Back in 2016 there was a unfortunately cheesy Toyota commercial that featured the then-new Camry LE and an over confident driver who — while passing a reflective mirror — proceeds to check himself out in the reflection. Despite featuring a track from Texan hip-hop artist Charlie Boy, this Camry commercial was more than a little cringe worthy partly because back in 2016 the Camry wasn’t quite where it needed to be in terms of design, style and overall cool factor. The guy in the commercial sure thought he looked like the cat’s pajamas but the Camry still had a little ways to go. Fast forward 5 years and the Camry feels like it has finally arrived into a new era, looking every bit as good as that 2016 commercial professed it to be.
By the way, the commercial I mentioned isn’t made available online by Toyota but I was able to find this clip on YouTube. The video quality isn’t great but you get the picture.
What This Dad Digs about the 2021 Camry Hybrid XSE
Bringing XSE Back – Toyota should totally add a Y to the XSE trim level our review because that would make it the perfect anagram for how this our particular Camry looks: sexy! This is the first time Toyota is offering the Camry Hybrid with this particular trim level and it’s every bit the essence of what an upgrade should be. For starters, the two tone paint job our review Camry came in really stands out and compliments the body stylings to a tee. The refreshed front grill is now drastically more mature and fits in fantastically with the rest of the modern body design. With the XSE trim, this grille is blacked out, as are the 19-inch alloy gloss wheels, adding to the aggressively fun stance the Camry now has.
A Interior Full of Personality – New additions on the inside of the 2021 Camry are bold and, like the exterior, are further enhanced by the XSE trim. Most of the upgrades are subtle while others — like the new 9-inch touchscreen — are front and center. I’m not a fan of large screens in vehicles but this screen feels just the right size and I’m thrilled that Toyota included physical buttons for certain, critical functions. Not to mention, this infotainment screen flows well with the Camry’s eclectic dash design. The dramatic line that curves and swoops from the screen, down the dash and into the center console is a thing of beauty and sets this interior apart from other sedans.
Throughout the cabin, various portions of the leather that wraps the dash, steering wheel, and the seats are highlighted with colors that match the exterior paint job. I couldn’t get enough of the two-toned “Supersonic Red”/Black combo of the exterior so I was thrilled to see Toyota didn’t hold back on the interior and created some fantastic contrasts using these came colors. For instance, the plastic top portion of the dash is black while the leather wrapped lower portion is that same, exciting Supersonic Red. In fact all of the seats in our review Camry were wrapped with brilliant Supersonic red leather, creating a fantastic contrast against the black cloth floorboards. Not only does this give the 2021 Camry an even sportier look but it’s just plain fun and engaging — descriptions that used to be applied to the Camry. During my week with it, several people walked up to the Camry while it was park just to comment on the use of the color combination.
A Knockout Hybrid Combination – Under the hood, the 2021 Camry Hybrid is very similar to the 2020 hybrid model and that’s not a bad thing. The Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter inline-four engine and electric motor combination is the magic powerhouse for this sedan, producing 208 horsepower in front wheel drive. Performance was as reliable as ever and though acceleration can feel a tiny bit underwhelming, the shift from gas to electric is barely noticeable, making for a super smooth drive. While this driving experience is similar to the 2020 Camry Hybrid, there is a major difference this year and it has everything to do with the XSE trim.
As if we needed another reason to harp on this trim level, the XSE Camry comes with sports tuning to the suspension system that really shines when Sport Driving mode is engaged. An exhilarating sense of nimbleness and sharp responsiveness are benefits that come about through the updated suspension. Don’t get me wrong: It’s not on par with a sports car and the engine will definitely sound like it’s doing a lot of work if you push it, but in typical highway driving conditions, these sporty enhancements make for a very fun drive.
Hybrid Is as Hybrid Does – No matter how sporty the drive, the fuel gauge in the 2021 Camry Hybrid won’t let you forget you’re driving a hybrid. This Camry gets a whopping 44 miles per gallon in the city and 47 miles on the highway. Even my speed-demon daughter Zoe can get behind those kind of fuel economy numbers.
The Evolution of Safety Sense – Like a dad teaching a child to put a helmet on while riding a bike, the 2021 Camry Hybrid not only struts its stuff but has safety conscious brains to back it up. New for 2021 is Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 and it comes standard on this year’s Camry. That “.5” in the safety package name brings a new forward collision warning upgrade that now recognizes cyclists and has better pedestrian vision at night. The new, aptly named Intersection Support feature specifically keeps an eye out for – you guessed it – pedestrians crossing an intersection, as well as irresponsible drivers who blow through intersections to beat a red light. Of course, Toyota’s Safety Sense also comes with all the bells and whistles that safety conscious mom and dad drivers have come to love including blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts and a bird’s eye view while reversing so you don’t accidently run over any toys left haphazardly in the driveway.
What Gets This Dad’s Downvote
There isn’t much I didn’t like about the 2021 Toyota Camry and the things that did bug can be mostly be overlooked — but I’ll talk about them anyway. For starters, I wish the rear stylings of this year’s Camry were a bit more aggressive. Still, I’ll take subdued stylings over annoyingly flashy any day of the week. More storage options in the center console and throughout the cabin would also be a welcome change, particularly for parents. And while I dig the design of the Camry’s Dash and the inclusion of physical buttons around the infotainment screen, it is time for Toyota to rethink and refresh their user interface system. It was simple enough to find functions I needed within the system, but the overall all design feels a bit outdated and uninspired.
Bring Back the Cheesy Commercial
If Toyota had held off on the above cheesy commercial from 2016 and used it to highlight the 2021 Camry, the commercial would have still been cheesy but at least the updated Camry itself would be a head turner. The Camry has been a reliable sedan for some time now but with this refresh and the additions of the XSE trim, it’s now a reliable sedan that also looks pretty damn good. Throw in a highly capable hybrid engine and suddenly the Camry, which always felt like a great investment, is prepping us for a future where a fully electric Camry exists.
The 2021 Camry Hybrid starts at about $27 at its base level; considering that the performance, safety features, and fuel economy all come included in that price, this year’s Camry is a slam dunk deal. But for my money, it would be difficult to go with anything less than the XSE trim. That trim starts at just below $33 and in this dad driver’s opinion, it’s worth every penny. The XSE trim paired with the Hybrid engine, creates a Camry for the modern Dad Driver, granting us something all Dads can use – a boost of responsible adrenaline.
Phillip is a filmmaker, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and craft beer aficionado. He writes about cars, car tech, and various other cool Dad things. He lives, works and plays in Dallas, Texas.
