Toyota Camry Hybrid named 2007 Canadian Car of the Year

Seems funny that this made car of the year since it is quite cold in Canada, I should know I live here. Hybrids are known to be inefficient in cold weather.

Is that right, I did not know that ;)

I have the feeling that the Toyota Camry Hybrid is being so mega overrated. We Americans (and now Canadians) seem to think that they're all that, when they're not.

I've said it before. Outside the urban environment, hybrids loose their efficiency.

Yes Will, diesels were beamed down from the German car god, Rudolf Diesel. If you are ever in doubt as to whether hybrids are a good idea, think about this: If hybrids were a good idea, wouldn't Germans have invented them years ago? I am sure you are laughing at this logic since you hate German cars so much, but think about it. Look what VW is doing with twin charger systems these days. Germans invented the Rotary (Wankel)and went on to abandon it. Pretty much any leap forward in automotive technology was brought to us by the Germans. DSG is the latest, have you tried it? I imagine you are still too impressed by Lexus' superfluous 8 speed transmission to try anything else. Why is Jeremy Clarkson the only one out there questioning why 8 speeds? One speed for every cylinder perhaps?

The IS F also has 8 speeds for some reason. I was amazed when I drove a mule that it kept shifting up through 6 speeds.

Will, I have to admit the self parking feature of the LS is kind of cool. I tried that out today. Not something I necessarily need, but handy nonetheless.

I am also guessing you have never driven:

1. In Europe
2. A modern, high performance diesel

I begrudgingly admit the Camry hybrid is the best execution of a Hybrid I have driven. (Prius, RX400h, GS450h and a Civic). The loss of trunk space was a disappointment.

Will, German companies getting on the hybrid bandwagon made decent sense. If the technology had taken off, they would need to compete in that segment. They had to hedge their bets. Fortunately, most consumers have seen that hybrid technology is largely a novelty that will probably stay around for the next decade but will never sell in mainstream numbers.

If Hybrid technology was so great, wouldn't Europe be buying the things in droves?

8 speed transmissions are a marketing scheme. BMW put a 7 speed in the M5 to match what they have in F1, a V10 mated to a 7 speed semi-automatic gearbox.

Japanese makes make great cars and Honda even makes fantastic engines. You can't credit Lexus for the self parking feature any more than you can credit Audi for DSG. These technologies were made by suppliers.

Adding electronics to cars does little for me. As i mentioned in another post, today I tried the LS park feature. Interesting, cool and actually handy, but not something that would sway me to buy a car that lacks driver feed back.

Oh, before you start telling me how Honda invented hybrid technology, Locomotives have been using regenerative braking for years and they essentially are powered like a hybrid car. The brake energy is not recouped back into a battery pack, it is dissipated as heat, but the idea is the same. Putting this technology on a car was no leap forward and I am tired of people not pointing out diesel electric locomotives are "hybrid" vehicles.

"Hybrid technology, self-parking and 8-speed transmissions are the three latest examples of you guys' hypocrisy."

Uhh, nope.

Hybrids? As if. They were not developed by a Japanese company. They were developed by numerous corporations around the world, and, to remind you, VW was the first company to develop a hybrid concept car.

Self-park? This has been a car fantasy for quite awhile. I don't think it would have been too hard (yet quite expensive) to incorporate a similar system into an existing, pre-Prius (the Japanese Prius had the system before the LS) car. The Japanese obviously didn't come up with the idea themselves.

And the eight-speed transmission. Hmm. To say this is an achievement is quite laughable. Do you know how many other companies have made the first of an extra cog in the past? This is simply bragging rights for Lexus- but there's not much engineering involved. If you want to know the truth, the first AUTOMATIC transmission is an achievement. The DSG is the latest transmission "accomplishment" that we have.

<b>Primarily European Firsts:</b>
*1902 the first automobile disc brakes were patented by Frederick William Lanchester in his Birmingham factory in 1902
*1912 first DOHC engines from companies like Fiat & Alfa Romeo
*1959 Volvo Amazon first mass produced car with seat belts.
*Nils Bohlin who patented the modern three-point belt design and gave it to Volvo.
*1971, Buick introduced MaxTrac, (traction control)
*1978 Bosch introduced its ABS 2 system

So I challenge you, Will, to come up with any firsts on the order of game changing magnitude of those above that Japanese automakers have invented. (I actually don't think much of "Firsts" because it is the company that can effectively integrate new technology into their vehicles that impresses me. Look how Ferrari stubbornly stuck with drum brakes...)

Ok Will, start digging. We already established hybrids were not a Japanese breakthrough. I suggest looking for items like airbags (I imagine Volvo or another European make created them). Side curtain airbags is another choice. I already mentioned DSG above, that is the only recent change I can note aside from stability control. NAV, bluetooth, etc, I don't really count this as "Automotive technology". I will give you the self parking, since it is actually controlling the car. Active Cruise control is something I like, but I think MB had Japan on that.

Sources: Primarily Wikipedia

Will, adding a cog to a slush box ain't inventing anything. (Use of the word ain't in celebration of Toyota entering NASCAR and being penalized before the first event!)

Please explain to me why your simple mind is so enamored with one extra cog on an ancient technology.

Have you driven a DSG? I know the answer is no, because you couldn't help but be impressed.

Can you even drive a manual transmission? (I know you are 12 living in your parent's basement, but I was already able to drive a 5sp at that age)

Will, you brought up diesels on your own.

Will, I have driven the cars I criticize. Try it sometime, you might gain a sliver of credibility...

hm..I seen the camry around..Its okay but u know not just full of energy and bubbly its just there...And its not offensive..Interior is also kinda okay..Price is a down factor..