I purchased a new 2013 Camry Hybrid about 18 months ago. I believe Toyota started making Camry Hybrids in 2007 after several years of Prius model production.
I've driven my hybrid about 28,000 miles so far without any problems. It has a 2.5 Atkinson-cycle engine and CVT transmission. Toyota uses planetary gears instead of belts in their CVT transmissions.
There are no belts in the hybrid engine. The a/c, power steering and radiator are all powered by electric motors.
I visit my elderly parents in Oklahoma about once or twice a month so my driving is a mixture of Ozark hills and level toll roads. I've checked my highway mileage several times and averaged 49 mpg. Around town where the electric motor works more often, I've reached 52.5 mpg.
Whenever you stop the car the gas engine shuts off. As soon as you press on the accelerator it comes on instantly without any delay. When you accelerate hard, the gas engine and electric motor both kick in for a combined 200 horsepower. Plenty of power when needed!
One of my town's newer city police cars is a 2014 black-and-white Camry Hybrid. (I did a Google search and more and more Camry Hybrids are being used for police cars and fleet taxis due to overall fuel savings and reliability.)
I'm very pleased with my Camry so far. I feel like Toyota has a proven track record for hybrid vehicles.
