Toyota Camry Hybrid rental in Melbourne

How the Camry Hybrid fits Melbourne driving

Most of the kilometres a rideshare or delivery driver does in Melbourne are in stop-start traffic: the Monash Freeway at peak hour, Princes Highway through Dandenong, the CBD grid. That is where a hybrid earns its keep, because the electric motors handle much of the low-speed work and recover energy under braking. The Camry adds a full-size rear seat and a conventional sedan boot, so passengers with luggage for Tullamarine or Avalon are not a problem.

Running costs

The Green Vehicle Guide rates the 2017–2022 Camry Ascent and Ascent Sport hybrid at 4.2 L/100km combined, the SL at 4.5 and the SX at 4.7. The current-generation Camry, which is sold only as a hybrid from 2024, is rated at 4.0 L/100km. These are laboratory figures; your own use will vary with traffic, air-conditioning and load, so treat them as a basis for comparing cars rather than a promise.

Practical points

• Boot space: on the 2017-on Camry, Toyota moved the hybrid battery from the boot area to under the rear seat, so the hybrid does not give up boot space the way the earlier Camry Hybrid did.
• Driving it: the transmission is a continuously variable type, so there are no gear changes. The petrol engine switching off at the lights, or not starting when you first press the start button, is normal.
• No charging: it is a self-charging hybrid. You fill it with petrol like any other car and never plug it in.

Renting one

Each Camry Hybrid below shows its own weekly rent, bond and year. Check the year against Uber's current Melbourne requirements if you plan to drive rideshare. We accept P-plates for the rental itself (Uber asks its drivers for a full licence held 6 months), and pickup is from Dandenong South.