2025 Toyota Camry XLE FWD First Test: Should You or Shouldn’t You?
Our Q&A-style review answers your questions on a $40,000 front-wheel-drive Camry XLE.
Pros
- L.A. to Vegas and back on one tank
- Quick for a midsize sedan
- Sportier than you think
Cons
- Accord Hybrid’s superior refinement
- Wooden brake pedal feel
- Seat comfort issues
If you’re feeling déjà vu with this 2025 Toyota Camry, we can help.
0:00 / 0:00
We’re covering the Camry—2023’s bestselling car and likely 2024’s, too—from as many different angles as we can. Not just because we’re the experts, but because this is a Camry like you’ve never seen: all hybrid from the bottom to the top. That’s a brave step for a midsize sedan when any perceived fault could mean the difference between yet another Camry and “Honey, let’s go check out the Honda Accord.”
Given that we’ve First Tested the Camry out of this Toyota—an SE FWD, XSE AWD (stay tuned), and XLE AWD—we're crafting this XLE FWD review differently. This is how a nearly $40,000 front-wheel-drive 2025 Toyota Camry XLE performs and what you need to know.
Can the 2025 Camry XLE FWD Beat a Supra GT4 EVO2 in a Race?
Yes, if that newly updated race car was missing a tire. The Camry’s move to an all-hybrid lineup for 2025 isn’t just about mpg, it also makes possible a higher standard of power than any competitor. No other midsize sedan offers 225 hp on a standard trim. So, although drag racing a Toyota racecar isn’t a great idea, the Camry performs well in 0–60-mph testing.
The 2025 Camry XLE FWD hits 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, which is good for a midsize sedan but the slowest of the four 2025 Camrys we’ve tested so far. But not by much. Another front-wheel-drive Camry, this one in the SE trim, completed the sprint in 7.0 seconds, and two AWD models finished in 6.8 and 6.9 seconds, respectively. To put that into perspective, the Honda Accord hybrid is quicker still (6.6 seconds), but the Hyundai Sonata hybrid takes its time, at 8.6 seconds.
If you’re getting out of a recent non-hybrid (non-V-6-powered) Camry, you’ll feel the hybrid boost most in acceleration at lower speeds. As the slowest of the four 2025 Camrys we’ve tested thus far, the XLE is still quicker than the previous model’s four-cylinder hybrid and non-hybrid models, if not as zippy as the discontinued V-6 models.
What’s the 2025 Camry XLE FWD Like to Drive?
Most MotorTrend editors have found the Camry—including this XLE FWD model—to be surprisingly fun to drive. Clearly, some of the latest Prius’ magic has worked on the Camry. However, a few editors wished for more steering feel, and some found the brake pedal feel to be variably squishy and stiff and its response wooden.
Midsize sedan buyers have something to look forward to with the Camry XLE FWD. Biased more toward comfort than the sport-oriented XSE trim, the former nevertheless can hold its own on a curving road.
But How Many of These 12 Toyota/Lexus Models Did the Automaker Get Wrong?
If you’re asking what that fun MotorTrend feature has to do with a 2025 Camry XLE, it’s nothing. Even so, how many of these Toyota and Lexus cars do you remember?
2025 Toyota Camry LE vs. XLE: Why Upgrade?
Really, it comes down to style, tech, and leather seats. The 2025 Toyota Camry lineup includes LE, SE, XLE, and XSE trims; the SE and XSE look and drive sportier than the LE and XLE, which have a more traditional, Camry-like focus on comfort.
The Camry LE is the only remaining trim below $30,000 before options, but certain options are relegated to higher trims. The biggest example is tech. The Camry XLE includes a 12.3-inch driver display and identically sized touchscreen. We’ve complained in the past about the digital clutter Toyota displays have, but there are ways to remove most of it with this large screen once you find the settings menu.
That’s harder to do with the Camry LE’s 7.0-inch driver display, which is accompanied by an 8.0-inch touchscreen. The Camry XLE also gets fancier headlights as well as 18-inch wheels in place of the LE’s 16s. We expect the LE’s smaller wheels and taller sidewalls offer an even more comfortable ride than the XLE, which rides fine.
The XLE also adds leather seats with microfiber trim as standard equipment to the LE’s cloth. Paying more for XLE also adds standard eight-way power driver and passenger front seats. The LE’s front seats only have six ways of adjustability, though an options package upgrades the driver’s seat to an eight-way power unit.
We’d also point out that a hands-free keyless entry system is part of a $1,050 options package with that power driver’s seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
What About MPG? Tell Me About the Mileage!
Although the 2025 Camry is quicker than before, it’s also among the most efficient gas-fueled four-doors on the road today. The Camry XLE FWD gets 48/47 mpg city/highway, with a bladder-busting 611 miles of driving range. If you think that’s good, stick with the base LE in FWD form for 53/50 mpg and 663 miles of range.
For comparison, most Accord hybrid trims come in lower, at 46/41 mpg, or 51/44 for the EX-L with smaller 17-inch wheels. Range is from 563 to 614 miles across the Honda’s trims. For the boldly refreshed Hyundai, the Sonata delivers 44/51 (and 620 miles of range). The point here is that buyers stepping out of non-hybrid rides are likely to last another commuting workday or two before needing to refuel thanks to the hybrid powertrain.
Although hybrids like the 2025 Camry XLE cost more than a non-hybrid would, you can save money over the long term in fuel. With the new model in XLE form, the savings come to about $500 a year when compared to a non-hybrid four-cylinder 2024 Camry XLE. Hybrid-car mileage tends to vary more than it does in a standard gas car, but you’re still likely to come out ahead with the new model.
Hold On. Did You Say $40,000 for a Camry?
Yep. Midsize sedans now start in the high $20,000 range and top out just above $40,000. Wild, right?
The 2025 Camry XLE starts at $34,535 before Toyota’s cornucopia of options. In our test car’s case, we got to $39,720 with the near-$5,000 Premium Plus package that adds everything from a 360-degree parking camera and rear cross-traffic braking to a nine-speaker sound system, head-up display, panoramic glass roof, and ventilated front seats.
Inside, the Camry feels on the cozier side of midsize. A couple editors had trouble finding a comfortable seating position, and another wished for cushier armrests. The XLE trim gets an interesting crosshair patterned trim that’s on part of the dash and the door panels. It’s a distinctive touch, but this is no luxury car inside.
So yes, the Camry XLE you see here is nearly $40,000 without the $1,525 AWD option, but that keeps it competitive with the Accord that offers fewer features.
Is the 2025 Camry Safe?
The 2025 Camry achieves a 2024 Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, a tough standard to meet. The Accord matches the Camry, and the Sonata earns a 2024 Top Safety Pick.
We should mention, however, that in our 60–0-mph panic braking test, our Camry test car comes to its acceptable 125-foot distance with what our test team described as a cacophony of noises from its antilock braking system. The car remains stable, though, as there is no swaying left or right.
Is the 2025 Camry XLE Good? What Else Should I Consider?
The hybrid trims of the Honda Accord would be the other vehicle on our shopping list besides the Camry XLE. With the Accord, Honda has engineered a more refined and quieter hybrid with almost the same mileage and slightly quicker acceleration. For those who are happy to sacrifice a little performance for more features-per-dollar value, the Sonata hybrid would be a good bet.
We like the Camry XLE. The interior doesn’t completely justify its as-tested price in comfort, perceived space, or premium feel, but the car fights back with fantastic efficiency, range, acceleration, and driving feel. When you’re not looking for the XSE’s extroverted style or its compromised ride, the 2025 Camry XLE is the well-equipped alternative that just so happens to deliver similar numbers.
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
Read More
