The hybrid industry is filled with excellent vehicles that are shaping up to be the crowd favorite. Electrification in the automotive industry is here to stay, and if you’re trying to stay close to your traditional non-electric vehicle roots, you may want to consider a hybrid (HEV). The hybrid industry touches all regions, but the leading car brands come from Asia. You have Hyundai and Kia in Korea and Toyota, Lexus, and Honda in Japan. Toyota and Lexus have had an edge over most of their competition in fields such as affordability, reliability, features, and more. One area that hasn’t been explored yet is the Japanese hybrid that offers the lowest maintenance costs.
It’s important to research estimates and projections of a vehicle’s maintenance costs; that way, you know what you’re getting yourself into. This is just one of the many ownership costs that can rack up the bills, but it isn’t too big of an issue in the hybrid industry. With brands like Toyota and Lexus being two of the most reliable car brands, it’s a no-brainer that some of their models come with low maintenance costs. If you’re in the market for a hybrid car that keeps costs low and isn’t prone to breaking, you may be surprised which Japanese model is the ultimate winner.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including the EPA and Edmunds.
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The 2025 Toyota Camry Offers The Lowest Maintenance Costs For A Japanese Hybrid Car
The 2025 Toyota Camry is the Japanese hybrid car with the lowest maintenance costs. It may be a bit surprising, but the Camry shows that even its more affordable siblings cost more in maintenance than it does. Some people may have thought that the more affordable a vehicle is, the more likely the maintenance costs would be lower. This is the case for various models, but out of all the Japanese hybrids, the Camry comes out on top, or really comes out at the “bottom”, since it doesn’t rack up the price.
You Can Expect To Spend $2,715 After Five Years
Toyota
So, what does the Japanese hybrid with the lowest maintenance costs look like on paper? According to Edmunds, you can expect to spend around $33 on maintenance during the first year. This likely involves an oil change because there isn’t much to maintain on a brand-new car during its first year. The costs jumped significantly in year two, totaling $406. This may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that this is the lowest you can go when looking at Japanese hybrids.
2025 Toyota Camry 5-Year Maintenance Cost
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
Maintenance
$33
$406
$285
$728
$1,263
$2,715
In year three, the Camry’s maintenance lowered down to $285. Fast-forward to the fifth year, and you’ll spend around $1,263. With all the expenses added together, the 2025 Toyota Camry is expected to cost $2,715 in maintenance after five years.
What Other Ownership Costs Look Like On The Camry Hybrid
Toyota
Before moving on to some comparisons of other Japanese hybrid cars, it’s worth diving into the other ownership costs of the 2025 Camry. One thing that should be mentioned is that this data is over the Camry’s base setup, aka front-wheel drive and base trim. If you’ve never looked at estimated ownership costs, it’s common for all trims on a model to carry different ownership costs. Since the overall discussion was to find the Japanese hybrid with the lowest maintenance costs, it’s a given for it to be a base trim in its standard form.
2025 Toyota Camry 5-Year Ownership Costs
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
Insurance
$769
$796
$824
$853
$882
$4,124
Maintenance
$33
$406
$285
$728
$1,263
$2,715
Repairs
$0
$0
$88
$213
$311
$612
Taxes & Fees
$2,122
$24
$24
$24
$24
$2,218
Financing
$2,121
$1,717
$1,280
$807
$293
$6,218
Depreciation
$3,106
$2,009
$1,902
$2,230
$2,113
$11,360
Fuel
$844
$869
$895
$922
$950
$4,480
True Cost to Own
$8,995
$5,821
$5,298
$5,777
$5,836
$31,727
While the maintenance was impressive, the repairs look even better. During the first two years, you can expect $0 in repairs, while the last three years amount to $612. Depreciation is another concern for buyers and owners, and with it being a Toyota, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about vehicle loss with the Camry. This is because Toyota is the car brand that retains its vehicles’ value the best. That just means that Toyota vehicles depreciate slower than the rest of the playing field.
When it comes to the 2025 Camry, it’s projected only to lose $11,360 of its value after five years. With all the other costs added together, you can expect to spend around $31,727 over five years of owning the Camry.
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How The Toyota Camry Stacks Up Against Other Hybrid Cars
When it comes to other categories, such as depreciation, fuel economy, or range, it’s pretty easy to give a reasonable guess based on past history. If you were to ask what the most efficient hybrid is, most people would already know or have guessed that it’s the Prius. This is either because it’s the most well-known hybrid in existence or because it’s been known to topple efficiency like no other.
Hybrid Sedans Maintenance Cost Comparison
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
Toyota Camry
$33
$406
$285
$728
$1,263
$2,715
Toyota Corolla Hybrid
$84
$425
$417
$841
$1,827
$3,594
Lexus ES Hybrid
$185
$732
$405
$1,158
$2,329
$4,809
When it comes to maintenance, it seems like it would be anyone’s guess, because the Camry doesn’t have a long track record of being the best in maintenance. This isn’t to say it was bad before, because it’s quite the opposite; rather, it’s surprising that it’s the best Japanese hybrid in terms of maintenance costs. Even more, no other Japanese hybrid car comes close to the Camry.
2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Ironically, the Japanese hybrid cars that are the runner-ups technically stick within the family. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid comes in second place, while its cousin, the Lexus ES Hybrid, comes in third. This isn’t all too surprising, because when it comes to Japanese hybrid cars, there aren’t many options. You have the Honda Civic Hybrid and Accord Hybrid, Toyota’s lineup, and Lexus’ lineup; that’s it. When it comes to the Corolla Hybrid, it costs $879 more in the long run compared to the Camry, amounting to $3,594 after five years.
2025 Lexus ES Hybrid
Next up is the 2025 Lexus ES Hybrid, and it may be surprising to some that a luxury sedan can offer low maintenance. This may not be the case for many other luxury vehicles, but the ES Hybrid is a Lexus after all, which tends to have tank-like reliability. The 2025 ES Hybrid raises the maintenance costs even higher, totaling $4,809 after five years. Compared to the Camry, the ES Hybrid will cost around $2,000 more in maintenance in the long haul.
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The Camry Starts At $28,700
Toyota
So, what does the MSRP look like on a Japanese hybrid sedan with the lowest maintenance cost? The short answer would be: enticing and low. Toyota starts the 2025 Camry out at $28,700, which is for the base trim with the standard front-wheel drive (FWD). All trims come standard in FWD but can be upgraded to all-wheel drive (AWD) for an additional $1,525.
2025 Toyota Camry Trims And Prices
Front-Wheel Drive
All-Wheel Drive
LE
$28,700
$30,225
SE
$31,000
$32,525
XLE
$33,700
$35,225
XSE
$34,900
$36,425
If you have a budget that sits around $35,000, you’ll be happy to learn that the Camry Hybrid’s highest trim is offered at $34,900 to $36,425. The Camry is the ideal hybrid sedan that’s worth every penny, and it is a car that feels like a luxury model but without the price tags.
The Hybrid Sedan With The Longest Driving Range
Toyota
The 2025 Toyota Camry showcases many of its strengths, but arguably, its fuel economy and range are the best. As you can see below, the Camry comes in many iterations and setups, which changes the fuel economy and ranges.
2025 Toyota Camry Fuel Economy
LE FWD
SE/XLE/SXE FWD
LE AWD
SE/XLE AWD
XSE AWD
Fuel Economy (City)
53 MPG
48 MPG
51 MPG
46 MPG
44 MPG
Fuel Economy (Highway)
50 MPG
47 MPG
49 MPG
46 MPG
43 MPG
Fuel Economy (Combined)
51 MPG
47 MPG
50 MPG
46 MPG
44 MPG
Range
663 Miles
611 Miles
650 Miles
598 Miles
572 Miles
Annual Fuel Cost
$950
$1,050
$950
$1,050
$1,100
The best part about the Camry is that whichever trim or setup you opt for, you’re still getting amazing efficiency and long-distance driving. The 2025 Toyota Camry offers a combined fuel economy of 44 to 51 MPG. That’s not even the most impressive part; the Camry is the hybrid in 2025 that provides the longest driving range. Depending on the trim and drivetrain, the Camry offers 572 to 663 miles.
A Breakdown Of Toyota’s Efficient Hybrid Powertrain
Toyota
Toyota is known for engineering some of the most efficient hybrid powertrains, and the 2025 Toyota Camry houses one of Toyota’s newest ones. The 2025 Camry entered a new generation this year, which now runs on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. This setup produces 225 horsepower for the FWD models, 232 horsepower for the AWD models, and 163 pound-feet of torque for all models. It’s not the quickest hybrid sedan, but Car and Driver estimates that it can perform a 0-60 mph sprint in 6.8 seconds.
2025 Toyota Camry Performance Specifications
Powertrain
2.5-Liter Four-Cylinder Hybrid Engine
Horsepower
225 HP (FWD)
232 HP (AWD)
Torque
163 LB-FT
Transmission
ECVT
Driveline
Front- Or- All-Wheel Drive
0-60 MPH
6.8 Seconds (C&D Est.)
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The Cost-Effective Hybrid Sedan That You Should Buy
Toyota
While you went into this conversation learning about the best Japanese hybrid car with the lowest maintenance costs, you now leave it knowing that it’s not just cost-effective in one category. The 2025 Toyota Camry is an amazing hybrid sedan that keeps costs low and is perfect for people with a budget that sits in the low $30,000s. The funny part is that there was so much to explore that you weren’t able to explore all of its features and technology. Toyota doesn’t need a salesman to put in the work when selling the Camry because this hybrid sedan speaks for itself through ownership costs, features, pricing, and a whole lot more.
AloJapan.com