The Prius twins are the flag bearers of the hybrid segment, and for a couple of decades, the Prius name has been synonymous with hybrid tech. Few cars have done more to normalize hybrid tech than the Prius, all while offering owners something that’s easy to live with, cheap to run, and fuel-efficient. It’s perfect for those looking for something that just works. And internet memes aside, you can’t deny that the Prius is one of the most important cars of our era.
What might surprise you, though, is that despite its legendary status, the Prius is not the brand’s highest-selling hybrid sedan today. That title belongs to yet another equally, if not more, iconic sedan: the 2026 Toyota Camry. Now sold exclusively with hybrid powertrains, the Camry moves thousands of units every month, and it is the best-selling sedan in the US today. Here’s how (and why) the Camry dominates the sedan segment while outselling the Toyota Prius twins combined.
The Camry Outsells Not Just The Prius But Every Sedan In The U.S.
Total Camrys Sold In 2025: 316,115
The Prius twins are doing alright in terms of sales, with 40,985 examples of the hybrid model and 15,503 examples of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid sold in 2025. These are nothing short of respectable numbers for alternative fuel vehicles. However, the Camry hybrid trumps them by miles, with a whopping 316,115 examples sold in 2025. This makes the Camry not just among the highest-selling Toyota models, seconded only by the RAV4, but also the best-selling sedan in the U.S. The only cars outselling the Camry are a few pickup trucks, like the F-150, and a couple of SUVs.
How does the Camry outsell the Prius? The hybrid segment is still very new, and most users switching to hybrid are still looking for that traditional car feel, and that’s what the Camry sedan offers. At the same time, the Camry is objectively a more finished product than the Prius, offering more powerful powertrains, an option of all-wheel drive, and family-car-friendly space. It’s a hallmark family sedan, which makes it more appealing than the Prius, which focuses more on utility and fuel economy.
As sensible as clipping coupons, wearing a comfortable pair of shoes, or grabbing an extra bit of life insurance… You know, just in case, this Toyota does exactly what a Camry should, though the car is better at it than ever. Also, this sedan no longer shouts for attention; rather, it’s much more confident than before.
– Craig Cole for TopSpeed
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Offers A More Complete Sedan Package For The Price Of A Prius
With the Camry, Toyota has managed to make a complete sedan while keeping its costs down; it starts at just $29,100, which is less than $1,000 more than the Prius base trim. And for 2026, Toyota has also introduced a new Nightshade trim, sitting between the XLE and XSE. This trim, as the name suggests, brings a dark theme, along with gloss-black badging and unique 19-inch wheels. Additionally, it also features the sportier suspension setup that’s present on the SE and XSE models.
But if you ask us, we’d bet our money on the SE trim as it offers the best bang for your buck. It’s slightly sportier while offering all the standard features you’d expect at this price point, along with optional extras like a larger touchscreen and all-wheel drive powertrain. Moving up to the XLE unlocks a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, leather and heated front seats, and optional ventilated front seats, whereas the top-end XSE adds sport-tuned suspension and some cosmetic upgrades. These XLE and XSE upgrades are good to have, but not essential.
The Hybrid Sedan That’s Perfect For First-Time Buyers
If you’re buying a hybrid for the first time, or for that matter, even a car for the first time, this option is the one you should strongly consider.
Powered By A Duo Of Hybrid Powertrains
The Toyota Camry comes with two engine options, starting with the base front-wheel drive powertrain. This one features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine supplemented by two electric motors, offering a combined output of 225 horsepower. The all-wheel drive powertrain adds a third motor working the rear axle, bumping the power output to 232 horsepower. Both powertrains are similar to what you’d find on the Prius, only they swap out the latter’s 2.0-liter engine for a 2.5-liter unit. A continuous variable transmission is standard on both powertrains.
Enough Power For Everyday Driving Needs, Nothing More
As you’d guess, the Camry is not the sportiest model in the segment. Still, the electric motors’ shove should help in making the drive a bit more responsive. You can expect the Camry to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.8 seconds, which is a whole second quicker than the Hyundai Sonata and a mere fraction of a second behind its closest rival, the Honda Accord. The top speed is electronically governed at 115 miles per hour. This is decent performance for everyday driving and an occasional highway sprint.
Excellent Fuel Economy Of Up To 51 Miles Per Gallon
|
City |
Highway |
Combined |
Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
43 – 52 MPG |
43 – 49 MPG |
43 – 51 MPG |
$850 – $1,050 |
The Camry offers excellent fuel economy that you’d expect from a modern hybrid, though it varies slightly by powertrain. According to the EPA, the XSE AWD trim offers the lowest fuel economy of 43 miles per gallon (combined) with a total range of 559 miles. Meanwhile, the base LE FWD trim offers the highest economy of up to 51 miles per gallon (combined) with an estimated range of 663 miles. The base model should only cost you $850 in fuel every year if you drive 15,000 miles.
Not To Forget, You Still Get To Enjoy Toyota Reliability
The Toyota Camry is among the most reliable hybrid sedans you can buy today, with J.D. Power giving it an Average score of 80 out of 100 in terms of reliability and quality. Add to that Toyota’s extensive warranty coverage, which includes a 96-month/100,000-mile hybrid/electric components warranty and a 120-month/150,000-mile traction battery warranty. You really don’t have to think much about maintaining the Camry, apart from spending a few hundred dollars every year on maintenance and repairs. Owning the Camry hybrid should be more or less stress-free.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $388 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,581 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 0
Generational Evolution Of The Toyota Camry Hybrid
The Toyota Camry is one of auto history’s best, and the Camry Hybrid has been a rock in the mid-size sedan class for 20 years. Here’s how it did it.
A Spacious Cabin With All The Right Family Sedan Features
Step into the Toyota Camry’s cabin, and you’ll be greeted with a spacious cabin with plenty of room for adults in both the front and the back, as well as a respectable 15 cubic feet of cargo space. Standard features include cloth upholstery and dual-zone climate control, whereas higher trims add leather upholstery, heated seats and steering wheel, auto-dimming IRVM, and more, depending on the model. For the money, the Camry promises to be a comfortable, spacious family sedan.
Packs All The Essential Tech
We wouldn’t go expecting luxury under $30,000, but for what it’s worth, the Camry doesn’t disappoint. It features all the modern essentials, including a standard eight-inch touchscreen unit with higher trims offering a larger 12.3-inch unit. Both screens run Toyota’s latest software interface that is considered quite intuitive, and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. On the XLE and XSE, you can also upgrade to a nine-speaker JBL stereo system for a richer sound experience.
Among The Safest In The Segment, Too
For a family car, safety is paramount, and that’s where the Camry shines bright. All Camry trims come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring a suite of driver assistance tech. Plus, the Camry scores highly in safety crash tests, too, earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ‘Top Safety Pick+’ for 2026. In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests, it earned five stars across the board, too, making it one of the safest family sedans in this price range.
For Many, The Camry Is The Smarter Pick Over The Prius
For those looking for urban utility and maximum fuel economy, the Prius is never a bad investment. But for everyone else, the Camry could be the smarter pick. It brings that traditional sedan comfort, slightly more power, an available AWD system, and better comfort and performance ratings. Additionally, it looks the part and is not as polarizing as the more futuristic Prius. In fact, it’s one of the prettier cars in the cheap family sedan segment. These are the reasons why the Camry outsells not just the Prius twins but all other sedans in the US.
Source: Toyota, J.D. Power, CarEdge, RepairPal, FuelEconomy.gov, NHTSA, IIHS