​​Car and Driver Tests the FWD Camry Nightshade​ 

If you’ve had your current vehicle for a while and haven’t paid much attention to the car industry since then, it may surprise you that the Camry model line is now 100% hybrid.  If, however, you do follow automotive ins and outs, this will come as little surprise. Since that first all-hybrid model line, the Prius, Toyota has added the Sienna, Sequoia, Crown, Crown Signia, Land Cruiser, and now the best-selling RAV4 as 100% hybrid model lines. When this latest Camry debuted for the 2025 model year, most reviewers onfocused at the Camry AWD models, given the novelty of a mid-size sedan being both hybrid and all-wheel drive.  But as 80% of buyers in 2025 opted for front-wheel drive, Car and Driver decided to test one. Valley Hi Toyota summarizes what they found. 

They aimed directly at the middle of the lineup with a Nightshade treatment. New for 2026, the Nightshade is an SE with black-finish 19-inch alloy wheels and all the chrome trim blacked out to match. The 2026 model has a starting MSRP of $32,600. However, the model they tested was optioned to $38,547 with a sunroof, media upgrade package (12.3-inch touchscreen and wireless phone mirroring), Convenience Package, heated seats and steering wheel, dash cam, paint upgrade, and some other individual options that didn’t really impact the vehicle evaluation. Having 100% hybrid brings economies of scale, so the base Camry LE starts at $29,100, which is $4,000 more accessible than the least expensive Accord Hybrid. 

The engine portion of the powertrain consists of a 2.5-liter inline-4 with Atkinson-cycle valve timing, which is connected to a 134-hp electric motor for a combined output of 225 horsepower.  The system is paired with a continuously variable transmission, and, as mentioned, all power is sent to the front wheels. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 47 city, 45 highway, and 46 combined.  The AWD model also gets 46 combined, with 46 mpg in both city and highway.  That FWD gets the same mileage as the AWD may seem counterintuitive until you realize that Toyota makes an AWD Camry by placing a second electric motor in the rear, which activates when needed. Thus, instead of a spinning driveshaft running the length of the wheelbase, it is just wires, and the motor itself probably weighs little more than a rear differential. Still, the Nightshade weighed about 189 pounds less than an AWD XSE Car and Driver previously tested, which is not enough to have any numerical difference in fuel economy.  Consequently, savings in getting the FWD models are concentrated in its $1,525 lower price. 

You can get better mileage lower in the model line hierarchy, with the LE FWD and AWD models getting 51 and 50 combined, respectively, which is impressive for a mid-size sedan with well over 200 horsepower. 

The model will go from 0 to 60 in 7.0 seconds, which is a little slower than the AWD model, which gets a bit of a boost at the start by sending power to the rear wheels. Based on Car and Driver’s testing, the 0–60 time fits squarely between the Honda Accord at 6.7 seconds and the Sonata hybrid at 7.7 seconds. When it was time to bring things to a stop, the Camry did so with a smooth blend of regenerative and friction braking, and when braked hard from 70 mph, the Camry stopped in 171 feet. 

Inside, this new Camry design has fewer swirls in the dash than before and lays everything out very logically. Even with the optional 12.3-inch touchscreen (standard is 8.0 inches), there are plenty of welcome physical controls for routine operations. Camry keeps the shift lever in the center console where you expect it, and it still has plenty of storage space.  

The Nightshade and models with “SE” in the name all have a firmer suspension than the grades with “LE” in their names, but it is still a comfortable ride, even with the 19-inch wheels. The model simply doesn’t call attention to itself as you drive, which is exactly what many mid-size sedan buyers want, black wheels notwithstanding. 

In this era of sky-high new car costs, a solid mid-size sedan that gets 46 mpg or better costing in the low 30s is worth any sedan-buyer’s attention. And if you want AWD traction optimization, it isn’t much more. Check one out for yourself at Valley Hi Toyota in Victorville, CA.