2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE Matches Toyota Prius' 52 MPG Fuel Economy

The all-new 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE now earns an EPA Combined rating of 52 MPG. That means for the first time, the hybrid Camry can match the Combined EPA fuel economy of the standard Prius hybrid.

Toyota now makes multiple trims of both the Camry Hybrid and the Prius. It is important to know that each trim may have a different fuel economy rating score due to different drivetrain content. In the case of the new 2018 Camry Hybrid, the LE uses a lithium-ion battery instead of the nickel metal hydride batteries the SE and XLE Hybrid trims use. It also has steel wheels and slightly different dimensions and a lower weight than the other two trims. The combined effects give the LE Hybrid a slightly better fuel efficiency rating. The SE and XLE earn a still respectable 46 MPG combined.

The Prius is now a line of vehicles. The standard Prius is the hybrid trim. There is also an ECO version of this car, which has an EPA-estimated 56 MPG Combined. The Prius Prime is a plug-in hybrid and it earns a 54 MPG rating on gasoline alone, and a 133 MPGe rating on combined electricity and gasoline. There are also two other Prius cars. The c is a subcompact hybrid vehicle and the V is a larger car than the standard Prius.

The 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE costs $28,695. The Prius is still in its 2017 model year. It costs between $24K and 31K depending upon features. Comparably-equipped, the Prius is about $2K less expensive than the Camry Hybrid LE.

Toyota's hybrids lead the world in green car sales. The new 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE will certainly help keep that leadership strong.