2021 Toyota Camry

2021 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the eighth-generation (XV70, 2018-on) Camry — new front fascia, Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, a floating 7/9-inch screen and a new XSE Hybrid grade — but the hybrid powertrain carried over. Scored on the hybrid LE volume trim, whose system output is 208 hp, modest against the sedan band.

Toyota quotes only the hybrid's engine torque, 163 lb-ft; the electric motor's low-speed torque makes the car feel stronger off the line than that figure suggests, but the published number is what is recorded, consistent with the other hybrid Camry scorecards.

Toyota publishes no 0–60 claim. The hybrid powertrain is unchanged across 2018–2024, and instrumented tests cluster at 7.4–7.5 s — about half a second quicker than the gas four-cylinder Camry, but only mid-pack for the segment.

The fourth-generation THS II blends engine and motor smoothly with near-imperceptible start/stop and good low-speed electric pull, but the 2.5L becomes loud and droney when pushed hard, a common hybrid-Camry criticism; generally smooth with coarse notes under load.

The power-split eCVT never hunts and delivers seamless, shift-free motion, and SE/XSE grades add Sequential Shiftmatic paddle 'gears'. It loses points for the rubber-band rev flare and drone typical of a CVT under hard acceleration.

The scored 2021 Camry Hybrid is front-drive only on every grade; AWD (Dynamic Torque Control) existed in the 2021 lineup but only on four-cylinder gas grades, so for this configuration it is unavailable — partially offset by the nameplate offering it at all.

The 2021 Camry offered three distinct powertrains — 2.5L four (FWD or AWD), 301-hp 3.5L V6 including TRD, and the THS II hybrid across four grades (XSE Hybrid new for 2021) — the broadest choice in the mid-size class, including an electrified option; no PHEV keeps it at the floor of the top band.

The hybrid LE, with its lighter lithium-ion pack and lower-rolling-resistance tires, is the efficiency benchmark of the 2021 Camry line at 52 MPG combined; the heavier, larger-wheeled SE/XLE/XSE hybrids drop to 46. The powertrain carried over unchanged into the 2021 refresh.

City driving is where the hybrid's regenerative braking and electric low-speed running pay off most; 51 MPG city is near-Prius territory for a mid-size sedan.

53 MPG highway is unusually strong for a hybrid, which typically gains least at steady cruise; it reflects the 14:1-compression Atkinson-cycle engine and the LE's efficiency-focused tires.

Despite a smaller 13.2-gallon tank than the gas Camry, the hybrid LE's 52 MPG gives an EPA total range of 686 miles — exceptional for any sedan.

At EPA's standard assumptions the hybrid LE costs about $800/yr less to fuel than the volume gas LE/SE. The figure is EPA's current published estimate and therefore reflects EPA's present reference fuel price, not 2021 prices.

Every 2021 Camry Hybrid runs on 87-octane regular unleaded with no plug-in or charging requirement — the cheapest, most universally available energy source, and very little of it.

NHTSA rates the 2021 Camry 5 stars overall with five stars in every sub-test — driver and passenger frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover. The scored hybrid is FWD-only and shares the FWD 4-door rating.

The 2021 Camry is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, with Good in driver- and passenger-side small overlap, moderate overlap, the original side test, roof strength and head restraints. It sits at the floor of the top band because the later updated side test, retroactively run on this body, rates Poor — the rear passenger dummy's head struck the window sill and pelvis protection was Poor — a genuine rear-seat side-impact weakness not fixed until Toyota's January-2023 structural revision.

2021 is the year Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ arrived on every Camry: pre-collision with low-light pedestrian and cyclist detection plus left-turn intersection support, lane departure alert with steering assist, Lane Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise, automatic high beams and Road Sign Assist — broad standard content for a mainstream mid-size sedan, plus 10 airbags and a backup camera. The gap is blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, which is standard only on XLE, XSE and TRD and a standalone option on LE and SE grades, including the volume LE Hybrid.

The standard TSS 2.5+ pre-collision system earns Superior in both IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian evaluations, avoiding the 12 and 25 mph vehicle targets and every crossing-child and crossing-adult run, and cutting the 37 mph parallel-adult impact by 33 mph. Kept just below the 2023 score because no nighttime pedestrian rating is published for the 2021 model, and these are the older, lower-speed protocols.

Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is alert-only (no active intervention, no safe-exit alert) and is standard only on XLE, XSE and TRD; on the volume LE and SE grades — the LE Hybrid included — it is a standalone option, so many cars left the lot without it. Rear automatic braking is optional.

TSS 2.5+ adds Lane Tracing Assist (lane centering when radar cruise is active) to the standard Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist on every 2021 trim. Reviewers find it functional and unobtrusive on well-marked highways but prone to wander and quick to hand back on curves and faded lines — mid-band rather than confident.

The scored hybrid grades get Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which follows down to a stop and resumes, and for 2021 gained smoother overtaking acceleration when the driver signals a lane change; paired with Lane Tracing Assist it makes competent two-pedal highway work. No traffic-jam or hands-off layer sits above it, and the centering half is the weaker part.

No hands-free driving is offered on any 2021 Camry trim or package; Toyota's Traffic Jam Assist does not reach the Camry until the 2025 redesign.

All Camry headlights are LED projectors with standard high-beam assist, but only the Hybrid XLE with the optional Adaptive Headlights package earns Good; the LE/SE (including the volume LE Hybrid), XSE and XLE units all rate Acceptable.

Forward view over the low cowl is good for the class, but the XV70's high beltline, raked rear glass and thick C-pillars leave real rear-quarter blind zones. A backup camera is standard, but the 360-degree view is an upper-trim option and blind-spot monitoring is optional on the volume LE Hybrid.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Good+, with complete hardware in both outboard positions, easy-to-use anchors and a center position that can borrow lower anchors. Mid-size sedan packaging still limits three-across fitting and rear-facing seats eat front legroom.

The 2021 Camry Hybrid LE is a conventional five-seat mid-size sedan with a three-place 60/40-split folding rear bench, the top of the 4–5 seat sedan band.

Front headroom is 38.3 in without a moonroof, the Hybrid LE's standard configuration — mid-pack against the 36–40 in sedan band. 2021 is the XV70 mid-cycle refresh, and the body dimensions did not change.

At 42.1 in, front legroom is average for a mid-size sedan and the same on gas and hybrid cars throughout the XV70 generation.

Rear headroom of 38.0 in is strong for a low-roof sedan, near the top of the 35–39 in band.

The 38.0 in of second-row legroom is fine for adults on ordinary trips but trails the 2021 Honda Accord's 40.4 in. The hybrid battery sits under the rear seat without costing any rear legroom.

The trunk holds 15.1 cu ft behind a 60/40 folding seatback. Because the battery is under the rear seat, the hybrid gives up no trunk space to the gas car, although it still trails the Accord's 16.7 cu ft.

Everyday storage is competent but conventional: a covered console bin, usable door pockets, an open tray ahead of the shifter and USB ports. On the Hybrid LE, Qi wireless charging comes only with the extra-cost Audio Upgrade Package, and there is no clever packaging idea anywhere in the cabin.

The Hybrid LE's cloth front seats with 8-way power driver adjustment are generally described as roomy and supportive on long trips. Rear thigh support is short, and the low-slung XV70 seating position draws some complaints from taller occupants.

On 16-inch wheels with 65-series tires, the Hybrid LE has the most compliant ride in the 2021 Camry range, and reviewers call it neither choppy nor floaty. Upper hybrid grades can feel slightly buoyant at highway speed.

The hybrid is the quiet Camry. Wind and road noise at highway speed are well isolated, in contrast with the gas car's well-known freeway noise. It is held to the 70s because the 2.5L engine turns gritty and drones under hard acceleration, when the eCVT holds it at high rpm.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard on the Hybrid LE. Heated front seats are a Cold Weather Package option on LE grades and standard from XLE. Ventilated seats are limited to XLE/XSE, and no grade has a rear climate zone.

2021 is the refresh year of the eighth-generation (XV70) Camry. The nameplate still opened with the gas 2.5L LE, about $2,200 below the Hybrid LE that this scorecard describes, so the ladder starts near the bottom of the mid-size sedan band.

This scorecard describes the Hybrid LE, the same configuration cat2 grades at 52 MPG combined. It is the efficiency-focused volume hybrid and lands just over $28,000 delivered. Even the top Hybrid XSE stays under $34,000.

The Camry Hybrid pairs Toyota's long-proven Hybrid Synergy Drive (an e-CVT with no conventional automatic, starter motor or alternator to fail) with a naturally aspirated 2.5L. Regenerative braking also stretches brake service intervals. ToyotaCare covers the first two years of scheduled service, so this lands at the low-middle of the source range, in line with the gas Camry.

By 2026 a 2021 car is five years old, so this is close to an observed figure rather than a projection. The Camry Hybrid has held about two-thirds of its sticker, aided by the post-2021 used-car price spike and hybrid demand, which puts it at the top of the sedan band.

Toyota's 36-month/36,000-mile basic coverage is the industry floor. It matches Honda, Nissan and the domestic brands but trails Hyundai and Kia's 5-year/60,000-mile coverage by two years.

For the scored hybrid, the hybrid drive system (motor-generators, power control unit/inverter, hybrid transaxle) carries 8 years/100,000 miles. The traction battery gets 10 years/150,000 miles, longer than Honda's 8-year hybrid battery term. The engine's mechanical parts revert to Toyota's standard 5 years/60,000 miles.

ToyotaCare covers every factory-scheduled service for 2 years/25,000 miles and adds 2 years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance. That is real included maintenance that Nissan does not offer. Connected-service trials on the 2021 Entune 3.0 / Toyota Audio head units were short, and there are no fuel credits, so this sits mid-band behind Hyundai/Kia's 3-year plans.

$28,265 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (66% retained, or about $18,655) leaves about $9,610 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,400 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $14,010 in total.

For a 2021 Camry this is a measured result, not a prediction: the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study surveyed original owners of 2021 model-year vehicles at three years and named the Camry the Most Dependable Midsize Car. 2021 was the mid-cycle refresh of the XV70 generation (new fascia, new floating touchscreen, Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+), but the platform and the A25A-FXS hybrid drivetrain carried over unchanged from 2018, so the refresh added little mechanical risk. Consumer Reports rates the 2021 Camry Hybrid above average for its model year. Held short of the mid-90s by a modest thread of owner complaints about the safety-system and infotainment experience.

Toyota's multi-year dependability standing is as strong as any mass-market brand's. It was the highest-ranked mass-market brand in the 2024 VDS, the study that measured this very model year, Toyota Motor Corp collected more than half of its eligible segment awards that year, and Consumer Reports' 2026 survey ranks Toyota first of all brands. The only offset is that Toyota the brand does not top the mass-market VDS every year — in 2026 Buick, MINI and Chevrolet placed ahead of it.

The 2021 build year missed the two serious earlier-XV70 campaigns — the Denso low-pressure fuel pump recall stopped at 2020 and the brake vacuum-pump vane recall at 2019 (neither applies to the hybrid anyway) — leaving a single NHTSA campaign on record. That one is a genuine safety item: a short circuit in the front-passenger Occupant Classification System sensor can stop the passenger airbag deploying, but it is part of a ~1 million-unit Toyota/Lexus sensor campaign rather than anything Camry-specific, and nothing touches the hybrid drivetrain, traction battery or fire risk. TSB traffic runs to familiar XV70 items: wind noise, weatherstrip and infotainment software updates.

The scored hybrid powertrain — the 2.5L A25A-FXS Atkinson-cycle four with Toyota's planetary eCVT — is the most proven electrified drivetrain on the US market, descended directly from the Toyota Hybrid System that has run Camry Hybrids and Priuses past 200,000-300,000 miles in taxi fleets for two decades. The eCVT has no clutches, belts or torque converter, and regenerative braking extends brake life. 2021 carried it over unchanged from 2018. Points come off only for the high-mileage items of the A25A family (EGR clogging) and the eventual cost of a traction battery outside warranty.

The 2021 refresh freshened the dash with a new freestanding touchscreen and revised trim, but did not change the material mix: reviewers still flag plenty of hard plastic in the volume LE and SE trims, with the Accord the acknowledged benchmark at the same price. XLE and XSE trims with leather and wood/metal-effect trim lift the cabin considerably, but the representative LE Hybrid does not get them.

Assembly consistency is a real strength: the 2021 cars came from Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant four years into building this body, and they went on to win the midsize-car dependability award at three years — build quality that holds up rather than just leaving the factory tight. Held at 80 by the persistent XV70 thread of wind noise, squeaks and rattles, and J.D. Power owners rating the door-closing sound below average.

Toyota fields roughly 1,250 US dealerships, the densest non-domestic network in the country, so warranty and recall work, parts and hybrid-qualified technicians are reachable almost anywhere. A Camry Hybrid is the most familiar car in any Toyota service bay. Service satisfaction is good rather than category-leading — Subaru, not Toyota, tops J.D. Power's mass-market Customer Service Index.

Parts are cheap, stocked everywhere and backed by an enormous aftermarket — the Camry has been America's best-selling car for most of four decades and the A25A engine family is shared across the RAV4 and other Toyotas. RepairPal puts average annual repair cost well below the midsize average. A few points off the gas car because, at five years old, the hybrid's inverter and traction battery are a dealer-heavy out-of-warranty tail risk, though the 10yr/150k battery warranty covers most owners and refurbished packs are widely available.

The 2021 refresh brought a new floating screen, but the volume Hybrid LE gets the 7-inch unit, which sits at the bottom edge of the sedan band. The 9-inch display is reserved for higher grades and an option package.

The Entune 3.0-based system responds reasonably and keeps physical tuning and volume knobs and hard climate buttons. The 2021 floating screen sits higher and is easier to reach than the 2018–20 integrated panel. Graphics and menu logic still trail the Accord, Sonata and K5.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2021 grade, but only wired. Wireless projection is not offered at any price on the XV70, so the car fits the 'wired standard' band.

Command-word voice recognition, Siri Eyes Free and built-in Amazon Alexa compatibility are standard. Embedded Dynamic Navigation is limited to the Premium Audio package on upper grades, so a Hybrid LE buyer relies on phone projection.

The Hybrid LE gets a plain six-speaker system. The 800-watt, 9-speaker JBL system with subwoofer is a genuine upgrade but is limited to upper grades and packages, so the representative buyer gets none of it.

No 2021 Camry has a full-digital cluster. The Hybrid LE uses analog gauges with a 4.2-inch multi-information display between them, and the 7-inch MID is limited to XLE and XSE.

The only over-the-air capability is map refresh through Dynamic Navigation, which the Hybrid LE does not have. There are no head-unit or vehicle software OTA updates on this generation.

The Toyota app offers remote start and unlock, vehicle status, guest-driver monitoring and a vehicle finder via a 1-year Remote Connect trial, after which it requires a subscription. There is no digital key on this generation.

There is a front USB media port plus charge-only ports front and rear. Qi wireless charging on the Hybrid LE requires the $940 Audio Upgrade Package, and no grade has a household AC outlet. Adequate, but not generous.

Unlike the gas LE, which has a turn-key ignition, the Hybrid LE has the Smart Key System with proximity entry and push-button start as standard. App-based remote start is limited to a Remote Connect trial, and there is no phone-as-key.

A backup camera is standard. The Bird's Eye View camera and Intelligent Clearance Sonar with Rear Cross-Traffic Braking are only in upper-grade packages, and blind-spot monitoring is only 'available' on LE. There is no self-parking at any price.

A large 10-inch color HUD with speed and turn-by-turn guidance is offered, but only on XLE and XSE, so it is out of reach for the volume Hybrid LE.

The LATCH hardware is excellent for a mid-size sedan: two outboard positions with easy-to-reach lower anchors, and a center seat that can borrow them. Packaging is the compromise — three car seats will not fit across, strollers go through a sedan lid into 15.1 cu ft, and a rear-facing seat crowds the front passenger.

The 2021 Camry is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with 5-star NHTSA ratings throughout, and 2021 made Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ standard on every grade, including the Hybrid LE. The weak spots are rear-occupant protection in the updated IIHS side test (Poor for the rear passenger's pelvis) and blind-spot monitoring that remains optional on LE.

This is a comfortable car for four over a medium haul: adult-usable 38-inch rear legroom and headroom, standard dual-zone climate, a quiet cabin at highway speed and about 686 miles of range. Rear amenities are thin (no rear climate zone, shades or screens), and a 15.1 cu ft trunk gets tight with a family's week of luggage.

The Hybrid LE is an easy, relaxing commuter. It creeps silently on electric power in traffic, it has Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (unlike the gas LE's standard DRCC) and push-button start, and it rides compliantly on 16-inch wheels. Minor annoyances are some grabbiness at low speed as regenerative and friction braking blend, and engine drone under hard throttle.

At 52 MPG combined on regular gas, the Hybrid LE is among the cheapest non-plug-in cars to commute in, at about $1,300 a year in EPA fuel cost. Its brakes wear slowly thanks to regeneration, and Toyota's hybrid battery warranty is 10 years/150,000 miles.

It is manageable with care. The 37.4 ft turning circle on 16-inch wheels is good for a 192-inch sedan, but the XV70's high beltline and thick C-pillars create rear blind zones, and the Hybrid LE gets only a backup camera — surround view and parking sonar are upper-grade packages.

This is not a work vehicle. Toyota publishes no US tow rating, offers no hitch and does not recommend towing with the Camry Hybrid, and the only cargo space is a 15.1 cu ft trunk behind a sedan lid.

The Camry Hybrid is the archetypal high-mileage taxi and rideshare car: Toyota's THS II has a long record of running past 200,000 miles, and its eCVT has no belts or clutches to wear. A low-slung, carpeted sedan offers no abuse tolerance for rough work, though.

There are essentially no work provisions: no 120V outlet, no factory hitch and no roof rails or crossbars. Device power is a few USB ports, and the floors and trunk are carpeted.

This is a very good tourer. About 686 miles per 13.2-gallon tank is outstanding range, the cabin is quiet at highway speed, the ride is compliant, and Full-Speed Range adaptive cruise with Lane Tracing Assist is standard. It is held below the top band by engine drone on long climbs and seats that are good rather than exceptional.

The car is pavement-bound. The 2021 Camry Hybrid is front-drive only (AWD was offered solely on the gas four-cylinder), and it has 5.7 in of ground clearance, no tow or roof-load rating, no factory rails or hitch and no AC outlet. Gravel roads and a trunk-mount bike rack are the limit.

Normal luggage fits, and because the battery sits under the rear seat the hybrid keeps the full 15.1 cu ft trunk and a 60/40 folding seatback. Bulky gear still has to pass through a sedan lid, and there is no factory roof rack or hitch for overflow.

The TNGA-K chassis is flat, secure and predictable. On the Hybrid LE, the 16-inch low-rolling-resistance tires and comfort tuning give up grip and sharpness to the sport-tuned SE/XSE hybrids, so it handles securely but unremarkably.

The electric rack is accurate and sensibly weighted, with no on-center vagueness, but it is short on genuine feedback. The rack carried over unchanged through the 2021 refresh.

Stops are straight and consistent, and regenerative blending is mostly seamless. Reviewers note occasional grabbiness that makes smooth stops harder, and the low-rolling-resistance tires return only average stopping distances.

The 208-hp THS II hybrid is smoothly calibrated: electric launches, seamless engine start/stop and adequate response (about 7.5 s to 60 mph, quicker than the gas four). It is held in the 70s by the eCVT's rubber-band flare under hard throttle.

The powertrain is near-silent around town and at a cruise, but the 2.5L drones and sounds gritty when the eCVT holds it at high rpm on passing or climbs. That is audible, though not offensive.

This is mid-pack against the 34–40 ft sedan band for a car with a 111.2-in wheelbase. The Hybrid LE's small wheels give it the tightest turning circle in the range.

The Hybrid LE has an 8-way power driver's seat as standard, good forward and side visibility, and real knobs and buttons for audio and climate. The 2021 floating screen sits higher and easier to reach. The low, ducked entry and tight headroom for tall drivers hold it back.

The Hybrid LE is pleasant, efficient transportation — reviewers call it 'a more advanced transportation appliance.' Its comfort-tuned chassis, efficiency tires and droning eCVT give little reason to take the long way home.

For 2021, every Camry made Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ standard, adding intersection turn assist, emergency steering assist and low-light pedestrian/cyclist detection. Wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is standard too, and the Hybrid LE delivers 52 MPG for about $28,000. The volume LE still ships a 7-inch screen (the 9-inch is optional), cloth seats and a manual driver's seat. That makes it competitive for the money rather than generous.

The scored hybrid offers rare content per dollar: 52 MPG combined and a 686-mile range for about $28,000 delivered, only about $2,200 over the gas LE. Rivals' hybrids either cost more or post lower EPA figures. Interior materials and wind/engine noise remain average for the class, which keeps this strong rather than standout.

The 2021 Camry was among the broadest mainstream sedan lineups in the US. It offered three powertrains (2.5L, 3.5L V6, hybrid), optional AWD on the four-cylinder, a TRD performance grade, and four hybrid grades including the new-for-2021 Hybrid XSE. The ladder runs from about $26,000 to the high $30,000s with no meaningful gaps.

With 313,795 sales in calendar 2021, the Camry was again America's best-selling passenger car, well ahead of every mid-size rival. Its volume even rose year over year despite the chip shortage. The only deduction is the shrinking sedan segment overall.

Toyota is among the strongest mainstream badges in the US, with a reputation for reliability and resale. It won Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value: Brand award for the 2021 model year. It is trusted rather than aspirational, which keeps this in the mid-80s.

Measured by what buyers could actually save, 2021 was a poor time to shop for a Camry Hybrid. The semiconductor shortage drained inventory through the model year, Toyota cut incentive spending to among the industry's lowest, and hybrids drew strong demand as fuel prices rose. Most deals closed at or above sticker, with little beyond standard subvented APR.

2021 is the fourth year of the XV70 generation launched for 2018. It is also the mid-cycle refresh year, bringing a new front fascia, an available 9-inch touchscreen, TSS 2.5+ and the new Hybrid XSE. Buyers got the latest version of a mid-life platform with no replacement in sight; the XV80 did not arrive until 2025.

The 2021 Camry earned an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ and steady praise for its hybrid efficiency and reliability. Reviewers generally ranked it near, not at, the top of the class: the Honda Accord took the 10Best and most comparison-test wins, and the Camry's noise and four-cylinder refinement drew the usual deductions.