What's the news?
A year on from when it was first announced, the first examples of Toyota's new Camry Hybrid have arrived in Ireland.
Described as 'iconic' by Toyota, the Camry has been off-sale here since 2004, when the last version to grace our shores was discontinued, mostly because it was only available with a tax-unfriendly 2.4-litre engine.
Well, guess what? The new one is only available with a 2.5-litre engine. It's a hybrid though, a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder with an electric motor and battery stack that develops 218hp with CO2 emissions as low as 98g/km. That means that whereas the last Camry to be sold here would cost you €1,034 to tax for a year, the new one will cost from as little as €180. Claimed fuel economy is 5.3 litres per 100km, or 53mpg.
Prices for the new Camry start at €39,750 - quite a chunky price tag, but Toyota sees it as something of a range-topping model, with the new Corolla saloon and RAV4 positioned to hoover up more cost-conscious buyers. You can get one on a Toyota Flex PCP for €304 a month.
There will be three trim levels - a basic Hybrid, followed by a Hybrid Sol and a top-spec Premium.
Toyota's Safety Sense comes as standard in the new Camry, which includes a set of advanced driver assistance technologies; Automatic High Beam, Full-range Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Departure Alert with Steering Control. Radar sensors and cameras assist with detecting potential collisions and monitoring road signs.
Mid-spec Hybrid Sol models (likely to be the best-sellers) come with heated leather seats, sat-nav, LED lights, keyless entry, rear privacy glass, heated door mirrors, a rearview camera, dual-zone climate control, and an inclusive three-year servicing package,
If you fancy a new Camry, better act fast - Toyota says that initial supply is pretty tight and it's already had 1,500 expressions of interest in the new car, so there's likely to be something of a waiting list at first.