Toyota Camry Prices Soar: Is America’s Beloved Sedan Worth the Markup?

The Camry, a highly popular vehicle in the US, has seen a price increase of up to about $5,000

A full-change (redesigned) model of the Toyota Camry recently began production in the US. Camry, which has maintained steady popularity in the US for 22 years, recorded sales of 36,208 units in the US in May 2024. It is the third-highest sales volume after the Ram pickup truck and Toyota RAV4.

The new model’s price has increased by $1,990 compared to its predecessor. However, the hybrid feature is now included as standard by standardizing the powertrain to a hybrid across all trims. Given this change, depending on the trim, the new model is up to $455 cheaper than the previous hybrid model.

Some options also forced to purchase
Price set in the $40,000 range

Some trims of the new model are priced lower or similarly to previous versions, making the overall price increase feel relatively less significant. With continued high sales, many consumers are anticipated to be interested in the new Camry. However, it appears that some dealers are selling the new Camry at a markup.

It is known that some Toyota dealers in California and the US are selling the Camry with a dealership premium of $4,995 added to the existing price. In addition, a wheel lock and door edge guard worth $570 were applied as standard at the time of purchase, so the total price added up was $45,057.

Has a fuel efficiency of 21.6 km per liter(50.8 mpg)
Shed its rugged design

The new Camry is a single hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine, two electric motors, and an eCVT transmission. This produces a combined total output of 228 horsepower and is driven by front-wheel drive. When the optional four-wheel drive is applied, an electric motor is added to the rear wheels, increasing output to 235 horsepower.

The combined fuel efficiency is about 21.6 km per liter (50.8 mpg), boasting the high efficiency of a hybrid. In particular, the new Camry has shed the clunky design of the previous generation. The V-shaped panel covering the front grill disappeared, and the overly large headlamps became thinner and sleeker. The V-shaped turn signal lights connected to the grill add to the sharp image.

The base price is about $29,000
The upper trim is around $36,000

The new Camry features a more sophisticated image while sharing design elements applied to the Prius, such as a thin grille and headlamp design. A vertical air intake is added to the side of the lower bumper, and a honeycomb-type pattern is added between them. In the case of the rear part, a V-shaped tail lamp was applied, and the same design tone as the front part was applied. A horizontal black band was applied to the angled tailgate.

The interior is equipped with a 7-inch digital instrument panel, 8-inch display, 2-zone air conditioning, and wireless Apple CarPlay as standard. The XLE and XSE trims are equipped with heated seats, a heated steering wheel, double laminated glass, and leather materials. The new Camry starts at $29,495 for the base LE trim and rises to $35,695 depending on trim and options.