2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

Complete with the all-new Sporty XSE Hybrid trim added to its line-up this year, the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid is indeed a marvel of modern technology. Once hailed as a superb family-hauler, the regular Camry fell into relative (mind the pun) when her little sister, the Prius, hit the market and made serious waves. But, thanks to a growing revival, both the gas-powered Camry and the Camry Hybrid have once again taken hold of the sedan segment, competing with the well-loved Honda Accords.

There is no beating around the bush: the Camry Hybrid is going to be your most frugal option out of all the Camrys. It actually slates right between all of the gas-powered Camrys MSRP-wise, and it comes in your choice of the LE, SE, and XLE. It might not be the most exciting Camry out there, but it has a responsive brake pedal that never gets too soft as you drive.

The XLE trim level will afford you more luxury while sacrificing a little bit of efficiency. It gets a combined 46 mpg with 44 mpg in the city and 47 mpg on the highway, which is still an excellent showing for a hybrid sedan.

Could one of these trim levels be the right vehicle for you? Or is another hybrid going to be a better fit? It is time to find out. We will go over all three of the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid trim levels, and, in the end, we will let you know which one we think offers buyers the best overall deal. Read on through until the end so you can get our final verdict!

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE vs SE Hybrid. What is the difference?

The 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid's base trim is the LE, which is powered by the same powertrain that comes equipped on all of the other Camry Hybrids. This powertrain is composed of a 2.5-L 4-cylinder dual-injection with dual VVT-i that comes with Normal, ECO, EV, and SPORT modes. Combined with a battery pack and hybrid motor, the Camry Hybrid gets a combined 208 hp. The electric motor has an output of 118 hp and electric motor voltage of 650 volts. There is a sealed litihium-ion battery with 259.0 volts. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT) with sequential shift mode rounds out the powertrain, which can be found on all three Camry Hybrid models.

Now, let's talk about features, starting from the outside and working our way inward. The LE and SE Hybrids both come with LED daytime running lights with an auto on/off function, black accents around the LED combination taillights, body-colored power-folding side mirrors, touch sensor locking and unlocking mechanisms on the body-colored door handles, intermittent windshield wipers that are linked with the washer, glass that is high in its solar energy-absorbing abilities, and a front windshield that reduces wind noise. You also get an in-glass AM/FM antenna, a shark-fin style antenna, and an option for a power tilting and sliding moonroof.

Where these two trim levels differ on the outside is that the SE adds a few more niceties. For example, the SE Hybrid has black accents on its bi-LED combination headlights with an auto on/off feature. It also trades the dark gray front mesh grille from the LE and goes for a sportier black front grille with a sport mesh insert. Rocker panels done in the body color get added for a sportier edge too. To top it off, the SE Hybrid upgrades you to 18-inch black machined-finish alloy wheels that come with all-season tires.

So, what about the interior? Both the LE and SE Hybrids come with a lot of the same standard features. They both have dual-zone automatic climate control with an electric compressor, a sensor that detects humidity, and air filtration system. Projected path comes with the standard back-up camera system, but you can opt for one that has dynamic guidelines instead. The 60/40-split folding rear seats with their center armrest come complete with cup holders. Also, you will find beautiful soft material upper door trim and linear dark interior trim adorning both cabins. The inner door handles are done in silver, and the Smart Key System includes Push Button Start, remote illuminated entry, and remote keyless entry.

Add to that even more handy features. You also get an anti-lock-out feature on the power doors, a timer on the rear window defogger, 4-window auto-up/down on the power windows, a day/night rear-view mirror, storage for sunglasses and map lights with the overhead console, a covered center bin, a glove box that has LED illumination, a single USB-C charge-only port, one USB-C charge and media port, sliding extenders on the sun visors (with their accompanying vanity mirrors if you should so opt for them), and Brake Hold with the Electric Parking Brake.

To all of that, the SE Hybrid trim level makes several important additions. This mid-tier trim level boosts its profile by including more sought-after features like a 3-spoke leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with multiple functions and paddle shifters mounted onto it. You also get the comfort of sitting on Sport SofTex trim on the front seats with their fabric inserts. The driver's seat has 8-way power adjustability and power lumbar support while the front passenger seat has 6-way power adjustability. On top of that, the SE Hybrid's cabin is completed with a 4.2-in. TFT Multi-Information Display (MID) system. This comes with readouts for the external temperature, odometer, fuel economy, and trip info, just to name a few things. It shows you far more data sets than the system that is equipped on the LE Hybrid.

The audio and infotainment set-ups are pretty similar between these two trim levels. They both come with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display, smartphone app integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 6-speaker sound system, Bluetooth hands-free technology, and connectivity to SiriusXM Satellite Radio. An option to upgrade to a 9-inch touchscreen system exists, and you can also opt for Remote Connect: Toyota Skill as part of a package. The Toyota + Alexa App comes standard.

Toyota sensibly equips its Camry Hybrids with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ bundle of driver aids. This means that, despite which trim level you buy, you get treated to an array of handy driver assistance functions. This system has pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, road sign assist, and dynamic radar cruise control wiht a full range speed following ability. You also get the Star Safety System (which bundles traction control, vehicle stability control, smart stop technology, and more) and hill start assist control. ToyotaCare comes standard, and you can opt for a blind spot monitoring system.

2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid SE vs XLE Hybrid. What is the difference?

The XLE is the line-topping trim level for the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid, and it offers the most luxury features out of the three trims, quite naturally. So, what exactly should you expect to get from this vehicle? Well, on the outside, you will see some differences, so let's start there. The exterior has fully integrated LED daytime running lights with its LED headlight set-up. Also, its LED taillights come with those chic black accents. There is an option that opens up for level control on the LED headlights. Chrome accents adorn the dark grey front grille, and a blind spot indicator is built into the side mirrors as part of the standard blind spot monitoring system. The wheels get upgraded to 18-inch dark gray machined-finish alloys, and a chrome finisher gets added to the sole exhaust.

Of course, the ante gets upped inside of the XLE too. In there, you will find more creature comforts, such as rear seat vents for the dual zone automatic climate control system, a wireless charging pad, the dynamic gridlines on the back-up camera, a customizable 7-in. TFT Multi-Information Display (MID), leather trim on the front seats, rear adjustable head rests, wood inlay interior trim, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, the HomeLink universal transceiver, and ambient interior lighting. You can also opt for a head-up display if it is of interest to you.

The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes standard on this trim level and offers a few more odds and ends on the digital front. You can also opt for the premium audio and built-in navigation version of this system if you want the 9-speaker JBL premium sound system instead of the 6-speaker sound system. Also, Remote Connect: Toyota Skill comes standard on the XLE trim level.

As far as safety features go, they essentially all carry over from the two lower trims, save for the fact that blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert is standard on the XLE Hybrid.

Which Trim to Choose?

There you have it, potential buyers, the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid line-up. The base LE, mid-tier SE, and line-topping XLE trim levels all have something different to offer, so what you get is going to ultimately depend on what will best suit your unique needs. All three are well-rounded when it comes to safety features, so no worries there. And, as far as infotainment features go, you get plenty of options across the board. The one issue you might take with the vehicle is that you cannot choose a different powertrain, but the one you get it pretty fuel-savvy, so, again, there shouldn't be too many issues there.

Which trim level do we recommend? Well, if we had to go with just one Camry Hybrid, we would stick with the base LE. It is reasonably priced and manages to pack a lot of standard features in for that cost. Of course, it also happens to achieve the best fuel economy of the bunch, coming in at a highly respectable 52 miles per gallon. An EPA estimate like that on a hybrid sedan is hard to beat, and the Camry Hybrid pulls a great number here. There is no arguing that this is one of the more fuel-efficient vehicles in its class, especially on this trim level.

The LE has a lot of standard features without being over-the-top. The LED headlights project a good amount of light while driving along in the dark or on a foggy day, and the dual-zone automatic climate control heats and cools all areas of the cabin well even without those rear vents you get on the XLE Hybrid trim level. With a standard power-adjustable driver and front passenger seat and all-around comfort and support, it is hard to deny that even the base LE Hybrid trim has plenty of allure.

Still, you cannot really go wrong with any of the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid trim levels. Whether you stick to the LE or opt for the sportier SE or more luxury-oriented XLE, you will get a fuel-savvy and comfortable ride from your vehicle.