With the Camry’s revamp last year, Toyota went all in on hybrids, to the point that the Camry is no longer offered with anything but a hybrid powertrain. Yet Camry buyers still have one decision to make regarding motivation: front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The vast majority of buyers—80 percent in 2025—choose front-wheel drive. To date, however, our interactions with the latest-generation Camry had been with all-wheel-drive models. This is our first test of the more popular front-drive version, and unsurprisingly, the experience is largely the same.
We tested the Nightshade trim, a new variant for 2026 that sits smack in the middle of the hierarchy. We’ve previously identified the SE as the best choice in the lineup, and this is basically a twist on the SE; the decision on whether to go dark with the Nightshade (for an additional $1000 over the SE) comes down to your affinity for black trim. The Camry’s styling is already busier than that of other mid-size sedans, but some buyers may find that the Nightshade visuals impart a sportier look.
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The bottom-line price for our test car came in under $40,000 despite a fairly long list of options, some of which we’d definitely want (heated front seats and steering wheel for $500, the larger touchscreen for $735), while others were dubious (“door sill enhancement” for $199, an illuminated trunk sill at $450, and front accent lights for $399). On any Camry trim, skipping all-wheel drive saves you $1525.
As part of the Camry’s 2025 redo, the funhouse dashboard, seemingly inspired by the children’s board game Chutes and Ladders, was tossed out in favor of a more sober design. The result might not set hearts alight at first showroom sit, but it’s blessedly easy to interact with, which ultimately counts for more. There are physical buttons for many daily operations, such as the climate-control functions, and that’s starting to feel like a luxury as touchscreens worm their way into every corner of our lives.
We also appreciate the physicality of a real shift lever. While this one sprouts from the center console, there’s still loads of available storage space, along with multiple charge outlets and an inductive charging pad. Of course, there is a touchscreen; it’s a 12.3-inch unit (an 8.0-inch is standard on Nightshade and lower trims), and its logic is fairly logical. Wireless smartphone connectivity is standard, if you prefer to go that route.
The SE and Nightshade trims get a SofTex (faux leather) seat fabric with a zippy stripe down the center, and there’s cloth trim on the dash and door panels. It all looks fine and surely is practical, even if you won’t confuse the SofTex for the real stuff; real leather wraps the steering wheel, but it’s far from the finest we’ve felt.
Without the weight of the all-wheel-drive model’s rear electric motor, this front-wheel-drive Nightshade danced across our scales at 3585 pounds, 189 pounds less than the last all-wheel-drive XSE we tested. The all-wheel-drive model’s rear electric motor adds seven horses to the pony count and gives it an advantage at launch off the line, which means this front-wheel-drive Nightshade was a couple of ticks slower getting to 60 mph, reaching the mark in 7.0 seconds. It’s also 0.3 second in arrears of the hybrid Honda Accord, despite making 21 more horsepower. (Yes, we miss the old 301-hp V-6, which hustled to 60 in 5.8 seconds.) This Camry is significantly quicker than the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and its 7.7 seconds, however.
The Camry has just enough torque to prevent it from feeling lazy in typical suburban driving, but the 4.8-second pull getting from 50 to 70 mph reminds you that 225 horses isn’t a surfeit of power on the highway. The hybrid powertrain provides less engine droning than you probably expect, although under light throttle applications, there is some discernible back-and-forth between the Camry’s gas and electric halves. Plant the right pedal, and the 73-decibel din that reaches your ears is less than in the Hyundai but more than in the Honda. When it’s time to switch from go! to whoa!, the brake pedal blends the regenerative and friction braking nicely—which isn’t true of all Toyota hybrids—and the car stops from 70 mph in 171 feet.
The powertrain offers a Sport mode (along with Eco, the default Normal, and a rather pointless EV mode), which is ideal for those who equate a touchy accelerator with being on the grid in F1. Everyone else will just leave the Camry in its default setting and let it do its thing.
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Fuel economy is very much the Camry’s thing, with an EPA combined estimate of 46 mpg; interestingly, that estimate exactly matches the figure for the all-wheel-drive Camry SE and XLE. For the Camry, fuel economy varies more with trim level than drivetrain. True hypermilers should stick with the front-wheel-drive LE, which rolls on much smaller 16-inch wheels and notches an astounding 51-mpg combined estimate.
The SE, Nightshade, and XSE trims feature a firmer suspension than the standard model. Even so, this is still a Camry, not an AMG, and this car rides exceedingly well. Despite the Nightshade’s 19-inch wheels, this Camry was not at all flustered by the first winter bloom of potholes and busted-up pavement. Cossetting passengers is this car’s priority; while the Nightshade’s chassis tightening is welcome, it does not hark back to that little-known sleeper from not so long ago, the Camry TRD. Instead, this car is agreeable but uninvolving, its helm mute—you won’t suffer an overabundance of power assist, nor will you feel the tug of torque steer.
Overall, the 2026 Camry is a car with few vices. With front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, its performance and fuel economy vary little. Yes, sticking with front-wheel drive sacrifices some foul-weather grip; then again, it saves $1525. In all other aspects, the Camry experience is little changed, no matter which you choose.
Specifications
Specifications
2026 Toyota Camry Nightshade FWD
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $33,795/$38,547
Options: powered sunroof, $870; Multimedia Upgrade package (12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 3-month trial), $735; Convenience package (auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry, push button start), $600; Cold Weather package (heated leather steering wheel, heated front seats), $500; Supersonic Red paint, $475; illuminated trunk sill, $450; dash cam, $375; carpeted floor mats, $319; doorsill protection, $199; mudguards, $160; rear bumper appliqué, $69
POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter inline-4, 184 hp, 163 lb-ft + AC motor, 134 hp, 153 lb-ft (combined output: 225 hp)
Transmission: continuously variable automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.0-in vented disc/11.1-in disc
Tires: Bridgestone Turanza EL440
235/40R-19 92V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 193.5 in
Width: 72.4 in
Height: 56.9 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/46 ft3
Trunk Volume: 15 ft3
Curb Weight: 3585 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
100 mph: 17.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.4 sec @ 94 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.3 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.8 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 115 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 171 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 29 dBA/1 sone
Full Throttle: 73 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 67 dBA/22 sone
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 34 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 46/47/45 mpg
Range: 598 mi
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