Our family needed a bigger car for road trips, so we traded in my wife's 2010 Corolla LE for 2015 Camry LE. We also have 2011 Prius Two, so I wanted to post my impressions from 2015 Camry vs Prius: 1. Road noise and vibrations on rough surface - Camry is much more superior - the difference in noise and overall ride quality vs. Prius is dramatic, Camry feels much more stable and refined on all types of roads and so much more enjoyable to drive 2. MPG - no comments here - I get 54MPG in a Prius on my way to work vs. 35MPG in Camry 3. Drivetrain - the engine is much quieter in Camry vs. Prius, but 6-speed auto tranny with gear hunting, occasional shift bumps, etc. is nothing compared to very smooth power delivery of Prius eCVT. 4. Interior - Camry has much more refined interior materials and virtually rattle-free. More soft plastics and much more solid feel inside the Camry. Rear view camera that comes standard on 2015 LE is great along with power seats IMHO, Prius is great for in-town trips and road trips under 1000 miles, but Camry is much more comfortable on highway and better for longer road trips (until gas gets expensive again )
Your observations are all probably valid. Even though since The Prius is all about fuel efficiency, it would be my personal choice for any road trip. The Longer...the more savings and more efficiency. I love the Prius for road trips.
we have both, as well…our Camry is a 2010 Hybrid and we've gotten anywhere between 36 and 40 mpg (and based on 2010 statistics I have read on that model HyCam, it's mileage is better than what it's rated for that year, 33/34, and I know fuel economy has improved with subsequent model releases)…have yet to travel in the Prius, we'll get to do that this weekend, as we're driving to St. Louis.
prius is OK for some short to moderate road trips. i agree with OP, trips > 1000 miles especially with 4 people and baggage, you want to have a bigger car, regardless of fuel economy. i've been there too.
Agree. The Camry is the superior vehicle for highway driving (commute or road trips). We do greatly miss our 2002 Camry XLE. A lot of the focus is on the Prius as the leader in hybrid technology but the unsung hero would be the Camry Hybrid which brought in people who wanted a hybrid but also wanted something familiar. I haven't checked recently but a couple of years ago, the Camry Hybrid is the best selling hybrid in Canada.
True, and I would have bought TCH rather that Camry LE too, in fact, I test drove it and it had everything I wanted. Unfortunately it was out of my price range and they had $6k off internet special for Camry LE so this is what I bought.
Well I'm not taking my road trips with "families". To each their own, That might make a significant "comfort" difference. But if we are talking fuel efficiency, and making ANY road trip with the least expenditure of fuel costs? It just has to be The Prius. I've never owned a Camry...but for me? The Prius IS the best road trip vehicle I have ever owned.
We took our new 2015 Prius Three to Grand Junction Colorado for Thanksgiving and I need to agree that, in my opinion, something bigger is needed for longer trips especially with highways that have serious upgrades. Don't get me wrong - the Prius made it up the grades keeping a constant 75 mph but it really strained keeping the speed up. Our six year old Camry Hybrid has made that trip with little effort with an average of 34 mpg while the Prius did a calculated 44 mpg for the trip so that is a good thing, but overall the Camry gave us a more comfortable and enjoyable drive.
lol... I'm beginning to suspect that a big part of my Point of View is that I've never owned a vehicle hallmarked by it's "comfort". Small Pick-Ups, Small cars, and a Early 90's Accord, which was comfortable, but by todays standards barely a mid-size. So to me? The Prius is great. Compared to my history, it is comfortable enough, and....well we all know about the gas mileage. But OK, Ok....I believe you guys when you tell me the Camry is more comfortable for a long drive. I'm still taking my Prius....
For a family of 5, a bigger car is a must for an extended road trip. My kids hated being crammed into the back of the Prius, despite the MPG difference. Having driven the 4 cylinder Camry in LE and SE form (both rentals), the Hybrid is the only way to go, powertrain-wise if I ever did that route. The MPG of the hybrid is a bonus, but the difference in smoothness and responsiveness is second to none and worth the expense, in my opinion. Sadly, HyCam wasn't big enough of a change, and the Avalon was a bit steep price-wise, so we settled for a Sienna. I can get 25-26mpg highway cruising with comfortable room for 6 and bags/gear, or 8 if we're carpooling a bunch of cheerleaders to a practice. 'round town, however, is awful, so shorter trips with less than a full compliment will still be in the Prius unless all 5 in the family are going, or we're doing the carpool.
Yeah... lol. I was gonna say "Take a Camry Hybrid out". If I ever decide to get out of a Prius (but not go PHV or EV), the TCH will be on my list. I love the interior space, but I'm sooo used to the efficient packing of the Prius that the Camry's exterior dimension will definitely need getting used to.
