Camry XSE adds dual-zone auto climate control, a seven-inch screen, heated leather seats, head-up display, proximity access with push button start, auto dimming rearview mirror, an electric parking brake, LED lighting, 19-inch wheels, dual exhaust, and a panoramic sunroof on V6 models.

The more luxury-oriented $29,335 Camry XLE has Tiger Eye wood interior trim in four-cylinder models, textured metal interior, and 18-inch wheels. XSE and XLE models also include a superior audio system. The LE and SE offer a Convenience Package, an Audio Package, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, and a sunroof. The XSE and XLE four-cylinder models likewise offer an Audio Package, a panoramic sunroof, and head-up display and bird’s eye view camera. The XSE and XLE V6 models offer a Driver Assist Package with the bird’s eye view camera and an upgraded Entune system.

On the XSE and XLE trim levels, a V6 requires a $5,950 expenditure.

What number jumps out? Yes, while Honda is killing its Accord’s V6 in favour of the Civic Type R’s turbocharged 2.0-liter, Toyota is keeping the optional naturally aspirated V6 engine. But it’s pricier than before. The 2017 Toyota Camry offered a V6 from $32,255 in the XLE V6 trim.

For 2018, the least expensive Camry V6 is now the XLE at $35,285, or $3,030 more than before.

[Images: Toyota]

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.