Maruti’s diesel hybrids are not the only cars that have benefitted by the cut in excise duty on hybrid cars in the country. Thanks to the excise duty reduction, the Camry Hybrid as well gets a price cut of Rs 2.30 lakh to Rs 30.90 lakh as against Rs 33.20 lakh in April (prices, ex-showroom, Delhi).
Unlike the Maruti diesel-hybrid models which are mild hybrids, the Camry Hybrid is a full hybrid with an electric motor capable of powering the car independently as per the driving conditions.
A rival to the new Skoda Superb, the Camry is one of the few cars sold by the manufacturer not to be affected by the odd-even rule in Delhi with hybrid and alternatively fueled cars being listed as an exception to the rule which as per reports is expected to become a monthly affair in the National Capital Region.
Following its launch in 2013, the Camry Hybrid has proven to be more successful than its standard petrol sibling with a majority of the Camry sales being accounted for by the hybrid. Toyota gave the model a facelift in mid-2015 updating interiors and exteriors to freshen up the model.
In a panel discussion with Autocar India, N Raja, director and senior vice-president (sales & marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We have seen the demand moving towards the Camry Hybrid. Last year was the first time we sold 1,000 plus cars, out of which 90 percent were hybrids”.
The revision in pricing of the Camry Hybrid now places it closer to the standard Camry with the difference in price now down to a few thousands in place of lakhs, with the standard Camry’s price remaining unchanged at Rs 30.28 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).