My mom totalled her Lexus ES-300 last month and was looking for a new ride. She drove a 2007 Camry XLE and really liked it. Only problem was nobody had one in our area with the options she wanted in a color she liked and she needed it very quickly. Since the dealer she went to was pulling typical dealer BS since she was a woman by herself shopping for a car (they wouldn't even do a search without a $500 deposit!) she walked out. I took her to a dealer not too far from me and we got much better treatment...shocker I know. The salesman asked if she was interested in a Hybrid which, even as a Hybrid driver myself, I didn't think would benefit her that much to offset the cost. They didn't have anything in their inventory and couldn't find anything nearby that had her options either....she wanted the NAV and apparently they either don't make many or they sell fast. She also wanted leather and the "smart key". The salesman asked again about the Hybrid as they just got one off the truck that day that had everything she wanted (no, it wasn't a line because it was at their old location where Toyota still delivers their vehicles for some reason). He claimed it would cost less than the XLE which I found hard to believe. The XLE with her 3 options stickered at $30,700. The Hybrid with Nav also had the smart key and leather and stickered for $30,600 (give or take a couple bucks). Of course, they wouldn't sell the Hybrid for a dollar under sticker, not that my mom was helping with the negotiations by telling the dealer things like "I really like it" and "I need something today"....but I don't think people are getting much in the way of discounts on them anyway. So, even if she could have gotten a discount on the XLE, I don't know how much....$2000 tops I would think for a 2007....right?

So, by my math, the XLE would have run her about $28,700 and the Hybrid $30,600. The Hybrid gets the federal credit of $1300 and a state rebate of $500 making the difference seem like only $100 (plus taxes and financing but that isn't much).

It seems like the only feature she doesn't get in the Hybrid are things she didn't care about anyway like dual exhaust, foglights, rear sunshade, and the wood trim which she actually didn't like anyway. None of those things are priced out as options so I'm not even sure what the cost difference of those would be.

Is my math wrong or is this a pretty good deal fo someone looking at the XLE???

 

The TCH is not an XLE but it's pretty darned nice...

Pricing seems to vary but most people (myself included) end up paying MSRP.

That may change pretty soon now that they are building them here in the USA but I also read that Toyota just increased the base price by $300.

In terms of ride and power - the TCH rides a nice as the XLE. Power is a bit less but the additional fuel economy helps make up for that. The eCVT transmission is really nice and smooth. Toyota seems to have gotten it right with this car..

 

I'll tell you one thing....I'd LOVE to get that NAV system in my Mariner Hybrid. WOW that system is NICE!!! Makes my dumpy little 3" CD-based system feel like....well, the outdated piece of crap that it is!

 

Other than the few 'features' I mentioned and some odds and ends like a different steering wheel....how does the TCH differ from the XLE?

Yes, I know the TCH has a 4 cyl engine and an electric motor vs the 6 cyl engine of the XLE. I also know that the TCH has the CVT. Other than that though, I don't see any differences....certainly nothing that stands out.

 

The XLE that I drove had nicer interior appointments like woodgrain trim front and rear. The car just felt more substantial, but I think that may have had more to do with it's driveline being more powerful.
On the exterior the XLE had dual exhaust, gold emblems and chrome alloys.

Not that the combination of all these things (and maybe more that I didn't notice) would draw me to an XLE over the Hybrid..

 

Tim, a while back I started a thread comparing a TCH with an LE. The TCH had more equipment than the LE, so I optioned the LE to look like a TCH. There was about a $2500 difference between the two which was negated by the $2600 tax credit (now $1300 as you know) Additionally there was equipment on the TCH which was not available, even as an option, on the LE. Since the XLE is more money than the LE I can believe your analysis. Also, the LE (and XLE) have optionally available vehicle stability control (VSC) with traction control (TRAC). Because of the electronics and drive by wire the TCH comes standard with vehicle dynamics integrated management (VDIM) which is a more comprehensive system. The main practical difference is that VSC will help keep control of the car once it detects control being lost. VDIM will detect conditions causing control to be lost and kick at that time, sooner than VSC would assist.

 

My mom just bough a XLE V6 last Friday. It does not have NAV or smart key. She wanted both but oh well. The sticker on the car was $28,800. We drove out the door at $28,400. About a $2000 discount.

Here is a complete list of the differences that I see. Most are minor.

XLE has that Hybrid does not.
1.Woodgrain (I hate it)
2.Lid on the bin infront of the armrest.(Just like the lid on my cupholders if I had it, it would stay open.
3.Rear sunshade. (I wish I had this)
4. Lid on the cupholder in the rear armrest. (umm who cares again)
5.Dual exhaust(I like)
6.Reclining rear seats. (Nice touch)
7.Driving/fog lights.(I wish I had these.)
8.Power passengers seat.(I want this too.)
9.Comes standard with the light package. (Only an option on the Hybrid)
10.Bigger trunk (umm well)
11.Bigger engine (thirsty too.)
12.My moms came with Bridgestones and mine came with Michelins. I like Mine.

 

I'm confused, so what else is new. The sticker was $28,800 and it was purchased for $28,400 after $2000 discount??? Was the sticker price prior to options and/or destination? Did the out the door price include tax, title, registration, etc. Just wondering what the bottom line sticker price was excluding dealer add-ons (like processing fee and pin-striping) or DMV fees. Is that what you got $2000 off from?

 

The XLE should also have the sliding armrest, maybe you and your mom haven't noticed that yet, but it's nice to have.

 

This is one of the brilliant moves made by Toyota Marketing. There is no apparent 'hybrid premium' on the TCH's. The pricing puts is right in between the XLE 4c and the XLE 6c ( Price an XLE 4c w/ Navi and leather: $29000 + )

Yes you may be able to get a discount on an XLE V6 loaded but just as you found there are less of these w/Navi out there than there are loaded TCH's, thus getting any significant discount from $31000 is rare at present.

This puts the TCH's right in the middle of the product mix. It's just another Camry with a different drive train and fuel economy. It blends in perfectly with the other Camry trims.