AutoblogGreen

1. Mostly just an adjustment for the US dollar continuing to tank, probably.

Is it just me, or did the '08 Camry have a REALLY short model year? Is the '09 getting a big mid-cycle refresh or something?

Posted at 5:20PM on Dec 1st 2007 by rob

2. Price increase or not, still does not make sense economically. Now, if your desire is to save the planet, ride a bike, carpool or walk (or take a bus). But the Prius remains an "ego" trip for most buyers. With 250K hybrids sold, has had no real impact on CO2 or fuel consumption other than awareness. But, even with that in mind, every bit helps.

Posted at 5:51PM on Dec 1st 2007 by Dad

3. How will people know you care about the planet if you don't drive a Prius? Isn't that the required badge of courage?

Posted at 8:31PM on Dec 1st 2007 by Throwback

4. "How will people know you care about the planet if you don't drive a Prius? Isn't that the required badge of courage?"

Very well said.

Posted at 8:42PM on Dec 1st 2007 by Dad

5. Maybe Toyota wants to fool people.
Look I can get a new '08 accord, or a 'new' '09 camry.
It might just work.

But if Toyota really wants to sell the camry over the accord, just point out the way better low beam headlights on the Camry.

Posted at 11:05PM on Dec 1st 2007 by MikeW

6. Dad, you're using 2004 logic against the prius. If you try comparing getting out of a 20 mpg car and moving to a 50 mpg car, with $3 dollar a gallon gas, then you should see that it is economically viable. ( Of course, not if you only drive 5,000 miles a year. )

Then, there's the question, do you want to continue to fund the Arab's who fund the terrorists? Every hybrid is a help to put these wacko's back in the SAND business.

Posted at 9:08AM on Dec 2nd 2007 by mike

7. Remember, the prius Earned it's Cred by being reliable and fuel efficient. It makes a great family car.

Posted at 9:20AM on Dec 2nd 2007 by mike

8. " ride a bike, carpool or walk."

I ride a bike to work 2 or 3 times a week when the weather is nicer in the summertime. There's no bus around where I live. Walking isn't an option, since i live about 5 miles to work.

"Dad"... your statement is really quite contradictory. You said "Price increase or not, still does not make sense economically. Now, if your desire is to save the planet..."

Economic reasons are what? Breaking even and saving money by buying a car? Hybrids of today aren't econoboxes, and I can't stand how people dismiss hybrids outright because they don't "break even." Was there a "break even" judgement on fuel-injection when it was introduced as a technology? Was there a "break even" judgment on the catalytic converter? Talk about wasteful options, is there a "break even" judgment on a V6 engine in a car that otherwise you can get in a more efficient inline-4?

as to your point about saving the planet. The fact is, a hybrid vehicle uses less energy over its entire lifetime (more than just 3 or 5 years of the average ownership of the car, the ENTIRE lifetime) than a non-hybrid.

The number of vehicles sold are still a minority, but your numbers are wrong. Toyota by themselves have sold over 1 million vehicles using their full hybrid design.

For me, the truth is right here in the numbers :
503.636 G consumed
24697 miles driven
49.0 MPG
$1,300.91 spent on gas in the last 2 and 1/2 years.

Posted at 3:08PM on Dec 2nd 2007 by Benson Leung

9. Dad... I am currently shopping for a Camry Hybrid so the information about the 2009 model already being released is of great importance to me.
However, I am not buying the Hybrid to "save the planet" I am simply doing my part to damage the planet a tiny bit less. In point of fact even if every person in the USA became "green" overnight it would not make up for one millionth of the damage being done every day in China and India.

Posted at 1:33PM on Mar 2nd 2008 by HiHoStevo